Cold Weather Clothing

[thinwater]

It's that time of year. Maybe we can trade some ideas. I think it took me longer to amass just the right combinations of clothing than it did for me to learn how to sail.


Obvious there are many variables. How cold. Wet or dry. How much money. Whether you are team wool or team fleece. Just a few personal thoughts.

• Waterproof socks with deck shoes instead of boots. Far more agile. Mostly for splashes than pouring rain. There are different weights and you can wear other socks under them. Gill makes some really warm ones that reach your knees. Best with stretched out or slightly oversized shoes.
• Ski googles. You wear them skiing and you'll wear sunglasses anyway. I switch at about 40F and below if windy.
• Balaclava. A must. Change the weight with the temp. They seal the neck and hold the cap on. You can get water repellent and water proof.
• Unless it's really wet, weather gear">foul weather gear is all wrong. Wind pants or snowboard pants over soccer training pants. Thermal shirts and whatever combination of fleece jackets and parkas works for you.
• Gill Helmsman gloves below about 45F. I was never a fan, but they redesigned them ~ 5 years ago and the new ones are the first winter gloves that I can really sail in. Snug fit, waterproof, don't shift on the hand, no too much insulation (not ski gloves). Warmer, I wear long finger sailing gloves.
• Always seat cushions. Fiberglass sucks heat.
• Wrap stainless wheels. They suck heat. Wooden tillers, no such problem.
• Extra gloves if it is wet. I don't care what you paid for the Goretex gloves, eventually you will get them wet inside because you had to take them off for some reason. Same with balaclavas and hats. And neck towels.
• Winter is for hard tops. I miss mine sometimes.
• Cabin heat is good, even if you are in the cockpit. A quick warm-up is nice, particularly for guests that did not dress right.
• Always have extra clothes for guests. It is easy to miscalculate. A few blankets too.
• Pick nice days. It doesn't have to be a sufferfest. You don't need a stead wind to keep cool.
• Keep a dry suit or wetsuit on the boat. Contingencies arise.

What are your favorites?

[Wotname]

Team wool on deck.
Team fleece below deck, if it can be kept dry otherwise back to team wool.

[Don C L]

That Capilene and Smartwool long underwear stuff is pretty nice. Main thing is just to stay dry though.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by thinwater

It's that time of year. Maybe we can trade some ideas. I think it took me longer to amass just the right combinations of clothing than it did for me to learn how to sail.


Obvious there are many variables. How cold. Wet or dry. How much money. Whether you are team wool or team fleece. Just a few personal thoughts.

• Waterproof socks with deck shoes instead of boots. Far more agile. Mostly for splashes than pouring rain. There are different weights and you can wear other socks under them. Gill makes some really warm ones that reach your knees. Best with stretched out or slightly oversized shoes.
• Ski googles. You wear them skiing and you'll wear sunglasses anyway. I switch at about 40F and below if windy.
• Balaclava. A must. Change the weight with the temp. They seal the neck and hold the cap on. You can get water repellent and water proof.
• Unless it's really wet, foul weather gear is all wrong. Wind pants or snowboard pants over soccer training pants. Thermal shirts and whatever combination of fleece jackets and parkas works for you.
• Gill Helmsman gloves below about 45F. I was never a fan, but they redesigned them ~ 5 years ago and the new ones are the first winter gloves that I can really sail in. Snug fit, waterproof, don't shift on the hand, no too much insulation (not ski gloves). Warmer, I wear long finger sailing gloves.
• Always seat cushions. Fiberglass sucks heat.
• Wrap stainless wheels. They suck heat. Wooden tillers, no such problem.
• Extra gloves if it is wet. I don't care what you paid for the Goretex gloves, eventually you will get them wet inside because you had to take them off for some reason. Same with balaclavas and hats. And neck towels.
• Winter is for hard tops. I miss mine sometimes.
• Cabin heat is good, even if you are in the cockpit. A quick warm-up is nice, particularly for guests that did not dress right.
• Always have extra clothes for guests. It is easy to miscalculate. A few blankets too.
• Pick nice days. It doesn't have to be a sufferfest. You don't need a stead wind to keep cool.
• Keep a dry suit or wetsuit on the boat. Contingencies arise.

