I've been sailing for all my life, though my last dinghy was a Europe some years ago. A 5/3 is a wetsuit with 5 mm body and 3 mm "flexzones". I was thinking about that and a drytop with solid layering. Of course with people in or near a motor boat for safety.
I guess I'll be looking for a drysuit.
Do you guys never go out on a calm day? I mean, I want to take this serious, but on a flat water day with a gentle breeze, do you never want to just glide around? And do you put helmets on to do that?
Another question: Have anyone tried the Typhoon Race drysuit? Is it ok?
I would have thought a 5/3 suit would be fine, although I really dont know how cold 40 deg f is, as I'm a deg c lad!
Personally, in the south of england I wear a 3/2 in the spring and autumn, with a dry top over it, and keep warm enough! In mid-winter (around -2 to +5 deg air temp) I also wear a shorty suit underneath, and over-trousers, but thats pretty extreme.
I've never heard of anyone sailing in a 7mm, I think your movement would be too restricted.
I hate drysuits though, so I'm a bit biased!
I 've just done a frost bite and nippy fingers series .
I 've just done a frost bite and nippy fingers series wearing a 5mm long john wet suit, with a t-shirt underneath the suit and a fleece on top, with a spray jacket on top of that with the neck done up on a snood and the wrists tightly done up on some full tribord sailing gloves. Wetsocks and rooster hiking boots on my feet and a fleece hat on my head.
We went out in winds often reaching 30 knts and wet over several times.
The only time I got even sightly cold is when I had to sit in the water for a while as the boat came round head to wind. The problem was that water snuck up one of my wrists giving me a bit of a shock to the arm pit!
Water temps were from 40*F up with air temps a little below that. There was always a safey boat on hand.