Foul Weather Gear- What's the Deal?

[Ford Prefect]

hi all, very new to the sailing world. headed down to FL over thanksgiving week to get my certifications done. the school requires me to bring weather gear">foul weather gear (jacket, pants as a minimum). looking online for these items, I'm taken back how expensive a simple rain jacket would run. It seems like $200 is a minimum investment for a low end rain coat.

Now, I'm from Colorado and here we snowboard. The jacket shells I own for snowboarding are lightweight, flexible for movement, made of nylon with sealed stitching and have a waterproof rating of 10,000mm.

My question is this: what is the difference of a foul weather jacket for sailing than that of which I already own? I can't find many specs online to see if there is much of a difference in materials, weight, etc. The pictures don't tell me much. Any advice on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

thanks!

[rebel heart]

I snowboard in foulies but wouldn't do foul weather boating in snow gear.

Good foulies are bult solid. Super high chested suspender pants, reinforced wear panels, tough leg cuffs to cinch around boots, waterproof and breathable, hoods built in, pockets where you need them, reflective panels, high collar, etc.

You really can take a wall of water dead on in good foulies and remain relatively and surprisingly dry. If you're not in crap conditions a lot, don't waste the money. If you do a lot of sailing in gross conditions you're going to spend a lot of time freezing and wet, getting to know all the fine details of foulies.

[DeepFrz]

Pockets have drains, collars cinch up to keep water from running down your back and filling your boots. They should also have cold water/warm water gear. For FL you should only need light warm water gear, IMO. Someone from FL might think it gets cold down there in the winter.

[DeepFrz]

Also do a search on this site for "Foul Weather Gear". There is a host of threads.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ear-91422.html

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

hi all, very new to the sailing world. headed down to FL over thanksgiving week to get my certifications done. the school requires me to bring foul weather gear (jacket, pants as a minimum). looking online for these items, I'm taken back how expensive a simple rain jacket would run. It seems like $200 is a minimum investment for a low end rain coat.

Now, I'm from Colorado and here we snowboard. The jacket shells I own for snowboarding are lightweight, flexible for movement, made of nylon with sealed stitching and have a waterproof rating of 10,000mm.

My question is this: what is the difference of a foul weather jacket for sailing than that of which I already own? I can't find many specs online to see if there is much of a difference in materials, weight, etc. The pictures don't tell me much. Any advice on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

thanks!

Do you know anyone there who sails? Borrowing them might be the best answer. Thing is, in November, in Florida -- it just isn't going to be that cold. I do have a set of "foulies" that I got very reasonably from Overstock.com, made by Columbia. I have packed them for my sail from Miami to Tampa, probably over Thanksgiving. But I also put in a waterproof lightweight jacket and waterproof "river pants," MUCH cheaper. I'm glad I bought the "foulies" because they were a great deal, but I may never use them. If I put them on in a storm in Florida I would ROAST.

Maybe on Craigslist you could find someone who would rent them to you for a week cheaply. I would. I would just want a deposit in case something happened to them.

[Blue Crab]

What you have will be just fine.

[Nicholson58]

Take a walk through your local Army surplus store. I have bought many foulies suitable for summer sailing on the Great Lakes in these places. If the weather is so bad in Florida that you need north Atlantic style foulies they probably won't go out.

[Ford Prefect]

Thanks guys. The gear I own is lightweight but I think it would be a bit heavy for Florida weather. I'll look around on CL and see if there's anything on the cheap.

[Hudson Force]

I am always cruising Florida in the winter and I don't believe in the need for expensive foul weather gear. A light weight waterproofed jacket that can zip up to your chin with a hood and light weight pants can do well. There's no need to have cuffs that keep water out of your boots because there's no need for boots,- some light weight reef shoes or deck shoes that you don't mind getting wet well suit you well. I even have a pair of light waterproof ski-pant covers that I have used. Pockets that drain?.....What's to keep dry in your pockets? Florida sailors aren't fishing in the North Sea,- light, cheap & easy would be my choice.

[Captain Jeffry]

Much different requirements for different conditons. What you have in terms of shellls are fine for Florida. (Not these next few days) Wouldn't suggest snow gear with insulation as your foul weather choice. Lots of guys I race/crew with use shells on pants and jacket but have the offshore gear for louder conditions.

[cfarrar]

I sail with a light Gortex shell most of the time. The serious foul weather gear only comes out when needed.

I once tried skiing in a one-piece dinghy suit. It was stiff, slippery material, before the days of nice, soft Gortex. Anyway, I wiped out, started sliding, and couldn't stop until I went into the trees!

[stillbuilding]

Having sailed in southern Australia, Queensland and SE Asia tropics I have purchased for my wife and self a "Stormy" Gortex style jacket. This brand started out made in Australia as "Stormy Seas" nut now sold on ebay as "Stormy".

Features which I liked are that the sleeves are removable so can be worn as a vest only - good in hotter weather. Also has inflation built in so is effectively a PFD1 and has safety harness built in also.
I find these inclusions mean I do not have to be making a conscious decision to put on my safety harness and PFD - is just done automatically.

I have multiple sets of Musto, Gill and Stormy but Stormy is my preference.