oilskins and boots ,whats youre opinion

[p69]

i will be purchasing some wet weather gear,and boots or shoes, for a crossing from france to florida. the departure is around the 20th august, would like to know what people have found to be good, and what not to get.
any advice i would be very grateful. also is there anything thats a must take for the trip.

 

[TigaWave]

A good hat, that keeps the sun off your neck and an LED headtorch.

 

[Sans Bateau]

FWIW I have been using XM Ocean wet weather gear for around 4 years now, them seem to do what it says on the tin.

Boots, I bought a pair of Quayside boots from Force 4 Swindlery last year, stong, water proof and warm for £69. They look to be as well made as any of the brands at twice the price. All this kit has performed as I would expect and I would buy again.

 

[SQUIRRELS]

Wouldn't like to advise you specifically on the oilskins, guess you try on and see what fits and feels best although its nice to have fleece lined pockets big enough to put your hands into, esp. for night time, oh and a good hood with a peak.

As far as the boots, if you can run to it I would strongly recommend a pair of Dubarry's - they're brill from very cold through to warm weather, truly waterproof and for me very comfortable. Oh, I also like the shoes and am currently on 2nd pair. But if I had to choose between them, it would be the boots; but it'd be a tough call.

I also like a tilley hat because you can tie it on and don't forget to get comfortable gloves.

Another tip - micro fleeces, the really lightweight ones which feel very soft on are great. Regatta might have some and they also have nice very lightweight microfibre shirts with air vents which are very reasonably priced.

Whatever you choose, hope you have a wonderful trip.

 

[blueglass]

Boots, I bought a pair of Quayside boots from Force 4 Swindlery last year, stong, water proof and warm for £69.
Got same boots at same swindlery and endorse fully. Only problem with them is if you do get them thoroughly wet inside ( as I managed while beaching tender) they take days to dry out. Other than that superb boots at a price to make Dubarry etc blush.

 

[andy_wilson]

Shorts and shades!

If you need oilies, take a peaked cap. Good during sunny days to keep sun of eyes (as well as shades). Also good worn under oilskins with hood up to ensure hood turns with your head.

Nothing worse than turning your head to get a good look at the inside of your hood.

 

[Salty John]

Crossing from France to Florida in late August I wouldn't be thinking too hard about keeping warm, more about keeping dry and also cool. Light weight, breathable rain gear and a big hat. Pretty dodgy trip in such an active hurricane season, so good luck.

 

[Stemar]

IMHO yuou don't need a Tilley hat. I had one and it's a good bit of kit, but I actually prefer the Peter Storm hat from Black's, Milletts, etc., at about £13 instead of £40. It'll hurt a lot less when £13 goes over the side in a squall than £40.

For the days when you need your hood up, a selection of baseball caps from your local charity shop. Don't pay a lot of money - you could easily go through half a dozen on a trip like that unless they're well tied on!

The essential luxury item? For me it would be a good book or several.

 

[seaesta]

My recommendation
1. Normal cheap and cheerful wellies with big baggy fishermans type over trousers of the totally impervious kind. The ventilation from the baggyness is much better than breathables
2. Trainers for your feet. In 99% of conditions these will dry out as fast as you wet em. They are warm comfortable cheap and when it gets too warm for em go barefoot
3. A good quality gortex jacket - key feature is the collar which should be high
4. White Tilley hat
5. White tee shirts to reflect sun
4. If you have the cash then a pair of pukka sailing trousers and boots to look the part on arrival
Martin

 

[dralex]

Whatever you get, just make sure it seals well around the neck, wrists and ankles. Even in warm conditions, the wind chill can be huge when you're wet and it's windy, especially over long periods of time.

Baggy is good, especially in the lower regions- even breathable fabrics don't work very well sometimes, especially if you're sitting on it or there is a lot of surface water. Baggy allows the air from moist regions to circulate to less moist regions. You also stay warmer if there are some air pockets. I would still personally go for Goretex- I perspire a fair amount and it seems to keep me far warmer and more comfortable than non breathable.

I would strongly suggest breathable boots if you want boots. It means your feet aren't too sweaty when it's warm, and they stay warm when it's cold.

It's potentially expensive kit, so make sure you can get enough layers under it to cope with sailing in all temperatures. It's amazing how often you'll end up wearing salopettes, even in fairly warm conditions.

Regards

Alex

 

[Mirelle]

Pack one, small, bag...

For a single trip, you won't need much stuff.

My list:

1. Good long book, pref. paperback, but long and hard to read.

2. Decent knife, eg Leatherman.

3. Waterproof torch eg Maglite

4. Shades, sunhat, sun stuff

5. Dubarry boots are good; pair of cheap canvas deck shoes as well.

6. Any cheap oilskins will do.

7. Bring your own lifejacket, harness and line.

8. Toothbrush.

9. Clothes

10. Spare money is good.

 

[p69]

a nice thankyou to everyone for there comments, i think big baggy salopets and a jacket that i can layer up for cold weather sounds like a good mix, i was in my local chandlry and saw a pair of gill neoprene boots, they looked fairly good and not too expensive. but i will have too buy the rest in france when i get there, im sailing from les sables, i know its a long shot but does anyone have any experience with the local chandlry, and if so will they stock the forementiond clothing.
anyway, thankyou for all youre replys, im obviously excited about my trip, will post a log on my return.

 

[saltyanchor]

BEST SIUT AROUND

I swear by a second hand goretex survival suit as worn by passengers on helicopter trips to oil rigs. Got mine on ebay for £60. It has sewn in 'shoes' which trainers fit over easily (so no boots needed) seals at wrists and neck (has a hood too, but I prefer sou'wester). It breathes brilliantly, it so waterproof I can't believe it . Only trouble is, it is orange and has no pockets. I wore it on a delivery trip in F8 and was the only chap dry for 3 days (I didn't take it off for 2 days)