[Rhodes22-list] Clothing for Cool Weather Sailing

[Bill Effros]

Mark,

I find I can comfortably sail in weather down to 55 degrees.  I wear 
normal street clothes, layered in the same way as if I were taking a 
stroll on the beach in the same weather; and an inflatable life 
jacket/harness.  I always carry a complete change of clothing on board, 
inside an air and water tight rafting bag.

I used to sail year round.  There is always an oddball 70 degree day in 
December or January or February of any given year, and it is fun to hop 
out on the boat in that kind of weather.  But it's the water that can 
kill you, and I've dumped into 55 degree water, and that's a chance I'm 
not going to take anymore.

If you know your boat you can safely single hand with little fear of 
winding up in the water.  I never take anyone with me when I go out in 
the winter for fear they may be off balance, or in the wrong place and 
wind up in the water.  When you are out there by yourself at that time 
of year, you are really by yourself.  There is no one to see you are in 
trouble and rescue you.

I take my boat off the water in Mid November, and sail until then.  
After that I work on the boat on the nice days, which I find to be quite 
pleasant.  I don't tarp or button up the boat, so I can use all the 
features (pop top -- put out the cushions -- turn on the stereo -- water 
left running -- batteries left in place).  I wax, bottom paint, clean 
up, and do all the things I can't bring myself to do when actual sailing 
is an option.  My boat is right at the edge of the water, so it's almost 
as pretty as my mooring.

When done this way, the winter is too short to accomplish everything by 
April 15, when I would like to put the boat back into the water.  I 
never come close.

Bill Effros

mputnam1 at aol.com wrote:
> Because of my work schedule, I am going to be able to take my R-22 out for day sails much more often after election day ... so I've been planning on many days on the water in November, December as long as it's not bitter cold.  Temps in the 50s would probably be as low as I would go out (but, of course, on an unseasonably warm winter day, the water temp could still be quite low).  And for what it matters, I'll be sailing on the Potomac River ... mostly single-handed.
>  
> So here's my question ... what sort of clothing would you all recommend?  I have never shopped for sailing clothing, so I really have no idea what is out there.  Do I need to be looking for something water-tight in the event I fall overboard?  Should I have a wetsuit on underneath typical cool weather clothing?  What sort of gloves do you recommend?  I will, of course, be wearing a life jacket.
>  
> Thanks for any and all advice,
>  
> - Mark
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