I HAVE
"Gone In" the water while ice boating. I was wearing an insulated "Snow Mobile Suit"..40 years ago. Slow motion into the water on a Thin patch of ice. YES: it was a shock..
Shrinkage comes to mind.
The water fills in your suit and pretty much warms up in short order. Not all that uncomfortable. I maneuvered around and was able to extricate myself by walking up the sail to firm ice.. The Ice Boat was lying on its side and the top of the mast was on good ice.
When i got out of the water on firm ice..I still had a problem: Getting the ice boat out of the water. I went BACK into the water (Up to my shoulders) to un-rig the boat so as to make it easier to remove it from the water.
Myself and fellow ice boaters got the boat out, and RE-Rigged it ....a friend loaned me a DRY snowmobile suit and I sailed back to shore.
Going in the water is not so big a deal as some would make out. THEY haven't been there.
I have another story....a little more serious about an Ice boater "Going In", if anyone is interested. NB