Anybody ever take a dunking with waders on?

[Headhunter]

I wear a conversion kayak dry top when I do wear waders, actually wear it with my wetsuit sometimes too. I can swim in it with waders on and stay dry. The 2 things that will kill you when ur in trouble is panic and strugling. If you get in trouble don't panic till ur s#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g up water tring to breath, then you have a reason to. Relax its only water work with the waves and current untill you have to put out effort to get where your going. It is amazing how quick you tire when your strugling.

[piemma]

I was out on the end of the reef at Weakapaug last year, incoming tide. Water started to get a little snotty so I decided to get off the rock and head in. My Korkers got all tangled up in the bubble weed and I did a perfect 1 1/2 gainer off the rock into about 5 feet of water. I was luck in that I landed feet first and had on a Grunden top with the neoprene sleeves. I was belted off tight and just got a little wet. Scares the crap out of you at 2 in the morning though.

[tattoobob]

If I don't fall every time I go out it isn't a good trip
I am very clumsy and go down fast. I have never had a problem yet but keep every thing snug and tight.
just make sure you havve your wader belt and A knife to cut your self out if need be. and by all means don't struggle thing and don't panic

[CJ Johnson]

Its happen to me while trout fishing. The worst time was when I was wading a river during the spring thaw. I was in about waist deep water when I suddenly step in to and deep hole the was over my head the only thingthat saved my but was the current was so strong it drifted my back to the shallow section. and I got my footing back. It all happen in seconds no time to react. Now I allways wear a pfd .

[dickmont]

breathable waders, which most of us are wearing these days keep the water out, or in, and due to their breathability will not trap air in for long. no air, no float. probably the best advice aside from wearing a belt is not to panic until you can't breathe....

[Redsoxticket]

Where would you cut the waders in case of an emergency ?

Also, would you use a blunt tip scuba type knife or point tip knife ?

[tattoobob]

I would cut the straps first if that didn't work just make a hole so the water would flow threw instead of filling and pulling you down. and it has been proven that waders under water don't fill fast and most people die because they panic and struggle and drown due to being worn out and then can't swim once and if they get out of them. If you notice when in the water your wader will get really tight around you, almost like reverse suction. I really don't think it is a big problem unless you panic and struggle. and if you are in nonmoving water I don't think there would be a problem.

[Mike P]

I've been dropped a few times at Montauk. Sometimes, when you're trying to wade back in from a rock or a reef, a wave catches you just right in the back of the knees and you fold up like a cheap card table. I usually wear neoprenes there, and while I'm not portly, I have enough of a gut that my neos fit snugly. I've had problems from time to time getting back up, as other waves don't stop while you try to get your feet flat. I've never taken water into my waders---only the clothes above the waders get wet.

Of course, we're talking about knee to waist deep water here, not over-the=head deep.

When I got my Aquaskinz Evo 1, I put it on over my neoprenes, snugged it up and floated around my pool for a spell. Stayed dry.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&mont

probably the best advice aside from wearing a belt is not to panic until you can't breathe....

thats very good advice!!,,,when i first got to california ...having not had access much, to say horseneck beach or rhody beaches (with surf) ....i went body surfing quite often until one day i stupidly got caught in the undertow...and what a nasty feeling that is...i'll tell yeah...first your having fun catching waves and its exhilerating as hell, then, you get up on a wave and it slams you down and then sucks you back out underwater....and your first instinct is to fight the ocean and swim with all your might to reach the surface...but its better to relax and not struggle so hard and wait...and the ocean will bowl you up the beach like a round rock. i was able to just wait it out and ended up getting scraped up....sure, but i survived where most people would've sucked in water in a PANIC and died.Having practiced holding my breath underwater for years saved my own life.When i ocasionally swin in a deep pool i jump in and swin to the bottom and take a nap....much to the horror of the life guards