Summer is our favorite time of year, but for many northern residents, peak times come and go all too fast. For those of you who haven’t gotten your fix between Memorial Day and Labor Day, there are plenty of options to extend your boating season. Let’s look at keeping warm first.
Neoprene
If you’re not already familiar, neoprene is going to be your new best friend. Wetsuits make that first dip into brisk water much more bearable, and after your body heat — or hot water shower — warms up the water in the wetsuit, you’ll be amazed at how toasty you feel. There are heater tops for when it’s brisk, shorty wetsuits for when it’s chilly, and full wetsuits for when it’s cold. If you’re going for the latter, make sure you get something with flex zones so you can move.
Hats & Winter Gear
Ditch the sun hats and go for a beanie. There’s no shame in it. In fact, it’s a badge of honor to be boating early or late enough in the season to need a stocking cap. There’s nothing wrong with bringing gloves and boots either. Hands and feet often get the coldest because they aren’t protected by a full wetsuit.
Taking it beyond hats, gloves, and boots, many people bring out their full-on winter gear. A snowsuit is meant to keep you warm, so when you pair it with a heater snorkel, a cold day can feel like mid-summer.
Hot Water Shower
The heater is your first line of defense against brisk Spring and Fall days. Throw the snorkel under a blanket and you’ll be amazed how warm you feel on a chilly, windy day. The hot water shower is the next tool in your arsenal. Use it before your session by spraying down your wetsuit to take the edge off that first dip in, and use it after to warm back up. All these things can really help extend your day on the water, and it applies to extending your season as well.
Trailering
Many boaters braving early and late season conditions will stack the odds in their favor and use Malibu’s award-winning trailers to migrate to a warmer location. Traveling an hour or two south can make a huge difference in many places, and a road trip to another lake can be an adventure in and of itself. Use a weather app to check the weather in the location you want to go to ensure you’re actually going to be warmer when you get there.
At Malibu, we share the same passion for watersports you do, which is why our boats are offered with innovations like the heater snorkel and the hot water shower. When you’re ready to build your custom Malibu, visit our award-winning 3D Build-a-Boat tool or contact your local dealer for an early or late season water day today.