Ep 31: How to Dress for Sailing in Any Weather

Welcome to Episode 31 of Carpe Diem Sailing. In this episode I go over dressing appropriately for sailing, in fair weather and foul. I cover sun protection as well as dressing in layers when in adverse weather. I also talk about the various fabrics and materials to use in a layering system that will keep you warm and dry in foul weather.
CORRECTION: In error I say in the video that Helly Hansen uses 3 layer Gore Tex. H/H uses Helly Tech
Sun Protection Yacht Racing Life Article
yachtracing.li...
Tilley Hats and Travel Clothing
www.tilley.com...
Gul Fastnet Cordura and Leather Sea Boots
www.amazon.com...
Gill Offshore Sea Boots
www.gillmarine...
Solbari UPF Clothing and Hats
www.solbari.com/
Helly Hansen
www.hellyhanse...

[@corditekid1]

I always have a pair of ski-goggles handy as I hate getting a face full of spray, they certainly make foul weather sailing safer in my experience.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Great tip. Thanks

[@goodlifehomebrew6339]

Way back in the day - before fridges ! Damp cotton tea towels were laid over dairy products in the pantry to keep them cool.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you Goodlife Homebrew. That makes a great point!

[@ButterBub810]

As an Australian, sunscreen is essential year round! Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Australia and affects a huge percentage of sailors. I personally like to use a zinc stick style, it is high protection, and less likely to slide around from water/sweat and get in my eyes (a big annoyance for a lot of sailors). In addition to normal sunscreen, a lip balm with SPF 50+ is also crucial here.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you. I’m not surprised! Stay healthy!

[@pedroalvesfission2610]

Thank you so much for making these videos. This one taught me a lot! As someone who has learned to sail in Portugal, this was truly educative, and interesting. Thank you

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you for the kind comment. I’m delighted that you found the video helpful

[@Palundrium]

Invaluable, thank you! Newer sailor finally getting ready to get some foul weather gear.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Great to hear! Thank you.

[@willbur365]

Cotton kills. Not just for sailing, but hiking and camping as well. Very educational video through and through. Thank you 🤙

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Yes it does. When I was in college doing an Outdoor Rec program cotton was outlawed and to this day I never wear any cotton at all (inc briefs) in a wet, cold environment!

[@sparkeyjones6261]

You'll never see me wearing a baseball cap of any type. But, the Tilley cap, that's cool. I think I'll buy one this week. 😀

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks for the comment and for watching Sparkey

[@mrpmessina]

Brilliant! I know probably silly, but I was not sure what type of closing I truly need. There are so many variables and marketing always tries to sell you way too much, but I was never clear what is truly needed. Brilliant tutorial and glad to know we are doing something about inappropriate sunscreens. Absolutely brilliant tutorial. Thank you.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Fantastic! Not silly at all. Glad it was helpful Paolo. Thank you for the great feedback.

[@mrpmessina]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine this is incredibly useful. I am really to have stumbled across your channel. Very insightful and I appreciate the sheer amount of work that must have gone into make this video. Immensely appreciated!

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks again and just want to also say once again that it’s not silly at all to not know about the proper sailing clothing. That’s why I produced the video. Hope you’re having a great day. Your comments certainly made mine great 😊

[@ScottyO79]

Every year, my friends and I volunteer to work with Chicagoland Toys for Tots motorcycle parade, on the first Sunday in December. The first year that I rode a motorcycle in the parade, one of my friends gave me a piece of advice I’ll never forget, when dressing in foul/cold weather. “You can’t take it off if you don’t have it with you.”

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

So very true. "Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it" Right? Thanks for the comment Scotty O

[@golnar8543]

What a useful video, I am going sailing in cold and rainy weather in a few days, I wish I had found it sooner! Next time.. thanks so much for all this wisdom ❤

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you. Glad to help. Stay warm 😉

[@drgigispearman7745]

Awesome information. Thank you

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Glad it was helpful! So nice of you. Thank you

[@carlb9009]

Another great video. Thanks for sharing you knowledge. Really great channel’, informative and entertaining.

[@NearlyNativeNursery]

Superb talk on gear. Thanks

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

My pleasure. Thanks for the comment Jim

[@pamelacotte]

Thank you! Very useful.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

You're welcome!

[@RicardGomez]

Outstanding, always excellent, always useful. Thanks for sharing your experience ans knowledge!!

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you Richard

[@aerobill8554]

Thank you very much for an excellent video. As a beginner sailor, this was very educational. Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

My pleasure, thank you for the kind comment

[@nefibarron2299]

Great video with clear and easy to understand info

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@albertofourie3294]

Awesome video! Thank you for taking the time and sharing your wealth of knowledge with us mere mortals!

