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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/boat-cold-water-70

Below what water temperature does the national boating education standard treat water as 'cold water'?

Below 70 degrees F.

  1. 70 degrees F ✔
  2. 50 degrees F
  3. 40 degrees F

Why: NASBLA's boating course standard defines cold water as below 70 degrees F. Water that feels just 'cool' can still trigger cold shock and pull heat out of your body fast. Dress for the water, not the air.

Huh, didn't know that: 45 degree F air feels chilly, but 45 degree F water feels like it is burning your skin, says the National Center for Cold Water Safety.

The dad joke
Why did the polar bear love the lake? It was just his temperature.
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Sources

  1. NASBLA ESP TR 103-2022, Technical Report: Basic Boating Knowledge Core + Plus Power https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/NASBLA/76594a34-f3a1-4916-95ac-1e9c872170cc/UploadedImages/education/national-education-standards/ESP_TR_ESP_103_Core_Plus_Power_2022_06_01FINAL.pdf
  2. National Center for Cold Water Safety https://www.coldwatersafety.org/what-is-cold-water

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