What to wear???

[Helga]

This might sound a bit strange to all you experienced weathered sailors, and I indeed feel a bit like the little girl who doesn't know what to wear to a party, but I need help with my wardrobe! I will be sailing across the Atlantic (from the Canaries to Trinidad) for the first time in November, and am wondering if I really need all that very expensive ocean-grade foul weather gear everybody advises me to buy. Can't I just wear my coastal windbreaker and some good boots? Please advise!

[Gallivanters]

Helga,

We did the same trip a few years ago on our old 37 footer. Departed Tenerife in late November. Getting through the wind exceleration zones of the Canaries was tough!

I began with a wool sweater and ended in shorts & tee shirt.

I never needed to don my foulies... but maybe we were just lucky.

Enjoy!

Kirk

[lagos36]

I have crossed the Atlantic twice ,the first time from Florida to Gibraltar I didn`t have any foul weather gear ,the skipper had a spare set of cheap waterproofs which I only needed to use a few times and was good enough,I didn`t have any boots and my feet got wet but so what they dried out again.The last crossing I did which I have just finished was from Nova Scotia to the Azores ,I had all my own gear this time ,foul weather gear top and bottom ,boots and harness,they came in very handy ,but again I only needed them for a few days.Unless you intend to do a lot of sailing in the future I would say don`t bother buying all the gear,just take some warm clothes and a good coat to keep you dry,make sure there is a harness and life jacket for you to use on the boat if not buy your own,these things you cannot do without.

[Weyalan]

You may not need decent wet weather gear, but if you do need it, you will really need it! What I am saying is that if yo are lucky with the weather, you will be fine, but if you are unlucky, you will truly wish that you had good wet weatehr gear. There is nothing worse than being cold and wet for days on end, which, while unlikely, is possible if you haven't got good gear.

On balance, I would advise taking decent gear. It is not necessary to buy the top of the range Henri Lloyd gore-tex stuff for a squillion dollars, some of the less glamorous brands are just as good and a fraction of the price. I would also suggest having a good look on e-bay. There are some very reasonable prices on good wet weather gear (try searching for "Musto").

I would advise taking

a) Decent wet weather gear

At least one decent polar-fleece jacket

c) A p[air of polar fleece pants

d) A set of thermal long-johns and top

Sure, you might not need them, but if you do, you will be grateful.

[Fred R]

Great stuff...

The way to be comfortable is to be DRY....

You will never regret the money spent for good "water proof"..not "water resistant" foulies.

Bring quick drying clothes ....fleeces....

Bring 2 sets - 3 if you have room...it's really, really nice to get into warm dry clothes, when it's your tour on watch...at 4am...

Bring 3 pair of sailing gloves...they will be your best bud....

I've found snow-ski gear makes for great foulies, and under layers....fast drying, and cheaper than sailing stuff.

There is nothing colder and wetter than the top of a mountain in winter...unless you're headed for the Artic.

When you get to the tropics, peel down to light weight, open weave clothes....

Bikinis work very well...where you goin' again????

fred