Most of the year the nearshore coastal water is high 40s and low 50s ala Mark Twain's "The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco." Thick wetsuits on surfers, divers, and kayakers.
Far south waters much warmer most of the year. Thin, partial, to no wetsuits on surfers, divers, and kayakers.
That seems cold, but it may very well be. I've never sailed on the U.S. west coast, but I know that the largest current is one bringing water south along the coast. Quite the opposite of the Gulf Stream, which warms the waters off the U.S. east coast, probably to about Cape Cod. (IIRC, both Coasts have currents that can run in many directions, both counter-currents off of the main currents and currents due to other factors, such as tidal currents.) My guess would be that the rivers on which wildman800 works vary a lot with time of year and weather conditions.
Having as little as two hours in waters of 70 degrees, I'd like to have the survival suit. I know one CAN survive in waters of 70 degrees for as long as 40 hours, without a Gumby suit, but I also know that you'd have more time in the suit. I want as much time as possible, if I am treading water hoping for rescue. Only your head is going to be above water, and a head is a very small thing in the middle of an ocean.
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