SURFING IN WINTER? IN SWITZERLAND?
You heard right, surfing in the river, in winter, is possible without problems and that also in Switzerland. There are many surfing destinations like Ireland or Denmark where the weather is practically always cold. But at such spots you usually surf with a 6/3mm or even 6/4mm wetsuit. By paddling all the time you will get warm very quickly and the cold will not be so noticeable. When river surfing, on the other hand, you don't have to paddle as much and therefore you won't be as warm. Here are a few tips on how you can keep warm in winter on the river.
How can I warm myself?
Wetsuit / Shoes / Gloves / Hoodie
Probably the most popular way to keep warm are wetsuit, neoprene shoes, gloves and a neoprene hood, also called a hoodie. They give you an extra warmth and help you last longer while surfing. In the river, boots are always an advantage anyway as they give you extra protection against rocks. Having gloves is always an advantage, but they should not be thicker than 3mm, otherwise you will not be able to grip your handle well and you will have to use a lot more force. For the wetsuit, a 5/4mm should be enough for surfing in Switzerland, for the whole year. This keeps you warm even in winter for 2-3 runs and does not restrict you in your mobility.
If you still need equipment then have a look in the store under www.seporsurf.ch. From mid-December you will certainly find warming option in the store for the cold days.
Poncho / Bathrobe
A poncho is like a bathrobe, but without a side opening, so you have to pull it over your head. It will keep you nice and warm between surfs, but you have to be careful because it will get wet very quickly through the wetsuit and won't keep you warm afterwards. Poncho and bathrobe are rather what for cooler days, but not for cold days. However, the poncho is ideal to change after the surf session, without problems. For cold days, the following utensils are advantageous.
Rain jacket and winter jacket
For really cold days in Switzerland, where the river has only about 6-9 degrees and the outside temperature is just above zero degrees, we recommend you, if you are not surfing, to put on a winter jacket. So that it does not get wet, you can put on a thin rain jacket upside down beforehand. The winter jacket you can then simply put on over it and you will be nice and warm. Optionally, you can also put on rain pants, this is especially useful on windy days.
Barrel with fire
What also keeps you warm in winter is a steel barrel and some wood. The fire will warm you very quickly and through the barrel, it is possible to make one almost everywhere. Don't get too close to it, so that your wetsuit doesn't get burnt. You should also take off your gloves when you warm your hands, so that they don't start to deform.
Pool with fire heating
Of course, a heated pool would be the best if you want to have a chilled out winter session by the river. This is even possible if you organize a few things. All it takes is a water pump, 2 hoses, a pool, a steel barrel with a copper coil in it, and lots of wood, and you've got yourself a warming solution. Only the pump must be powered by batteries or a fixed power connection. The water pump is now used to pull the river water through the heated copper spiral and thus ends up in the pool. Once the pool is well filled, a circuit is closed so that the pump draws heated water from the pool and it is repeatedly flushed through the copper spiral. This way you will be able to fully fill your pool in about an hour and warm it from 10 to over 30 degrees in 3-5 hours. You can also take a radiator grill from a car instead of a copper coil and place it over the fire. This should minimize the heat time to 1-2 hours. If both systems are combined or 2 radiator grills are used, you can fully fill your entire pool in less than 1 hour and get it to over 30 degrees. Of course, with a little more time, you can also bring the water to over 38 degrees, giving you your very own spa bath.
We hope you found something useful so that you can enjoy your next winter session.
We say goodbye with chapter 18 of the Swiss Riversurf Guide into the winter break and hope we could give you some helpful tips to get the maximum out of river surfing and to increase the safety in our beloved sport. We will be back next year with many new helpful tips for you. Stay tuned.
Your SEPORSURF Team
