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Rule 4 / Case 2

Swim Test Your Gear Every Time You Go Out

This is a classic case of a big, strong guy getting quickly trashed by 50F water - even though he’s wearing a 7mm farmer john with a wool sweater and a paddling jacket.

- Moulton Avery

A Close Call for Dan Corrigall
November, 1985 - Queen Charlotte Channel, British Columbia

Dan Corrigall and his paddling partner Andy Bennett were hit by katabatic winds during a three-mile crossing of Queen Charlotte Channel north of Vancouver, BC. Dan was wearing a 1/4” (7mm) thick farmer john wetsuit, a wool sweater covered by a paddling jacket, and a PFD. The water temperature was around 50F (10C).

Dan was 6’3”, 200 pounds, a strong swimmer, and a paddler with confidence in his roll. Following a capsize, he tried to roll three times before bailing out. Once in the water he quickly felt extremely cold. After swimming a short distance to retrieve his paddle, his arms were so weak that he couldn’t swim 50 feet back to Andy’s boat. Soon he was so weak, and his hands were so cold, that he was unable to use a paddle float given to him by Andy. The float was then lost. He was rescued shortly thereafter and took 1.5 hours to rewarm.

The problem with Farmer John wetsuits is that they offer no protection for your arms and shoulders.

If you’re going to wear a Farmer John, swim-test it. If you find that it’s not enough protection, you can wear fleece on top of it and cover that with a drytop. Just make sure that the waist seal on the drytop is watertight.

Lesson Learned

Swim-testing his gear would have alerted Dan to the fact that his torso and hand protection were inadequate for the conditions.

Cold water entering the ear canal can cause disorientation and vertigo, resulting in a failure to roll.

A farmer john wetsuit provides no protection for your shoulders and arms.

You can very quickly lose the use of your hands and your arms in cold water.

Paddling jackets provide very little thermal protection once you’re in the water because they leak at the neck, wrists, and waist.

When it’s windy, things like paddles, paddle floats, and even boats can quickly blow away and be lost.

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