What are your favorites?

I've been working on my kit for some 20 plus years.
Starting next to my skin, cotton boxers followed up by between one and three layers of Icebreaker merino long johns. Ditto above the waist with merino tops.
Two points, merino doesn't stink, fleece aka plastic does.
You can rotate the layers every few days so that you get a fresh set next to your skin, so 3 layers can last 3 weeks if you so choose.
Over that a pair of North face fleece legs mainly for the looks.
On top a dressy Icebreaker number with a half zip and collar
If conditions warrant then on deck a simple zipped fleece jacket
If it's raining a Gill OS2(?) jacket over the top of everything and a pair of Musto legs I picked up cheap 18 years ago.
I don't like balaclavas, I have one that I think I have worn once. Instead something similar to this looks after the lower half of my head https://www.bivouac.co.nz/clothing/i...cloud-dye.html
Top half of head? A strap down earflap beanie ( golly doesn't that roll orf the tongue!) - something like this https://www.evo.com/beanies/autumn-f...ar-flap-beanie
Between that and the 'flexichute' nothing needs to be left exposed except the eyes. I've never felt the need for ski googles as I rarely go to windward and I wear glasses anyway.
Gloves? If working lines or extreme heavy rain I wear a pair of Canadian fishermen's rubber gloves that someone gave to me, forget the brand.
Otherwise a pair of Heatco gloves with liners which are brilliant , I think I have the 'Shell' with polartec liner and 'polar hood', read the specs https://www.theheatcompany.com/en-us/gloves
For downstairs I have NZ possum wool gloves https://www.sportsoutdoors.co.nz/pro...finger-gloves/
I also have an assortment of other gloves.
Feet? 95% of the time just a pair of uggboots ( proper Australian ones not Chinee knockoffs), upstairs and down stairs, no socks required.
A pair of Canadian white Bata meatworker's boots from the local farmers' co-op for use if going ashore in the dinghy.
I bought a pair of Muck Boot Arctic Sport boots which are excellent but I don't wear them much. Ditto sock free.

Heat? I believe in living close to ambient, 12ºC is good. Heater on when I get up in the morning, off after breakfast. On again in the evening for a few hours. Good insulation is a must.
That's about it.

[Tupaia]

I must admit to giving up on "sailing" attire, heavy, expensive and didn't last that long. I opted for Fladen's worksuits about 15 years ago and haven't looked back.


https://fladenfishing.se/en/collections/flytoveraller


I like the all in one (baby grow suit). You can wear anything you like underneath, from shorts and a tee shirt to fully clothed with thermals. Really easy to get on and off. As a floatation suit I use mine with just a harness no need for a life jacket. They are economic to buy and last 10 years plus.

[Chotu]

as someone who thoroughly enjoys the winter and colder weather on the boat, I have always just used my other clothing for winter.

I don’t think you need anything sailing specific. All of my snowboarding gear works great if I’m outside in the absolute worst conditions imaginable.

I would say boots are the only wildcard. You have to keep your feet nice and dry, and sometimes there is water. So very tall rubber boots. Other than that, my snowboarding bibs, my north face jacket. Waterproof gloves. Hood on the north face jacket.

The boat itself should be heated at the same level a home is so that you can have a respite from the outdoors.

And in my case, I ended up building the boat a little differently. I had done this mostly for the hot weather, but it turns out it’s great in the cold weather also. The helm is indoors. It’s ridiculously comfortable and relaxing in here all the time. There is no suffering outdoors in the elements. I have spent an entire lifetime doing that and I was done, Mostly from a skin cancer perspective. But it turns out it works really well in all weather to just stay indoors.

[Iron E]

Last year in San Diego, we had a winter that lasted almost a week.

I found a slightly thicker beanie that helped me make it through.

[marcjsmith]

not much in the way cold weather sailing, but I have founds the the really thin performance thermal long johns are great wool socks, regualr boat shoes. pants are just some warm jeans, they have some stretch to them and it feels like that are a bit warmer than regular jeans. for th eupper body thermal undershirt, then a long sleeve performance t shirt, then a battery operated heated fleece vest on top an insulated carhart jacket.

