What gear would you recomend?

[MrShankmmz]

I am curious about what kind of clothing to take on a sailing trip for summer and winter. I know staying dry is important, so would it be wise to get something like polyfleece so it drys fast or should I just keep foul weather gear on. What is a good design and fabric for such a thing. I'd like some suggestions for all situations. What high performance fabrics do what. If anything tell me what you use when you sail in nice weather.

[JusDreaming]

warm weather garb is shorts, t shirts and foul weather for the storms. Cold weather is polar fleece snow ski pants with foul weather gear over them

[BC Mike]

Hot weather: Baggy shorts and baggy shirt with collar, and pocket for shades, and bare feet, hat of your choice. They should all clash in colour and get you denied access to any respectable place. Bare feet. Rain: Cosco in Canada sells a jacket and pants outfit for about $60- that does not leak, comes with a hood and a collar that closes up high. Gumboots are cheaper and more comfortable than yachty rain boats. Get a size that is too big so you can wear anything inside including long johns, life jacket, heavy woolies. Winter: It is too cold do not go sailing. If you have to: Above freezing is okay but consider the possibility of falling in the puddle and the temperature of the water. You may want a survival suit from Mustang. Shades sun tan cream etc. are your choice. Really hot and muggy might require one of those long sleave shirt dress things that they wear in Hawaii. Depends on your ability to tolerate sun and wind. Salt water spray: Ski goggles. Rough weather conditions and off shore add a safety harness. Even if you have other crew it is really hard to find a bod overboard in rough weather when you are going 7 knots. Lots of plasters ( band aids ) for all the little knicks and cuts, corrall is sharp and some people get a severe reaction from a corrall scrape. Sand shoes ( runners ) that can be worn without socks for walking on the rocks / beach and to keep you tootsies warm. You can get snug fitting hard solled neoprene for this. Gloves / several pairs of different types. BC Mike C

[harryrezz]

Summer - loose-fitting shorts with plenty of pockets and T-shirts are easiest - or a golf shirt with a collar you can stand up for sun protection. We always recommend that our guests also bring along loose, light weight long pants - like cotton scrubs, and a couple of light weight long sleeve shirts - again for sun protection. A hat with a full, wide brim and a chin strap is also a must. I take serious issue with the bare foot folks. There are just too many things on a sailboat on which to stub your toes. At anchor, fine - but certainly not under way. I like sandals designed for sailing becauwe they keep your feet cool while providing good grip and some protection. Teva has some good ones, but the ones from West Marine have served well, too. Short of that, deck shoes are a must. And sunscreen. We always wear #45 - slathered on a couple of times per day - regardless of how tanned we are. Skin cancer ain't no joke! For the rain, I have a good gore-tex jacket with a self-storing hood and matching bib-type pants w/suspenders. Both are lined with a heavy mesh to promote air circulation. We also carry light weight windbreakers just in case. (We sail primarily in the tropics)
So far as winter clothing - who cares? I go sailing to ESCAPE the cold weather. WE don't do snow any more

[BC Mike]

Let me ammend my suggestion of bare feet. In a lot of places in the world most people have funny feet from wearing shoes, when the shoes are removed these same people can not walk properly and always have problems with the surface they are walking on, and obstructions. If this description fits then wear something on your feet. For those folks with normal feet, not prone to tripping on things, with soles as durable as concrete, you can go about in bare feet. If you spend your entire life in bare feet I will wager that you will very rarely require treatment to the feet but you will require infrequent attention to the hands from nicks and scrapes. In my post I suggested shoes for the appropriate conditions. BC Mike C