Clothing for Laser Racing

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will162878

New Member
What clothing systems do you find effective when laser racing? The UK is being bombarded with new gear developments but has anyone found a system that works really well?

Criteria need to be:

Versatility: System must be capable of being changed to suit weather conditions.
Flexibility: How easy is it to move around/hike etc.
Warmth: Does it keep you warm when in boat and after capsizing.
etc. etc.

Also, have gloves been found to be useful, I wear them for kite trimming in bog boats but neaver for dinghy sailing - I've never tried. Are gloves good in lasers?

Are shorti wetsuits better than long ones or vica versa?

Any general gear comments?
 
I think by examining the pro's and determining what climate your sailing in you can accuratly pick clothing that is comfortable for your needs......

Is there a set design that is used for different conditions?? Some company's have tried to standardize it but I have found that it differs from sailer to sailer.
 
are you talking about sailing in cold water?

...if cold, the full body wetsuit is better. on top of the wetsuit, i usually wear a Gill spray top and Gore-Tex waterproof pants. depending on weather, i might put on a fleece underneath or take off the spray top/pants

Gloves are great in a laser. when it's warm, i just wear normal half finger gloves, but when it gets cold, i switch to the Gill three season gloves (they're great). also, in cold water neoprene boots keep your feet really warm

even when i wear two or three layers i don't lose mobility.
 
I just got a new Gill dinghy smock for Christmas and I have never used it before. However, it has neoprene on the waiste, the wrists, and neoprene around the neck covered in sumthing. It looks very dry and i hope this is what you were reffering to. if not...then oh well. SOmeone could use the info!
 
laser-wear

Regarding Laser gear.

NOTE: I am NO fan of the traditional “spray” or “dry” tops, largely because they either restrict mobility or have way too much excess material flopping and/or sagging.

I have found that my ¾ length battened hiking pants to be the core piece of equipment. From there, I shift gears around whatever I wear for a top. The range basically goes from
nothing (if I feel like wearing a ton of SPF 15+) or a short or long sleeve Lycra rash guard. The only temperature differences between any of the above is that if it is a bit chilly and light air, the long sleeve top will be the warmest option. Otherwise, when the wind is up, the body temperature feel is the same with nothing or short or long sleeve Lycra tops.

It would be great if I had a pair of the new “Air-prene” ¾ pants for when regular neoprene pants are way too hot. Maybe this summer if I end up in warmer climates consistently. If I were in FL or TX, these would be my first pair and I would wear fleece-lined Lycra leggings to warm them up occasionally.

I have a neoprene core (vest-like area) rash guard, but the ¾ pants cover about the same area as the neoprene portion so it seems redundant and feels the same as a regular long sleeved rash guard so I never wear it Laser sailing. (It is great on other boats where hiking pants are illegal or unnecessary.)

The next move up is my fleece-lined rash guard. I love it, but it does seem to have a narrower range of weather conditioned than other tops.

My favorite piece of gear is what Patagonia or Lotus calls a “Water Heater Top”. This is the next step up for me in warmth and I can go incrementally warmer by layering on any of the prior tops mentioned. If it’s really cold, say SanFran at 2002 Nationals (55 degrees air/h2o temp and 30 kts), I put on the regular long sleeve rash guard then the fleece-lined rash guard THEN a plane-jane thick polypropolene top THEN the water heater top. This also works frostbiting in CT at CPYC almost all fall season (up to 12/15ish) where the water is maybe 45 but the air is a bit warmer and less than 15 kts or at least flat-ish water.

The water heater top is basically the fleece-lined rash guard, a bit thicker, with a water proof (plasto-elastic?) coating. Imagine a good fleece rash guard with that Line7 type of plastic coating but way stretchy-er.

Also, I will wear long lycra leggings. Always when it gets even a little cold and sometimes in any condition to prevent sun damage or chafe around the 5 inches of exposed shin/calf.

Also, I wear a thin polypro sock if hot, thick if cold, then neoprene if colder and then layer it with the polypro as it gets colder still.

Gloves? For me, only as a last resort. The fleece “WindStoppers” have worked the best for me, but that is not saying much, as I am a poster child for “no blood circulation in the extremities” people. Some find them too warm, which is a mystery to me how anything could be too warm when it’s really cold (like now in NYC, it’s 14!).

Headgear shifts from a visor, to baseball cap, to fleece baseball cap to full-on toque to balaclava over it all to protect the face/chin too. A warm hat goes a long way too, as everyone should know by now.

I am envious of those that can sail barefoot, but always wear boots. I probably should own a pair of neoprene living up here. Maybe for the fall. (Early spring season Frostbiting here is too cold for me.)

I hope that the ¾ pants and top combo discussion has been beneficial.

Sail flat and fast,

Ryan Eric Minth, President
International Laser Class Assc
North American Region
www.laserinternational.org
www.laser.org
 
Two things as a follow up:

1. If it is unbearable, of course, I go to a dry-suit.

2. Interesting that this thread began with the "UK development" comment. When I had the "water heater top" on at Worlds, Steve Cockerill from RoosterSailing went nuts over it. He indicated that he would try to obtain the material and market them for about 50% of the current cost (in the UK).

- Ryan
 
Ryan's system sounds great for laser racing but can it be slightly modified for non-laser racing or teaching kids on a freezing day with heavy rain? Any ideas?
 
I disagree with him about spray tops, mine restricts absolutely no mobility and is wicked comfortable. Its $120 price tag is the only uncomfortable part.
 
my spray top has good mobility and my experince of different models shows they are getting better in terms of mobility.
 
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