Sailing Kit Advice Please

[UHB]

Hello all,

Admins, please move if this is in the wrong place!

I am looking to work through the RYA qualifications and want to do yacht deliveries.
At this point, I have no kit whatsoever and I could do with some advice from those that know!

I am hoping to do all sorts of deliveries, from short distance to long distances so with that in mind, should I be looking at the Ocean ranges of jackets and salopettes or would the offshore ranges of jackets and sallopettes be enough?

I am looking at the crewsaver ergofit lifejackets, and the ergofit 190N pro in particular but is there much difference/benefit between this and the 190N offshore HAMMAR for example?

Does anybody have any reccomendations on PLB's? I looked at the ACR Personal TAG-PLB-RESQLINK + WITH GPS which looked like it had good reviews!?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I want decent safety equipment and waterproofs but don't yet have the experience to help make my decisions!

I hope this all makes sense and thank you all in advance for your help.

Andy

 

[prv]

I think for a working delivery skipper, top-quality waterproofs are probably a worthwhile investment.

That said, you aren't a working delivery skipper yet, and it's possible that your path may diverge from your plan somewhere between here and there, for whatever reason. Maybe start with something more basic with the aim of upgrading later, when you'll have a better idea what you need?

Regarding the lifejackets, I have 4 with Hammar inflators but probably wouldn't buy them again. The parts are more expensive than other types, you can't weigh the bottles properly because they're glued into plastic holders, and the inflator attaches through a large hole in the bladder which is a potential leak point if not reassembled perfectly. I'm not convinced that the purported advantages (fewer unintentional inflations, cylinder protected inside the bladder) are worth it. Go for a jacket with the common UML inflator.

As for which jacket, that's really only something you can choose in person, in a shop with a good range to try on. I went to Force 4 convinced that I was going to buy a Spinlock Deckvest, but came away with a Kru Sport Pro because it fitted me so much better.

PLBs all have much the same features and performance (or at least, there's no reasonable way of assessing any performance variations that might exist) so you can really only purchase on the basis of size, price, and shelf life.

Be aware that if you're only just starting out on RYA qualifications, you don't really need a lifejacket and PLB at this point. Any yacht you might sail on will provide the former, and I wouldn't consider the latter an essential piece of kit for most sailing, albeit I'd probably expect a delivery skipper to have one nowadays.

Pete

 

[laika]

I am hoping to do all sorts of deliveries, from short distance to long distances so with that in mind, should I be looking at the Ocean ranges of jackets and salopettes or would the offshore ranges of jackets and sallopettes be enough?

Branding names are just names. "Ocean" ranges tend to be thicker material, harder wearing, and with more little twiddly accessory bits and a far higher price tag. They probably have a big market amongst people who just want the top of the range. In my time of doing deliveries (including "ocean" which once south of Portugal tends to be mainly shorts+T-shirt even in "winter") my Musto MPX "Offshore' stuff performed marvellously in some fairly nasty conditions and I never thought "I wish I'd bought the more expensive ones". "Thicker material" is not necessarily a good thing: The current "offshore" mustos are far lighter than my 11 year old set (which are about the same weight as the current oceans) which means moving about is far easier. Boots are important but to keep your feet dry I believe gaitors are invaluable. Don't think you need fancy leather dubarrys for breathability: if it's not cold you don't need boots at all: in summer the heaviest thing I'll be wearing is my high-tech trainery things.

If a school can lend you some waterproofs free of charge, accept the offer: it's good to find out what you dislike about cheap waterproofs

I agree with prv about hammar: I've been regularly dumped on wearing a spin lock with a uml inflator and it's never gone off. They're way easier to remove which is handy if you are flying and they're cheaper. My new lifejacket (unused since purchase last year) is actually hammar but in retrospect I think that was a questionable choice.

Not buying stuff until you need it is excellent advice. If you buy a lifejacket when the school will provide you with one, by the time you're off on your own you have a year old lifejacket rather than a new one and these things improve all the time. Similarly PLBs: You don't need one on a school boat in the solent. These things have limited battery life and many people are awaiting release of ones which combine AIS and PLB. Wait until you go off on deliveries.

 

[MoodySabre]

Go to the boat show or a very comprehensive chandlers and try stuff on. I found some oilers were uncomfortable, Mustos had no pockets in the salopettes ( these are often worn without a full jacket) and some are too stiff. Also get a decent pair of boots - once again comfort is everything. Offshore or even Coastal are probably good enough to start with as you won't be doing Ocean stuff for some time.

 

[Yngmar]

Don't look for brands and labels, look at how stuff is made. You want a breathable material, else you'll get wet from the inside. Seams must be taped so they do not leak. You want soft fabric on chafe spots (sleeves, neck, face, pockets). Pockets must have waterproof zips or if they're open, not be constructed so they trap water. The hood should fit so it doesn't obstruct your vision and water runs off the sides, not down the front (they're normally designed to be folded back - many don't know this).

