Dehydration

Moderator: GreenLake

Dehydration

Postby tomodda » Fri May 24, 2019 1:18 pm

Beautiful wind here in North Carolina today, but combined with broiling hot sun and 95 humid degrees. This post just a reminder, as summer is fast approaching, to hydrate, hydrate, and hydrate some more.

Last weekend, under a similar hot sun, I made the mistake of rigging the boat in full sun in the middle of a hot parking lot before the boat ramps. By the time I was out sailing, I was really "feeling it." A little dizzy and NOT sweating - a bad sign, although I didn't think of it at the time. I had two gallons of water with me and was drinking up, but I started cramping up badly. First my feet (go figure), but after a few tacks my hands started cramping. Hard to sail when your hands are painful claws! Fortunately, I had a crew, so I asked him to take the helm and mainsheet while I dunked my paws in the lake. Would have been different if I was singlehanding, I'd need to hove to and try to work it out. Downwind, tending the jib, same thing again, more cramped hands. Anyway, this just to say that once you get behind the curve on your hydration, it's hard to catch up again (especially if you're "over a certain age") so be careful, folks!

Obviously, this doesn't apply to you guys in Michigan and Maine :) Talk to y'all in a few months.....

Cheers,

Tom
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Re: Dehydration

Postby GreenLake » Fri May 24, 2019 1:32 pm

Good warning.

Doesn't take extreme heat, or Southern locations. I've managed that one time in October, sailing north of the 53rd parallel (not in my DS :) ).

There are other warning signs as well, although some of them you might notice only after you get off the water. But good to file away as a reminder to not wait until you feel thirsty.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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