OK Chaps and wanna be chaps, what is the lowest temp you ever surfed in and would you do it again ?

winter is coming in the UK, and I'd love to know everyones limits!!! go for it , whats yours ?

We sail at cleethorpes last year we sailed all through the winter as long as its 8'c your o.k. thats when to start wearing your helmet (brain freeze), gloves that don't give you forearm cramp are the best advice, hot aches on the hands are a nightmare.

I have flown a foil kite in sub-zero temperatures (celcius) on a frozen lake. It was snowing/raining lightly and had been raining quite a bit. I was on down hill skis but the Ice was covered with 4-6 inches of water so it was sort of like trying to kitesurfing on water.

I had real problems with the kite just falling out of the sky right near the middle of the power zone. The kite and bridle would get wet, the water would freeze to ice and the kite would not fly properly.

I would say it is a bad idea to try kitesurfing if the air temperature is below freezing and/or if the water is solid. In the latter case, see the snowkiting group.

If the air is above freezing and the water is still liquid, there is no limit. You just need a good drysuit, boots, gloves, full hood, and enough smarts to quit before you freeze to death.

exactly.

i've been out surfing in sub-zero.
dry suit, 2 pairs of gloves, hood, thick boots.

nice feeling to see snow lying around at the beach

but if you do something like that, there are different rules:

don't go out if the wind is the slightest bit offshore (i lost a kite and nearly died because of that), only go out in shallow waters - without a big directional, i guess you will swim, even with a drysuit, for about 10-15minutes till you stop moving. and you're slower than usual.

ideal would be:
shallow water, side-onshore, sunny weaher and someone who's watching you!

I almost didn't even read this Topic RocketRonnie. To be honest with you, I have been afraid to read ANY of your topics here since I seen your message reply in the How to Post Pics here again topic. If you're scared, say you're scared. I'M SCARED!! I've been afraid to read them for fear that I may have to see more disgusting pics of dudes in their draws. ARGH!!! Spare us please.

Umm, I'm a whimp for the cold. I don't go places in the winter where it get's sub zero tempuratures. You can keep all of that. The coldest I have done and will do again is in Florida in the winter time in the warmest wetsuit I can get my hands on. Prolly as cold as 45-50 degrees fahrenheit air temp and not so cold water.

Johnny

Sorry Jhonny, It wasnt meant to make you scarred. It was just a poke at kite pants. We can have a little fun in here cant we ? no need to take ourselves that seriously is there ?

Anyway, yes, sub zero sounds more like pain than pleasure. Is my first season so I will see how low my personal tolerance goes. if there comes a poit, and i'm sure there will, that It no longer fun - then I will have to spend more time with my missus. . . .or actually emmigrating doesnt sound so bad now..... any more views ?

Come on Down to Oz! Its Spring time now! It was 27 yester day, and about 25 today. The wind was at 20-20 knots, a beautiful day. Can't wait for Summer.

ehh, I stil have no FKKKing Idea what you guys were talkin about wit those kite pants! lol...

In Hungary this year we started kiting in April, when the water was 6 degreesC, the temperature was around 13.
Unfortunatly I still don't have a drysuit, so the above was with a semidry (5mm) and with shoes and gloves.
But I heard that a rider was kiting when there was still ice on the major part of lake.

I WILL GET A DRYSUIT!!!

kGreg

Did an early morning session in our main Southerly facing Beach in April of this year in Auckland... About 10 degrees... that was cold enough but if the winds good you don't notice the cold in those conditions.... you probably would if it was MINUS 10...

No crowds though when it's cold.... that's a plus... to be honest I'm not looking forward to summer... although with el nino coming I'll be able to kite at a place with no beach (well it's sorta swampy so it won't fill with fat blobs)....

BLOWN AWAY

Mr anon here saying rode inflatable in whistler BC in -20 c and its great just dress warm. By the way I wear twin tip skiis and that was heaps of fun as well tried snowboard but no edge unless in powder and powder hard to find cause always windblown. Two edges better then one on ice. Dress warm don't get wet when that cold and ride hard die freee