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Wetsuit recommendation Cape Town Nov/Dec?

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Onda
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Wetsuit recommendation Cape Town Nov/Dec?

Postby Onda » Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:03 am

Hi all,
I´ll be in Cape Town last week of Nov & first week of Dec and like to get your recommendations for a sensible wetsuit choice. Air is very warm (25 °C), sun intense, water is cool (15-17 °C).
I´d go for a 4/3 mm Overknee with long sleeves. What do you think?
I´m not the "being cold easily" type.

Many thanks in advance, Onda

Van Hunk
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Re: Wetsuit recommendation Cape Town Nov/Dec?

Postby Van Hunk » Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:49 am

4/3 Is probably right. On the Atlantic side the water can be much colder than 15deg C in the summer. The strong prevailing South Easter causes upwellings with the water temperature in Table Bay dropping to 9deg C for example over the last weekend.

kishtsang
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Re: Wetsuit recommendation Cape Town Nov/Dec?

Postby kishtsang » Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:21 am

4/3 will be okay. You might get cold when in the water for a sustained period of time, because the water can be freezing. I usually use my 5/4 at Kitebeach or when surfing Llandudno and a 3/2 in Langebaan

Onda
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Re: Wetsuit recommendation Cape Town Nov/Dec?

Postby Onda » Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:05 am

9 °C seriously?
All I can find is long-term statistics claiming a minimum of around 16 °C for Nov/Dec. Claimed to be measured values from satellites (NOAA).
Do these upwellings happen at this time of the year already? Or more regularly in high-summer?

Thanks :bye:

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Re: Wetsuit recommendation Cape Town Nov/Dec?

Postby Van Hunk » Wed Nov 14, 2018 9:38 am

9deg Seriously. And the upwellings happen whenever
the SE blows...

Hpr
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Re: Wetsuit recommendation Cape Town Nov/Dec?

Postby Hpr » Wed Nov 14, 2018 9:40 am

Upwelling happens whenever the south easter blows hard, and is especially noticeable after a multi day wind spell. But with the fairly high air temperature in summer, the cold water temperature is not really a problem unless you spend a lot of time off your board. Your 4.3 will work just fine, but if you find it is somehow unbearable, there are lots of new and second hand suits for sale locally at descent prices.

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Re: Wetsuit recommendation Cape Town Nov/Dec?

Postby Hugh2 » Wed Nov 14, 2018 7:00 pm

Hpr and Van Hunk are right, 4/3 is fine. Some Euros ride with half length wetsuits cut off at the knees (is that what you mean by Overknee?). I like a full wetsuit. The alert about spending too much time in the water is relevant, and is a caution about going too far out. If something fails out there you might have a problem, including noone noticing. You will see that most riders remain within a couple of hundred yards of the beach. Occasional guys going far out are mostly locals and often on foils or race boards. Don't be tempted to ride out to one of the ships in the bay. SEaster is starting next week, hopefully it will be a good season. I arrive same time as you.

Van Hunk
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Re: Wetsuit recommendation Cape Town Nov/Dec?

Postby Van Hunk » Thu Nov 15, 2018 1:28 pm

SE started blowing about 2 months ago...but don't tell anyone..

Hugh2
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Re: Wetsuit recommendation Cape Town Nov/Dec?

Postby Hugh2 » Thu Nov 15, 2018 5:58 pm

Van Hunk wrote:
Thu Nov 15, 2018 1:28 pm
SE started blowing about 2 months ago...but don't tell anyone..
True enough, but I can't be there all season, just over 2 months, which is enough to wear me out.

Here's local kid Oswald Smith showing how it is done.
https://www.facebook.com/OswaldSmith111/

Onda
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Ouddorp (NL)
Norre Vorupor (DK)
Heiligenhafen (DE)
Style: strictly unstrapped, mainly foiling
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Re: Wetsuit recommendation Cape Town Nov/Dec?

Postby Onda » Fri Nov 16, 2018 9:30 am

Thanks guys!
I´ve purchased that "Euro-style" suit with cut-off lower legs, just covering the knees.
If water temp would drop far below 15 °C, I´ll buy another suit locally.

Looking so much forward to return to Cape Town!


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