How often to you wear oilies

[johnalison]

My oilies are 20 years old. At the time they were a revelation, being my first breathables, Musto Offshore or summat. Due to age and a greatly increased wimp-coefficient, I don't use them much these days, unless it is raining on the way to the car. It's a bit of a shame because there is a certain satisfaction to be gained by a challenging passage endured in moderate comfort in the right clothes, and the indications of passing time.

 

[Scillypete]

Hardly ever these days and recently on a cross channel my feet started to chill so I had to put on my slippers. . . . . . . I must be getting soft

 

[Neeves]

Virtually never wear them - but we are in the lucky country. Its winter now and we do use merino and fleece and our winter sea boots are Uggs

Different world

In the summer our major concern is protection from the sun - not rain.

Like johnalison our Musto Offshore are prisitine - but an even older vintage

Jonathan

 

[ctva]

I'd say about 20% of my sailing time on the west coast.

What amuses me when we are barefoot and in shorts and t-shirts on the boat is to watch a lot come and go in full ollies.

A bit like leather sailing wellies, the mentality is, on the water wear your expensive gear to show off.

 

[rogerthebodger]

The last time I used oilies was when I went on a sailing trip from portsmouth to cowes to southampton back to portsmouth on October 2009.

We never need to use oilies on the east coast as we have sail in the worm agulhas current.

So not been used to using oilies on the UK trip I ended up putting the trousers the wrong way round until the lady skipper informed me of the fact.

I normally sail in shorts and tee shirt and a fleece on a night watch.

 

[SimonFa]

This season not so much as they get most of their wear when on safety boat duty at WPNSA and Sailability.

Looking at the weather I expect to be wearing them on Wednesday evening on my way down to Studland for the night, probably not on the way back on Thursday.

I think there's something about getting "booted and suited" to go sailing. I had to get them out last month when it started drizzling which turned in to rain that was only a 10% chance.

That said, I much prefer shorts and a T-shirt.

 

[TonyMS]

Never. Happiness is thrashing to windward with air warm enough to forgo clothes altogether. Come to Greece!

 

[Skylark]

Did my first sailing of the year within Lake Solent last week so needed foul weather gear. I was seeking refuge in Southampton on very wet and windy Wednesday when I received a phone call from a colleague about to enter the marina, asking for a hand to take their shorelines. I must have been out for no more than 30 minutes but, from the waist down, I was absolutely soaked. My BR1 salopettes are a little over 10 years old and have never previously leaked. Time to look into reproofing options.

 

[STATUE]

The thought occurred to me the other day that I seem to wear oilskins less and less . Probably half a dozen times in a sailing season.

Anyone else experiencing the same or perhaps I am taking too much notice of weather forecasts.

The best oilies I ever had was from a little family firm in Plymouth 'DanFellow'. You could order the colours you wanted - mine were all yellow, so I looked as if I was sailing in the 50 s.

 

[Iliade]

Err, today, on the jetty mooring while heeled at 20 degrees... (58 mph gusts)

 

[Leighb]

Very rarely since moving to a Mobo. The crew has to more often as it might be raining when we moor up. On our previous sailing boats it was more unusual NOT to wear lilies.

 

[James W]

Two nights ago when coming into anchorage. Sky looked ominous and quickly got them on before the heavens opened, I couldn't even see it was so bad. Was quite funny though.....bare footed in full oilies.

 

[Birdseye]

The thought occurred to me the other day that I seem to wear oilskins less and less . Probably half a dozen times in a sailing season.

Anyone else experiencing the same or perhaps I am taking too much notice of weather forecasts.

Depends when you sail. I wear them every sail in the winter races.

 

[Shuggy]

During spirited sailing my boat has an uncanny knack of dumping huge plumes of spray directly onto the helm, so I wear mine more often than most by the sounds of things. Close hauled, >20knots wind, you’re going to get wet!

 

[LONG_KEELER]

During spirited sailing my boat has an uncanny knack of dumping huge plumes of spray directly onto the helm, so I wear mine more often than most by the sounds of things. Close hauled, >20knots wind, you’re going to get wet!

Very pretty boat though. Easy to forgive.

 

[Poignard]

I rarely wear salopettes as I find them cumbersome although I do have some for extreme weather. Instead I prefer some lightweight overtrousers that my wife bought me from a golfclub shop.

 

[Graham376]

Since leaving UK waters 14 years ago, doubt I've worn wet gear when sailing more than half a dozen times. Do use a lightweight jacket sometimes in the tender if there's a chop.

 

[alahol2]

I much prefer an umbrella these days. Dying to try out a Senz.

 

[Shuggy]

Very pretty boat though. Easy to forgive.

Indeed - until it gets cold and dark! I think we’re probably in a bit of a minority in that our freeboard is so low that close-hauled I can generally sit at the helm and dangle my fingers in the quarter-wave. While simultaneously being showered by spray that neatly flies completely over the sprayhood. But so much fun...

 

[Blueboatman]

As infrequently as possible !
Bare feet, shorts and sailing jacket are quite ‘ acceptable’ on a lively sunny daysail.
Otherwise, side dodgers, windvane,modern sail control lines , sail shape and perhaps a moderately weatherly hull shape , and bytucking up under the dodger etc etc all seem to do their bit to minimise the crash, bash and splash aspects of powering along to ‘ get a bit of a move on’ in grotty weather and having to don full foulies for all the time you spend on deck.
I commend the voices of experience that have mentioned both umbrellas and slippers . Nice!