Still very happy with my Hudson Wight HW1 from uhm, a few years ago. However, the first mate has a fancy raincoat from Tchibo that is nearly as good and probably cost about €30 or so (only problem is it came in white - which it didn't stay for long). Before getting a really good deal on the HW1, I've also sailed in a US military ECWCS (the outer rainproof layers) and some cheap mountaineering overtrousers and apart from the buttons rusting that worked very well and didn't cost much. Don't buy anything that has non-removable thermal layers. Those must be separate and go underneath - it can be 27°C while a gale is chucking buckets of seawater in your face. Get some ski or swimming goggles for that by the way.

Boots are good for when you need to be out on deck in a hurry, as you can just jump into them. Buy them a size larger, so you can wear thick woolen socks inside when it's cold. Gaiters are great, but unless you do bow work on a racing boat, you'll probably not need them. In warmer weather, some mesh sailing shoes that dry fast will work better.

For lifejackets, the most important thing is that it's not fiddly to open/close the buckle, so you can be in and out of it quickly. They all come with a tether loop.

And listen to the sage advice above about not getting stuff you don't (yet) need. Especially stuff that expires while it sits around, such as lifejackets and PLBs.

 

[prv]

For lifejackets, the most important thing is that it's not fiddly to open/close the buckle, so you can be in and out of it quickly. They all come with a tether loop.

Errm, no they don’t.

On yachts nowadays we’re used to combined life jackets and deck harnesses, but lots of other people on the water don’t need the harness part and many, perhaps even most, models of lifejacket are available with or without. If the OP does buy a lifejacket at this stage, he should ensure he doesn’t inadvertently buy the non-harness version.

Pete

 

[Strolls]

Mustos had no pockets in the salopettes

Mine do.

Think it's the BR2 Offshore from this page, as it's the same colour and detailing: https://www.mailspeedmarine.com/on-the-water/guides/top-6-sailing-jackets/

Currently on discount at the Musto "outlet" store at Portsmouth Gunboat Quay (they have two stores there - they sell last year's foulies at the back of the store that's mostly Musto jeans and t-shirts, not the one that's all fouls; the nice young salesman gave me an extra 10% off when I asked "is that the best price you can do?").

 

[laika]

Gaiters are great, but unless you do bow work on a racing boat, you'll probably not need them. In warmer weather, some mesh sailing shoes that dry fast will work better.

With reference to what the OP's intentions are....I'm guessing there are a range of sailing schools but certainly some (I did mine on BOSS's ratty sigmas in winter) involve foredeck work or scrambling along the side decks and ending up to your knees in water. Certainly the scrabbling along the side decks in heavy weather in winter part has featured in deliveries and it only takes one drenching to have your feet damp and miserable for a week. I think though that I'm not so much advocating rushing out and buying a pair of musto oceans, more to avoid rushing out and buying a pair of high-end leather dubarrys. As you say, mesh fast-dry sailing shoes are more practical for a summer course.

 

[Iain C]

I'd recommend that for most cases your boots and hi-fits are more important than the jacket IMHO. I'd also seriously look at a mid-layer hi-fit base layer...I just bought some second hand and I'm very impressed. But seriously, don't go throwing thousands of pounds at kit until you know what/where, and dare I say it, if, you are actually going to do this.

Cheap(er) places to pick up gear are boat shows, Musto outlets, and Sportpursuit.com.

 

[BelleSerene]

Cheap(er) places to pick up gear are boat shows...

Particularly overseas ones. The British market is a rip-off. It's too late for Düsseldorf, but Paris is before Christmas.

 

[[70521]]

Much good advice has be said above. I'll just add make sure stuff fits well and you can put enough layers under the outer layer to keep you warm at 0300 on a cold night. Start with the feet, good boots and good socks (I recently discovered goat hair socks, eye-wateringly expensive, but by golly they work).

Don't be afraid to get kit altered; they are your work clothes and you are going to spend many hours in a harsh environment in them.

 

[jdc]

The oilies you need to buy depend on how fat you are. I plotted the sizes (waist and midriff) of the popular makes (Musto, Gill, HH etc) versus expected body length and all men's trousers and jackets are designed for the clinically obese with BMI > 30.

So, if that's not you, I suggest that you go foreign (although even Decathlon are following this alarming trend) or buy a smock. For reasons I've yet to understand, but welcome, the Musto MPX smock comes in at BMI = 24.

 

[zoidberg]

Lots to sift through above.

You will need a sleeping bag. That's best with wicking/hollowfibre and in 'barrel shape'. It needs to live in its own drybag whenever you're not actually inside it.

 

[UHB]

Hello again,

Thank you all for your time and advice! I definitely didn't think about a sleeping bag and it certainly makes sense to not buy things that have a shelf life until I need them, like I said, I am still pretty wet behind the ears when it comes to yachting and somethings that seem obvious now certainly didn't before!!!

I will be honest, I've been a member on other forums (not related to sailing) and I have seen people ask questions and get slated for it so it is a relief to feel like it is ok to ask questions here!

Thank you again everybody, and hopefully see some of you out on the seas one day.

Andy