The explanation is much simpler: You burn much faster on or in the water because of the reflections from the water...you're basically sitting on a giant mirror

The explanation is much simpler: You burn much faster on or in the water because of the reflections from the water...you're basically sitting on a giant mirror. I fried myself once when I was sailing, and I had the worst burns on the bottom parts of my body (bottom of chin, bottom of knees, basically anywhere the rays hit me after bouncing off the water.)