Getting soft

[mudpuppy]

Man I froze today! 54 degree wind out of the N, and the water temp was right about there too. Hurt just wading into it. 30degree drop in temps from just a few days ago. Anyway, worked the Pro in there after that big blow yesterday and came home very hypothermic again...I need a full wetsuit for this kind of work. I was wearing a stocking hat, a swimsuit and barefoot, so I had it coming. I found a sort of nice little cut in waist deep water and hit this stuff. The modification of the lower shaft I did yesterday worked flawlessly, fast and easy to change the length now. I'm gonna look for a full wetsuit, one that has pockets high up on the shoulders, do they make such a thing? One things for sure, cold water makes a fellows body burn everything it has to keep from freezing to death, so I think its gotta be good for you right?
Mud

 

[ajaj]

...and I thought the drier 70 degree air here in NY was icky. Way to stick it out. Remember, a wet suit is really boyuant; when you dive down, you'll pop up very quickly. If you hunt greater than about 5 foot of water, you'll need to be weighted. Way to stick it out!

aj

 

[BarryL]

Mud can you post a pic of your mod on the AT

 

[mudpuppy]

Ajaj, I should have worn the waders today...I took them out of my vehicle just last week...
Hey Barry, scroll down to NamVetLes' post on "freeing lower stem rods". I put some pics there on the process I used for unsticking it with their help and then filed off those two raised surfaces on the lower rod. Neil also suggested getting rid of the lower cam lock, which I did. Then I polished the inside of the tube and rod and waxed them both with some car wax. Now all a guy does is push the detent buttons to adjust the length, even in the water, or wherever, no problem fast and smooth and no wobble...and no worries about sand getting inside and sticking everything up solid. The hardest part was getting it unstuck, and man, that was tough!
Mud

 

[knightsquad]

I've never done it but guys
Be careful when weighing yourselves down!
God forbid something should happen you would
just sink and never to be found again!
IE: cramps, heart attack etc etc...
Pete

 

[fongu]

I want to get a weight belt, but hope they have a quick release button. Glad you got your shaft working, Mud. I dread trying to take my shaft apart, since I haven't done anything but wipe it down since I got it a couple months ago.

 

[Ytcoinshooter]

You are tough! even in 70 degree water i suit up because I will surely chill in the few hours im out scooping. I have both a 3 mm & 5 mm wet suit, the 3milimeter neoprene gets the most use. Good dive boots with a coral rated sole make me comfortable and don't wear out pushing on the scoop like water shoes. Re weight belts, I used one in the ocean until I realized that sharks are among the fish that are attracted to shiny things like the buckle. Bouency is only a problem if I go out more than chest deep. I got a heck of a deal on my wetsuits ($20 to $30) at an Ocean State Job Lot store. It's a RI, Mass & CT chain. Got nice dive boots off eBay for <$50. delivered. I got 10 years from my last pair. Also remember that aquaseal is important to have toile repairs on waders and neoprene items. Good luck, chasing bling is addictive !
HH-Bruce

 

[mudpuppy]

Regarding cold water...we sort of get used to it? The trick I use is to get out into waist deep as fast as possible, then quickly dunk down to the neck and just hover there for a little, chin deep and thinking like a polar bear...what happens is some sort of thing in a persons metabolism or something where the alarm bells go off in the boiler room and all the little workers start shoveling as much coal as they can into your internal furnaces to keep a person from freezing to death. All of a sudden, you don't feel cold anymore! Once a person starts shivering and both arms are tingling, the boiler room guys ran out of everything to burn and its time to get out and warm up..If you stay in to long, your legs seem to quit working and its hard to get out of the water. I think though I'm getting too old for this, and I want to hunt a little longer, so a wetsuit should do the trick. Sept up here has the warmest water in the year, since it takes that long for the Lake to warm up. Yes what kind of addiction is this for a person to do what we do?
Mud