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  1. #26
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    Sep 2010
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    975
    Sounds like you've got the fitness and ability part down. Safety would be my #1 concern...boat traffic, tides, winds, etc. x2 on a wet suit and support boat, don't want get a cramp out there on your own.

    Consider myself an average swimmer and #1 thing I have to constantly remind myself in OWS is manage heart rate, that gets up too high and your screwed.

  2. #27
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    Oct 2003
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    Quote Originally Posted by dtown View Post
    Consider myself an average swimmer and #1 thing I have to constantly remind myself in OWS is manage heart rate, that gets up too high and your screwed.
    Yes, make a conscious effort to start out slow and stay calm. Adrenaline is going to kick in at the start of a swim like this and it's very easy to start out at a pace that's not sustainable.

  3. #28
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    Watching over the valley
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    5,001
    Yeah, I have experience racing moutain bikes cross country, and that was always a thing, don't start out too fast. Same with a big climb biking or skiing, you know it's coming, settle into your pace, get comfortable, and then go at a sustainable pace.
    Good feedback, gonna hit the pool tomorrow for an extended swim, see how it goes.
    sigless.

  4. #29
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    Jan 2008
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    truckee
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    23,115
    If you use a 2 man kayak as a safety boat make sure you know how to get into from deep water--otherwise there will be two of you swimming.

  5. #30
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    Haxorland
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    7,103
    Fat floats. I'd suggest stuffing your face with as many cheeseburgers and pizzas as you can find immediately.
    I've concluded that DJSapp was never DJSapp, and Not DJSapp is also not DJSapp, so that means he's telling the truth now and he was lying before.

  6. #31
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    8,965
    I've met Lynn cox (friend of friend). apparently, she has a great physical build for open ocean swimming. She's not svelt.

  7. #32
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
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    It's Full of Stars....
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    Quote Originally Posted by bodywhomper View Post
    I've met Lynn cox (friend of friend). apparently, she has a great physical build for open ocean swimming. She's not svelt.
    Totally noticed this in San Fran.... At my last minute piss stop on the boat, the guy behind me was in nothing but a Speedo, everyone else had full wetsuits, booties, double caps, you name it. Homeboy was prolly 5'8, 240, rocking the grape smugglers and nuthin else.......
    What we have here is an intelligence failure. You may be familiar with staring directly at that when shaving. .
    -Ottime
    One man can only push so many boulders up hills at one time.
    -BMillsSkier

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    YetiMan
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    13,370
    I did a lot of distance swimming in lake superior last year. I just go swim for a few hours, it's usually like 2 miles.
    The thing that made a huge difference for me was using a mask and snorkel. It's so nice to just keep your head down and watch the bottom. I just rock back and forth slowly, a lot of my move comes from my hips. I take floaty breaks, I get cramps. Sometimes I change strokes. The appropriate wetsuit for water temp is a must. Weirdly, sometimes the swells/waves make me a little seasick.

    What I would do is swim that distance along shore first and see how it agrees with you.

    If I can convey anything, you want to feel like "I can do this all day if I have to, I can knock the pace down and keep making progress for 10 hours"....you don't want to be at your limit in any way, at your energy limit, at some limit of a weak limb or something, at your thermal limit...etc. Snorkel or goggles: you don't want them hurting after 2 hours....You want all that dialed in so you have the confidence to approach it calmly...that feeling like "I can swim indefinitely".
    Having some fat on your body is not an awful thing for this kind of thing imho.

  9. #34
    Join Date
    May 2009
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    inpdx
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    20,197
    Quote Originally Posted by seano732 View Post
    Totally noticed this in San Fran.... At my last minute piss stop on the boat, the guy behind me was in nothing but a Speedo, everyone else had full wetsuits, booties, double caps, you name it. Homeboy was prolly 5'8, 240, rocking the grape smugglers and nuthin else.......
    i understand doing the bay swim with no wetsuit is a badge of honor
    no added buoyancy
    no thermal advantage
    just you against the sharks, uh cold ocean

  10. #35
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Seattle
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    27,308
    Marathon swimmers frown on the use of a wetsuits. If you are doing an official channel swim like the English Channel or Catalina it doesn't count unless you're wearing a normal swimsuit. I'll admit I'm a bit of a purist and view swimming in a wetsuit as cheating. It's something triathletes do after all (shudder).