Hat is a fleece version of a trapper's hat which has enough space for a cap under and or sunglasses underneath.

if it gets wet then the regular foul weather gear would come out, but if its under 50 and raining I'm staying home...

In all cases if I'm solo inflatable life vest on top of everything.

[MicHughV]

Seriously ??

The answer is obvious.

Move to a warmer climate and forgetaboutit. Shorts and t-shirts year round for me

[Leadfree]

Frye,

if I told you, I expect that you would at least have the decency to share some of the money you make from publishing the information you have mined from these 'discussion threads' you keep starting.

[thinwater]

The main reason I like soccer training pants (fleece or other fast-dry synthetics) is that they have pockets and I'm not walking around the chandlery in long johns. It's worth having a base/mid-layer than can be worn in public, many options.

Tightening up the cabin drafts and insulating winodows and doors is time well spent. I like outside covers for some windows and I replace the screens with 1/8-inch plexi.


My favorite kayak and anchor gloves are insulated double-coated work gloves, like those from Hydroflector. Supper warm, water tight even when they go in the water every few seconds (sea kayaking) and relatively cheap. They are a paint to get on or off once wet. Not really good for sailing, but I keep a pair on boar as one of my spares. https://www.kinco.com/1786p-l

---

There are always a few warm-weather comedians.

I don't mine much from these threads, no more than any dockside conversation, and that aint' much these days. Good Old Boat is closed and every publisher has taken brutal cost reduction steps. Too many content mills and influencers pushing out opinions for free. Some good stuff, but you have to hunt for it. Real, test-until-it-breaks product testing is dead, infomercials will thrive. After about 20 years, I finally took the test racks off My roof. My writing has slowed WAY down, just whatever comes up that interests me. Problems or interests with my personal boat.



I'm also pretty sure I share a lot more than I mine.


As for cold weather clothing, I've written on that several times and won't be doing it again. This thread is good, but nothing I haven't heard or done before. That's probably true for most of the posters.

[davil]

not addressing the main heading “cold weather clothing”

however

think there are two groups of sailors exposed to extreme conditions?
Thinking about El Pinguino on the southern part and Mike O on the northern.

I will guess most members fall in between?

Reaching my tender age and realiizing cold,rain and exposure not longer apeal to me decided to dip into my children inheritance funds and splurge on a total enclosed cockpit, as well as replacing the main with a roller furling main.

The only time I leave the cockpit now and wear a jacket is when have to walk to the marina shower.

sorry,the pic is sideways

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by davil

not addressing the main heading “cold weather clothing”

however

think there are two groups of sailors exposed to extreme conditions?
Thinking about El Pinguino on the southern part and Mike O on the northern.

I will guess most members fall in between?

Reaching my tender age and realiizing cold,rain and exposure not longer apeal to me decided to dip into my children inheritance funds and splurge on a total enclosed cockpit, as well as replacing the main with a roller furling main.

The only time I leave the cockpit now and wear a jacket is when have to walk to the marina shower.

sorry,the pic is sideways

Interesting. I just back from a walk in a clod rain because I like the fresh air. I'm retired and I doubt that will ever change. You do need the right clothes, which is the point of this thread:

• HOKA Goretex boots. Great for bad knees. A very soft stride.
• North Face water resistant wind pants over soccer pants.
• Helly Hanson light rain coat over thin fleece jacket.
• OR Seatle Sombrero (Goretex hat).
• Windblocker (waterproof) fleece gloves.

Plenty cozy, not stiff. But the outfit would be different for sailing (tomorrow).




I'm not a fan of enclosure--I can't easily move around the deck--but I do like a nice hard top.


I day sail in the winter, not just because of the cold but because the days are too short and many restaurants are closed. The combination makes it boring, for me. I can't get moving early, and it's dark by the time I'm fixing dinner.

[davil]

"I'm not a fan of enclosure--I can't easily move around the deck--but I do like a nice hard top."

totally agree, an attempt and compromise to extend my sailing/cruising time
cheers

[Iron E]

I would just ask that if any forum member requests participation or input to help write a piece on a subject, they be forthcoming about this purpose in their initial post.
Transparency gives everyone a clear understanding of how their contributions will be used.

/2¢