So, went out sailing on Sat, air temp 55, water temp 38. Drysuit with a layer of poly long underwear and a fleece top, winter sailing gloves, sneakers of the drysuit booties.

I was comfortable for the most part, aside from the spray on my face was cold. Feet and hands were fine.

My question is if I fell in how safe do you think a dry suit would be if you were in the water for more than a minute or two? Would a wetsuit be better?

I think a 5/4 wetsuit and spray top and bottom would be safer and allow for more margin or error. I've worn my 5/4 wetsuit out for an hour to two in the winter surfing, so I know that although you are cold when you get out, you arent going to die if you spend more than a few minutes in the water.

The dry suit was nice, but I was worried that if I got separated from the boat or we capsized for longer than a few minutes, that I would be in trouble.

Would a couple more layers of fleece add more protection?

So, wet or dry suit?

As long as the suit doesn't leak and you wear enough insulation under it, I would think you'd be fine. Lots of people wear drysuits for sports where they're frequently immersed- kayaking, windsurfing, kiteboarding. Personally, I feel a little safer in a wetsuit/steamer because there is no risk of a catastrophic failure if the suit is damaged and leaks. But that said, many people have gone over to drysuits in recent years and the good ones have become very dependable.
But why not just test your suit out in controlled conditions- pack on some fleece and go for a swim in shallow water close to shore and see for your self.

Also, a lot of people seem to go by the 100 degree rule- air and water temp should add up to 100 deg F before they'll go out. Personally, I know I've pushed it beyond that, but much farther and you're going to have trouble staying warm in any type of suit.

sm

Stay dry. The biggest danger would be if your drysuit was compromised (ripped torn punctured) and started to fill with water which would be bad for the thhermal properties you are seeking. Not good for getting a cold now helpless hypothermic victim back onboard either (had to slice the booties to get the water out). Be extra careful in the cold. My solution was to move from Michigan to Florida and wear a wetsuit with a spraytop. Ice divers often are in dry suits but this is very specialized. Nothing like being dry though.

In the spring when water is cold, I use both. Put a shorty wetsuit under the drysuit.

Eeek.

I play by the 64 rule (or Zero).

If the lake is not frozen, and I can get the Dagger boards in, I'll go sailing.

Yes, I may be slightly mad....

I say drysuit all the way.I use wetsuits in a very limited water temp. window,and then it's a long john with a spray top.
I have a Kokotat dry suit that I've used in 4 Worrell 1000s, 2 Tybee 500s,1 OBX 500, and a couple dozen 100-150 mile races. I just had to have 2 pinhole leaks repaired. They let in a small amount of water ,just enough to be uncomfortable. If you get a durable well built suit(absolutely has to be breathable) the worry of compromising it shouldn't be there. Plus you can blow warm air into you neck seal and add buoyancy and extra warmth in an emergency situation.
My problem with wet-suits is they are great in the water (surfing) but the evaporative cooling from the wind across the deck of your boat makes the suit cool down. A wetsuit just uses your body temp. to heat the water that's trapped in between, as that gets flushed out it has to be re-heated. In a long term emergence as your core temp drops so does the re-heating ability.
I also feel I have better mobility in a drysuit.I start with polypro and then add fleece also, but I'd have probably added some fleece pants also, I hate being cold.
Todd

Ditto. Drysuit all the way. I've sailed in the Pacific alot in the winter and the drysuit is hands down the way to go for safety and comfort. Have a good underlayer and wool socks and you're comfy.

Get a fleece unitard too...nothing worse than having your fleece top and your fleece bottom separate at the middle leaving one cold and frozen beer belly. I got on from murray's (I'm sure it's available on this site too) and it's nice and thick and reasonably priced.

NEVER, EVER blow air into a drysuit. Yes, it adds buoyamcy, but it is movable buoyancy. IF ypu get rolled over, the air will instantly move up to which ever bit of the suit is highest, if this happens to be your feet, you float upside down. This is not good for you unless you can breath water.

Or walk on your hands back to shallow water after showing off the incredible properties of your new dry suit by diving off a dock.

Don't ask Krantz how he knows.

Good point. I have a Musto Offshore drysuit(Way too bulky for cats) that has a tube specifically for that purpose, maybe someone should clue Musto in.It's the suit alot of the 'Round the world guys use.
I blew the thing up like an inflatable sumo wrestler one time and it floated me on my back fine but when it came time to stand up I couldn't put my feet down because of the buoyancy. I hadn't thought about it going the opposite way though.
Todd

What if you have to fart?

*hisssssssssssssss*

Thats what it sounds like when you pop the neck seal after said fart.

If your smoking,there is catastrophic detonation.

I guess I'd be somewhat glad it was my own comming up throught the neck seal...depending on what I ate.

It's only gonna go one place, right out the neck seal! Guaranteed you'll get a wiff.
In a wetsuit it adds another dimension. You can feel it bubble up your back and out.

That's the main difference between a wetsuit and drysuit

J

I'd expect said Musto would also inflate a area OUTSIDE the suit to counteract any issues.

Lee, would you suggest a wet or dry suit for the border run?
I really dont know what to expect. We sail all winter in Phx and I only wear a dry when it.s below maby 50 degrees air temp.I think the water is in the 50's too.