    I'm not sure what the water temp is around Nevis, but I suspect it's plenty warm to not require a wetsuit. If it's an area with lots of jellyfish you might want to wear one just for the protection.

    edit: Google says the current water temp is 79 degrees F. I'd die in a wetsuit in water that warm. I wouldn't consider one unless the water temp was under 70.

  11. #36
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    Mar 2014
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    Quote Originally Posted by acinpdx View Post
    i understand doing the bay swim with no wetsuit is a badge of honor
    no added buoyancy
    no thermal advantage
    just you against the sharks, uh cold ocean
    Yeah, there's two aquatic clubs that swim at Aquatic Park, where we did a warmup swim before the race....Not one of them wore a wet suit, including the 60 y/o grandmas....Back to the OP, would you be doing this swim during the actual race? Or just solo? That'd make a huge difference as far as swim safety goes.....
    What we have here is an intelligence failure. You may be familiar with staring directly at that when shaving. .
    -Ottime
    One man can only push so many boulders up hills at one time.
    -BMillsSkier

  12. #37
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    Oct 2003
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    Seattle
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    It must be on his own because the race is this weekend.

  13. #38
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    Mar 2014
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    Quote Originally Posted by The AD View Post
    It must be on his own because the race is this weekend.
    Ah, got it......Then either a chase kayak/SUP or one of those swimit things would be prudent....
    What we have here is an intelligence failure. You may be familiar with staring directly at that when shaving. .
    -Ottime
    One man can only push so many boulders up hills at one time.
    -BMillsSkier

  14. #39
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    Ventura Highway in the Sunshine
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    22,431
    I absolutely wouldn't do it without a safety boat. While 4K for a fit swimmer is a cake walk, cramping or just panicking out there could kill you. Inter island currents can be a real bitch as well.

    I agree it is a constitutional right for Americans to be assholes...its just too bad that so many take the opportunity...
    iscariot

  15. #40
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    Apr 2006
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    SF & the Ho
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    9,299
    Quote Originally Posted by seano732 View Post
    Yeah, there's two aquatic clubs that swim at Aquatic Park, where we did a warmup swim before the race....Not one of them wore a wet suit, including the 60 y/o grandmas....Back to the OP, would you be doing this swim during the actual race? Or just solo? That'd make a huge difference as far as swim safety goes.....
    I think the dolphin club would revoke membership for anyone deigning to wear a wetsuit in the bay. Lived nearby for years and I never saw a wetsuit sported around there.

  16. #41
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    Mar 2014
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    Quote Originally Posted by The AD View Post
    It's something triathletes do after all (shudder). .
    Wait a minute.....
    What we have here is an intelligence failure. You may be familiar with staring directly at that when shaving. .
    -Ottime
    One man can only push so many boulders up hills at one time.
    -BMillsSkier

  17. #42
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    Sep 2005
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    Not in the PRB
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    32,785
    Quote Originally Posted by acinpdx View Post
    diana nyad may have an extra shark cage to sell you -- i think she's retired finally

    eh, he's got nothing to worry about

    "fuck off you asshat gaper shit for brains fucktard wanker." - Jesus Christ
    "She was tossing her bean salad with the vigor of a Drunken Pop princess so I walked out of the corner and said.... "need a hand?"" - Odin
    "everybody's got their hooks into you, fuck em....forge on motherfuckers, drag all those bitches across the goal line with you." - (not so) ill-advised strategy

  18. #43
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    Nov 2004
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    YetiMan
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    Quote Originally Posted by The AD View Post

    edit: Google says the current water temp is 79 degrees F. .
    Yeah, that's nowhere near needing a suit. My bad.

  19. #44
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    805
    Come to Cape Cod I'll provide the guide boat for the 6.4mi swim to the Vineyard.

    I had a client in town one March swimming icy laps to prepare for swimming the English Channel. Crazy...

  20. #45
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Posts
    16,337
    i love swimming but you couldn't pay me to open water swim. sharks and currents.

  21. #46
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    STL
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    13,294
    I wouldnt do it without a chase boat, and i too swam in college. But then again i stopped every 100 yards, open water swimming is different. Take a good look at the currents and feel free to just lie about it.

  22. #47
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    8,965
    Naked

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