Freezing Temperatures

I live here in the Northeast of U.S. He have been having a lot of sub 35 degree F temps (2 degree C). Its getting down to 10-20 degrees F (minus 7 to 12 C) at times. I have a Epic V10Sport. I am scared that the kayak is going to crack in those temps in the water. Are these surfskis built for these temperatures?? Anybody with experience in these matters?

Unless your hull has already filled with water and froze (like a frozen beer can that expands and burst), you should not have a problem. I've paddled Lake Michigan in winter for years. Just be careful to not hit the icebergs to hard. Your EPIC will be fine.

Paddle smart, dress for immersion and wear your PFD.

I had an ishue once with my rudder lines freezing in there tubes when it was 22° out. . Couldn't get them to move until I brought it inside and thawed it out. I fixed the problem by putting some windsheald wiper fluid in the rudder 'cup' and tilting the stern up until it ran down the tubes and out into the cockpit. Worked a treat.

Bill

After paddling in subfreezing weather, which has been the last 2 & 1/2 months here in northern NJ, I bring the ski inside a heated storage area and use compressed air to completely remove all water from the rudder box. I then blow out the rudder lines from both directions, ie. from bucket to rudder and vice versa. Also blow dry the pedals. Nothing worse then driving 1-2 hours and then finding the rudder inoperative. Never had a problem taking a ski from a 50 F. environment and immediately subjecting it to 20 F.

Jeez but you guys are DEDICATED!

I sometimes forget there's a bunch of hardcores that do this in sub-zero.

(sorry for off-topic comment)

Brrrr
Just starting to get some cold down here, autumn

ps, never had any probs with sub zero Celcius this day was -7 and we have a good selection of brands paddlin

Ric:

Dedication, no passion.

Why not do something you love?

I'm in the northeast also, and really never had a problem other than trying to extricate myself from all that neoprene. That, in and of itself, is a workout.

If you're bringing your ski in to a warm storage spot, popping a vent cap is a good bit of advice. For the same reason you'd never throw warm water on a frozen windshield, contraction/expansion can be extreme-every little bit of transition helps.

I rather like the sound made cutting through wafer-thin ice; it resembles ripping paper.