Keeping Warm

spottydog

spottydog

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Being a warm weather sailor so far I have little or no experience of cold weather sailing. Can anyone recommend suitable effective clothing to keep this ''spring'' chill from reaching parts it's best it doesn't reach?
 
First is combinations ......... yep good old fashioned long johns ... just like you see the cowboys in the movies wearing !!

Second is reasonably loose stuff over .. jeans / lumber-jack shirt etc. ....... so that air layer stays between. Then its standard sweaters / foul-weather gear on to finish (with a fleece inside of course) ...

One important area often forgotten is the head - especially side, back and top ... so a cap of some description and then hood pulled over - the cap keeps the hood from falling over your eyes etc. - or of course a balaclava.

Most people go for outer stuff to solve the cold ... its the under stuff that really makes a difference ... I live and work in Latvia where we have it a bit colder than uk !!
 
out here often when its really cold ... cotton inners inside working gloves ....

but thats no help really for you ... I have a pair of yellow super grip gloves my mother bought out of RNLI catalogue ... they are not waterproof but warm up with the damp in them - plus the grip is unbelievable with the silicon spots on them ....
 
Layering and fleece.

I now tend to wear my (breathable) wet weather trousers in almost any conditions unless I can go straight to shorts. Underneath is long underwear, and then if it is cold fleece trousers. On top the same - wicking underwear, fleece shirt if necessary, then either a shelled fleece jacket, or full wet gear jacket.

The wicking layer gets moisture away from your body, the layering is important to trap (warm) air near you, and the foulies keep the wind and water out.

I do not wear jeans (even over long underwear) unless I am pretty confident they won't get wet, because cotton is cold when wet. Fleece, on the other hand, remains warm when wet. Fleece is really important if you want to stay warm. Forget wool, use fleece.

A hat is also important. Fleece.
 
I would add dress for the cold and if too warm take off top layers. Don't assume you won't need thermal underwear the perservere, getting increasingly colder, as its too much hassle to put on later.
 
I would second the Rohan winter bags not cheap (I got mine in the sale /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) but very warm as well as being reasonably wind and water resistant (I have stood on the top of Welsh mountains in the middle of winter and not got cold legs even without longjohns), wearing a buff is also very useful (for the uninformed its a tube of surprisingly warm stretchy fabric). It can be used like a scarf, hat, balaclava plus a milion and one other uses both are availible from most outdoor shops and nearly all the online outdoor shops such as Blacks and mountain wearhouse I would also reconmend wearing a guernsey type sweater under your fleece and foulies.
 
Have you ever gone motorcycling? I did for years in Devon. Going on a bike in winter teaches you to put on lots of layers and multiple waterproofs - water always gets through layer 1 after a couple of hours and layer 2 after 4-5 hours. The same approach seems to work on the boat (and I could re-use the same gear until it wore out). There seems to be a lot of similarity between sitting in the wind & rain on a boat and sitting in the wind & rain on a bike [both occasions I wonder what on earth I think I'm doing..]

Silk undergloves under waterproof outers works quite well. I love my heavy duty marigolds. Two layers of socks under farmer's wellies also work (for the rear set of hands this time).

Regards

Richard.
 
It can help fitting by staying with one manufacturer. I use Musto - the old fashioned Ocean Jacket and trousers for heavy wether outers, musto salopettes and snug jackets for mid layer and longjohns for bottom layer. If it snows put on the balaclava and a sou'wester add a set of welders goggles and slip on the old long fingered gloves.

Other people swear by douglas Gill or Henri lloyd etc.

Most are good.

But layers is the key particularly the bum area 'cos you're sitting on cold wood/plastic/steel.
 
Having a wheelhouse and an eberspacher does tend to reduce the size of the problem!

Fleece is good and thinsulate even better.

Keep head hands and feet warm and everything else seems to cope. Let them get cold and your core temperature starts to fall.
 
We will be sailing this weekend. We will both be wearing:
Thinsulate long johns and top.
non branded fleece like mid layer (can be bought anywhere these days)
Cotton trader lined trousers.
Think heavy fleece top.
Ocean oilies over the top
Thinsulate gloves (good investment)
Thinsulate hat, pulled down over the ears! Most important!!

If I have to put a reef in I'll finish up pulling at zipps to get some cool air in.

There is very little difference in what SWMBO and I wear at sea, except sea wears bra and knicks!
 
The fleece v wool debate is v interesting. The makers all say everything must be synthetic (they would wouldn't they) but there's nothing that feels as cosy as wool. I tried one fleece sock and one wooly under wellies when dinghy sailing at the weekend and wool won easily. Also the poster here who's in Latvia recommends wool ...
Totally agree on lined trousers - brilliant. Hawkshead do good cheap ones. And fleece lined cap with ear flaps - got a cheap one from Compass a while back.
 
Hi from Latvia ...

I never said Wool did I ???

BUT what I do know and ruskies etc. have known for centuries ... there is nothing as good as natural materials ... Fur hats, coats etc. ... wool, etc. - beats everything hands down ...

They even have boots out here made from horse hair + other natural fibres .... seriously ... swmbo goes out in the snow with them etc. - swears by them ...

Generally it is regarded out here that natural fibre will be better as synthetics don't breathe the same ... and it seems to be fact ... I definitely feel warmer and better inside matural stuff than later modern gear ... only advantage with modern gear is its lighter...... and more colourful.

The anti-fur lobby will never succeed out here .... even they would wrap up in it I reckon when temps drop of the scale !!!
 
Re: Hi from Latvia ...

Nigel

It is also a lot easier to get fleece stuff over here, can't say Ive see too many horse hair lined boots around this season!
 
The only thing ye\'ll need if Sailing in Argyll

Ra Wullie Warmer
Willie%20Warmer.jpg
 
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