Some might argue that shortly after Labor Day, boats north of the Mason-Dixon Line should be winterized and not disturbed until the bears come out of hibernation. Of course, if you boat on a lake that freezes harder than Chinese typing (there are 6,500 characters), your best bet might be to curl up next to a roaring fire with the January issue of Boating World. But if your customary body of water isn't pockmarked with fishermen in shacks watching the Packers' game, or your boat is on a trailer, then there's no reason you can't take the family on a little winter cruise.

Part of the allure of winter boating is that it's more of an adventure than fair-weather boating, and it can help you salve the pangs of winter-induced boating withdrawal. Gaining mastery over the elements has always given mankind satisfaction, and if done properly, you can comfortably boat in shockingly cold weather. But to do so, you have to pay careful attention to every detail, because to neglect even one aspect can mean the difference between fun and extreme discomfort for your family.

Before you can prepare for prolonged exposure to cold temperatures, it's valuable to know how your body works. Think of yourself as a furnace that produces heat through activity and metabolism. This heat is lost in a variety of ways such as evaporation (as you sweat), conduction (when your skin is directly exposed to the cold), respiration (because you breathe in cold air and exhale warm air), convection (when your skin is exposed to air movement), and radiation (because your skin acts like a radiator).

Clothes by themselves don't keep you warm, but rather act as insulation to trap the heat radiated by your body. In actuality, it's the warmed 'dead air' ' air that has no movement ' within the clothing that keeps you warm, not the fabric itself. The key to keeping your family warm is layering, which increases the amount of dead air surrounding the body. The more layers you have on, the greater your ability to conserve the heat your body is radiating. So, the more layers you pile on your kids the merrier, right? Not exactly, because if you have too much insulation, then they'll start sweating, which is a body's way of turning down the thermostat. And it's effective too, because wet skin radiates heat away from your body five times faster than if it's dry. Because of this, it's critically important to keep your skin dry, so the first layer you have on is the most important.

Most people prefer to wear cotton undergarments, because, they reason, it's a natural fiber that breathes. Believe it or not, it's probably the worst fabric to wear next to your skin in cold weather. The problem is that it soaks up the sweat, which eliminates dead air, and even worse, it spreads it out to surrounding areas, but still keeps the moisture next to your skin. To illustrate this, drape a cotton sock over the rim of a glass of water and submerge the toe. You'll be amazed to find that in just a short time, the whole sock will be soaked and you'll have a pool of water on the counter. Long johns and socks made from material like treated polyester, which wicks the perspiration away from your body, is one of the keys to staying warm. One word about wearing jeans: Don't. They're made of cotton. Instead, wear ski pants or fluffy polyester sweatpants beneath rain pants. Wool is a great natural fabric because its crinkly fibers house lots of dead air and can even keep you warm when wet. Soft, non-itchy Merino wool blended with synthetic fibers makes great socks, hats and gloves. A wool sweater as one of your layers is also a good idea and can even slow hypothermia if you fall overboard. Great cold weather gear for the whole family can be found at ski shops or at websites like www.sierratradingpost.com.

There are two main areas that deserve special attention: your head and your chest. There's an old adage that says, 'If you want to keep your feet warm, wear a hat.' Have you ever wondered why when your feet or hands get cold, it's practically impossible to warm them up? It's because your body's mammalian diving reflex acts as a defense mechanism to keep you from freezing to death. When a part of you gets cold, it sends a warning signal to your brain that tells it to go into survival mode by restricting the flow of blood to your extremities, like your feet, hands, and nose, in order to concentrate on keeping your core warm, and protecting your heart, lungs and brain. This is why wearing a down vest (or synthetic equivalent) and hat will help keep the rest of you warm. If your family has small children, it's a good idea to periodically ask if they're too hot or cold and adjust their layers accordingly.

Everyone knows about wind chill, so you can well-imagine that your family's cruising comfort is dependent on keeping everyone out of the wind while running. If you have a bowrider or small fishing boat with a center walkthrough, close it off with a piece of Starboard or wood if the manufacturer hasn't done it for you. In open-cockpit boats, it might help to sit directly on the deck on a floatation cushion, rather than in the seats, while running in order to reduce the wind. For your outer layer, a windbreaker is a good idea, and drivers should wear ski goggles to reduce eye-watering. Many manufacturers offer full camper enclosures, which can be left up when running. If the cabin is enclosed, condensation may form on your windshield from passengers' breath, but there's a handy device that will fix this and warm the cabin: a 12-volt hair dryer. There's one other way to keep the wind down ' don't go so fast. After all, the point is just to be out on the water, and there's no hurry getting to your favorite spot because there likely won't be much competition.

So what can a family do once they're out in the boat? Skiing is theoretically possible if you have a full drysuit along with gloves, mask and hood. Follow the 'rule of 100,' which means that if the combined air and water temperature doesn't total at least 100 degrees, don't do it. Hypothermia is a real concern and must be monitored carefully because when you're immersed in water you lose heat 25 times faster. Which brings up another point: falling overboard in cold water. Although it may appear that few people drown in cold weather, it's only because there are so few people doing it. The drowning rate for winter boaters is significantly higher percentage-wise (mainly for those boating alone) because it only takes a couple of minutes for a person to drown in cold water, so extra care must be taken when doing things like anchoring or fishing. In cold weather you should always wear your life jacket (besides, it keeps you warm), and your boat must have a boarding ladder. If you do fall overboard, curl up and cross your arms against your chest to conserve heat.

One of the most fun family activities to do in cold weather is to cruise to a remote beach or island and get out, build a fire, and have a cookout. Having a cup of hot soup or cocoa that you've brought in a thermos will help keep your core temperature warm while you wait for the main course. Being able to walk around and stretch your legs isn't only good exercise, but it will help keep everyone warm. If you know you'll be exerting yourself by gathering wood or hiking, take off a layer or two. When you sit down, wait until you're slightly cool before putting back on additional layers to prevent sweating. Just be sure when you leave, that the fire is totally put out and you've left the site cleaner than when you found it.