what to wear in winter????

K

keenbean

Member
Hi,

I know its a way off but im just wondering what everyone wears in the winter (im a uk sailor). I usually wear hikers underneath a dry suit but find the dry suit quite restrictive for movement...any ideas??
 
Everyone is different as far as how they want to approach dressing for cold weather sailing. Some want to be superwarm and don't mind giving up a little mobility, so drysuit is the right call for them. Others want to feel more connected to the hull, at the expense of some warmth.

Check out Rooster's lineup - I think Steve has it pretty well sorted for the UK sailing climate
 
I sail in the UK too and use lots of rooster kit and a few other bits of kit that I love. The key to staying warm is layers so that you can dress for the conditions. My winter kit includes - Rooster Pro Hikers, SEA Metalite Top or Sea Winter Metalite Top (extra warm version), Rooster polypro top and leggings, rooster race skin, hot socks and wet socks, hats and neck warmers. I wear some or all of this depending on the temperature/wind on the day. I gave up on drysuits years ago and would never go back to one now, my layers keep me nice and warm all year round.
 
If you have a properly fitted drysuit it will not restrict movement, it will be just like your wearing a fleece jacket, and how that would restrict movement. But it would increase drag when swimming in the water, making you feel like you had less ability to be flexible? maybe?
 
I find my movement in the boat is much better in layers, rather than drysuit.

The other problem with drysuits is how do you go for a pee when on the water for a long time (particularly for a girl). There's no way I'm risking opening up a drysuit on the water but my bladder won't last 4-6 hours when sailing at events.
 
Well for guys p-valves have been around for a while, but for girls there has been a similar product that has recently hit the market, mainly for divers, but would still work in a sailing drysuit.
 
When I first started sailing not that many moons ago, dry-suits were unheard of for dinghy sailing & wetsuits was the thing to have. The thin layer of water between your skin & the suit was what kept you warm, how you got the thin layer of warm water there was up to you?
 
For me, its a 5mm wetsuit, 3mm Zhik 3/4 hikers, rooster hot top and rooster semi dry top, I want to get the Rooster or Gill Auqa fleece things for really cold days but this rig does me most of the time. I sail in the UK on Rutland water.
 
Sailorchick said:
I find my movement in the boat is much better in layers, rather than drysuit.

The other problem with drysuits is how do you go for a pee when on the water for a long time (particularly for a girl). There's no way I'm risking opening up a drysuit on the water but my bladder won't last 4-6 hours when sailing at events.
Click to expand...

Try Tena lady :D .
 
Sailorchick said:
The other problem with drysuits is how do you go for a pee when on the water for a long time (particularly for a girl). There's no way I'm risking opening up a drysuit on the water but my bladder won't last 4-6 hours when sailing at events.
Click to expand...

Many years ago when I was sailing on a reservoir and they were starting to ask the water board if they could introduce windsurfers, the water board required that all windsurfers wore dry suits for that reason. OK, no real logic as I cannot see why windsurfers would have weaker bladders than people in dingys but the water board made it a requirement. Also strange as the resevoir had never been used to supply tap water and was a bird reserve and had loads and loads of gulls, etc. all not wearing dry suits and making use of that fact.

Ian
 
Deimos said:
Many years ago when I was sailing on a reservoir and they were starting to ask the water board if they could introduce windsurfers, the water board required that all windsurfers wore dry suits for that reason.
Ian
Click to expand...

Even in summer?
 
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