Clothing for Safe and Comfortable Boating


Choosing the right clothing for safe and comfortable boating is very important.  What kind of boater are you?  There is clothing available for dinghy sailors, fishermen, lightweight clothes for inshore boating, heavier-duty clothing for coastal cruising and racing, and very heavy and durable clothing for ocean cruising and racing.  A lot of the choice is common sense.  In mild climates when the boating is easy, and the worst one can expect is mild rain or spray, personal clothing can be lightweight, and not particularly durable.  Out in the ocean, when you can expect many days - even weeks - at sea with all kinds of weather and sea conditions, then the clothing must protect you well, and must last.

There are many, many different brands of clothing available, all offering different fabrics and different designs.  For serious boaters of any kind -- inland waterways, coastal, ocean -- high-bibbed trousers that will prevent seawater, spray, or rainwater from shooting up inside your jacket and wetting your shirts/sweaters are a must.  We have often worn such high-bibbed pants over heavy duty shirts and fleeces, even without jackets.   The trouser bottoms usually have velcro fasteners, and those are important, as you can fasten them tight at the ankles OVER your boots.   This prevents water from getting into your boots.   Long jackets with high collars and hoods are also important.   Most hoods can be folded up inside the collar.  That can be more comfortable than having a hood that flaps around and catches on things.   For less rigorous boating, there are trousers that come only to the waist, and shorter jackets, but we have always preferred the ones described earlier.  There are some jackets that include a safety harness.  We used those for many years until we discovered the combination safety harness and life vests with CO2 inflation.

If you plan to spend any length of time wearing foul weather gear, then breathable fabrics are better than ones that collect perspiration and condensation inside.  Boating can be a vigorous activity, and nothing is worse than getting wet from the "inside out".   Wicking base layers are also good for wicking perspiration away from the body.  Such base layers come in long sleeves, long legs, short sleeves and short legs.   In cold climes, wicking thermal underwear - including thermal socks - is a must.

Just a note for everyone, but particularly new female sailors    It is impossible to look really elegant in foul weather gear.  Indeed, it is useful to make sure that the trousers and jackets are fairly loose in order to be able to accommodate sweaters and fleeces, and to ensure freedom of movement.  I have had to go through all kinds of contortions to get into cockpit lockers, or retrieve something from some difficult to get to places while at sea, and it would have been impossible in tight clothing.

Warmer weather and inshore sailing requires the usual summery gear - shorts, shirts and deck shoes.   These are generally cotton or wicking fabrics as polyester and ordinary nylon can cause perspiration.    But all these clothes need pockets - the more the better - so pants, shorts and shirts with cargo pockets are very useful.   Just think about the kinds of boating you will be doing, and the weather you are likely to encounter, and get the best clothing you can to ensure comfortable boating.

  
  
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