wetsuits and plastic skis?

Anyone have trouble moving your butt properly in a plastic ski while wearing neoprene? I've had a Nelo 510 since February, and I'm used to paddling it in a drysuit. A couple of weeks ago I started wearing a farmer john wetsuit instead and I feel like my movements are very restricted, as though there's friction not only on the seat of my pants but also on the sides of my hips. It's tiring and discouraging. Any suggestions?

The suit doesn't really have enough slack material/flexibility in the hips for an upright posture with knees raised a little, so I'm not sure it's a practical proposition anyway (even though it's a kayaking suit and I've used it so for years with no trouble), but I do like the idea of having some insulation when I fall out of the boat.

Maybe it has nothing to do with ski layup and friction but instead is the wetsuit fit.

Drysuits have to be cut baggy. You might felt your underlayer slipping against the inside of the drysuit fabric. In contrast, wetsuits are supposed to fit snugly. If yours isn’t loose, you might be feeling constrained by the tight material, not friction against the ski itself.

Even in a sea kayak, paddling in a drysuit always felt like it allowed more freedom of movement than a wetsuit. Some neoprenes are better than others, though. I thought the kayaking-marketed wetsuits sold by NRS had less-stretchy neoprene than the more expensive surfer wetsuits. You may need to try a different wetsuit.

I'm thinking of switching to separate pants/top maybe. NRS sells various thicknesses of hydroskin pants which are apparently cut with extra material in the seat for sitting, and Vaikobi has something similar. Not sure about what would work for a top since I don't want a whole shirt made out of non- breathable material.

Incidentally, yesterday I was out at the south sailing basin in Berkeley, CA in my farmer John and it felt fine. Not sure why I didn't feel like i was fighting the suit. As a beginner, the water was a little cold to be out in just a bathing suit and shirt while practicing surfing and paddling across waves at the edge of the bay. The farmer John was great during my swims and I didn't feel like i was fighting it. No idea why it worked then but not the previous two or three times.

It is the material and the plastic of the kayak.

I have exactly the same problem with my 510 and either wetsuit or Reed Chillcheater trousers.

Have to keep hitching my bum up and sloshing water underneath. Drives me mad.

I've tried wearing lycra over the trouser - still get problems.

Wondering about using some sort of polish on the seat.

mrcharly wrote:

It is the material and the plastic of the kayak.
I have exactly the same problem with my 510 and either wetsuit or Reed Chillcheater trousers.
Have to keep hitching my bum up and sloshing water underneath. Drives me mad.
I've tried wearing lycra over the trouser - still get problems.
Wondering about using some sort of polish on the seat.

Wonder if there's any sort of Teflon fabric or sheets that would work?

Really clever username wrote:

mrcharly wrote:

It is the material and the plastic of the kayak.
I have exactly the same problem with my 510 and either wetsuit or Reed Chillcheater trousers.
Have to keep hitching my bum up and sloshing water underneath. Drives me mad.
I've tried wearing lycra over the trouser - still get problems.
Wondering about using some sort of polish on the seat.

Wonder if there's any sort of Teflon fabric or sheets that would work?

There might be, but fitting a sheet to the compound curve of the seat, without wrinkles, would be a challenge. Even a tiny wrinkly or bump would produce major sores over time.