Surfriders Performance Lab - Hypothermia Experiment

Surfriders Performance Lab - Hypothermia Experiment - 1 -11 -2011

Lab Rats : Drake C. , Keith W. , Myself

Surf Break / Lab : Somewhere between Daniels Reef and Atlantic Tower

Experiment Time : 1:45 pm

Lab Conditions : Chest to Head , Air -35 Degrees , Water - 43 Degrees , Wind - 10 to 15 west / straight offshore .

Pre Experiment Nutrition - 1 regular size candy bar and 300 ml. water per lab rat.

Equipment - All lab rats rode some kind of shortboard , and wore their best wetsuits and all accessories . All lab rats glad to have a little post holiday belly fat .

All lab rats agree that you could reasonably perform / surf up to about and hour . The fumble factor is always high in full wetsuits , as all agreed it was greatly amplified by the freezing conditions . All lab rats crashed and " froze " much more often than surfing the same conditions in warmer temps . All lab rats agree that their toes , fingers or both hurt and throbbed during session . All lab rats agree that they had trouble with coordination and manual dexterity after the session , { I stayed out for 2 hours and had trouble walking out of water , and shivered heavily driving home} .

Experiment Conclusion : 3 out of 3 lab rats agree , it was cold as SHIT !!!!!!!

P. S . , But all lab rats caught some awesome surf , with hardly anyone out .