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you Alberto, I am delighted that you enjoyed it.

[@j.s.3221]

Thank you for the great video!! I am joining a winter race team in around West Vancouver, just was looking for boots, gloves, and outer layer. Appreciate the information!

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Glad you enjoyed it. I did that West Van Snowflake series for years. Stay warm and dry and have fun.

[@OneDullMan]

Excellent video. As a fair skinned individual, with some skin cancer lesions, I especially like the focus on sun protection. I did long distance running in Canada and noted that a lot of the gear can be quite similar - a buff, light weight long sleeve shirt and light weight long pants. Keep up the good work and when are we getting Carpe Diem branded Merch? :)

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks for the comment John. Great suggestion re the merch. We’re looking into it.

[@tuancharlie1]

Really helpful, many thanks !!!

[@ennyways]

Thank you so much, that helped me so much.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks for the comment Enny ASMR. I’m very happy to hear that the video helped you.

[@Homerisnude]

I use for like almoste 10 years an outdoor set from Lidel (a german discounter). The trouses are great, got all features you want (like a little plastic clip, so i can clip in my knife or flies pockets on breast hight to warm up your fingers). The jacket is great as well. I got them both impregnated at a shop and and now they are almoste as good as new. I have leather boots as well and use 2 layers of socks: one normal sock which absorbs the water and the other is a wool layer. Never ever had i cold feet and i was sailing in the north of Norway. My next thing to get are polarised sunglases, couse the sun in the morning is just a pain with the reflection on the water and maybe synthetic underclothing like shirts and long underpants.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you for the comment.

[@IamPreacherMan]

Yoga pants and long sleeve UV shirts. Large brim hat, and polarized sunglasses. The tights feel cooler than the sun on your skin anyway.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks for the tips!

[@Ratko1997]

great, great video, thanks for uploading. btw I bought yesterday Musto mpx offshore jacket and waiting to be delivered.. Hopefully it will be of good use

[@GoWithTheFloat]

excellent informative video. thank you very much!

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you for the kind comment Sailing Through Life. I’m delighted that you found it helpful.

[@across_the_plane6800]

Good stuff 👍🏼

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you 😊

[@harbourdogNL]

1:20 My favourite winter/foul weather sailing channel: kzbin.info

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Pretty impressive. Thanks for sharing.

[@johnhastie2259]

Brilliant

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks John. I appreciate the kind comment. Glad you enjoyed it

[@PetrHosek]

Great video. Just a note on polarized sunglasses - be aware that they can make some LCD displays hard or impossible to read. It's a good idea to borrow a pair from someone and test them with your instruments before purchasing.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks Petr. Very good point. I remember the first time it happened to me, I thought all my instruments had died! Now I live with it and just change my angle of sight

[@RHP-pw8xt]

Nice video thank you.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you for the support.

[@RenM908]

If you struggle with synthetic underwear for winter, try merino wool underwear. That was a great alternative for me.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks for the comment RenM908. Yes I agree, I love my Merino wool. Then only problem I've had are moths eating holes in them.

[@canmtb4676]

23:35. To be precise, HH does not use Gore Tex membrane on their jackets / pants. They have their own membrane called Helly Tech. There is a comparison article that Gore Tex got better waterproofing / breathability over Helly Tech. Musto utilizes Gore Tex.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks Can B. Good point, you are absolutely correct. I've used both over the years, (far many more years of using different iterations of GoreTex) and so far the Aegir jacket and pants are equal in performance, at least in my experience.

[@derekschick4880]

Just discovered your channel. Great stuff! Question on base layer for bottoms in foul weather. Do you just do merino wool and quick dry pants under the HH shell?

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thanks for the kind comment and question Derek. It depends. In mild conditions I wear just the Lifa base layer (www.hellyhansen.com/lifa) as it gets cooler I add the Merino and then sometimes a third light insulating fleece layer. I personally I never wear quick dry pants under the shell. I'm a huge believer in layering. Thanks for watching

[@derekschick4880]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine awesome thanks! I’m hoping next summer to be back at Rebecca spit and maybe take some lessons if you are available. Cheers

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

@@derekschick4880 Cool. It would be good to meet you. Where do you live? Do you have a boat?

[@derekschick4880]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine I’m in Vancouver but no boat yet… just beginning. If you have suggestions on schools or clubs locally let me know. I’ve done some sailing over the years but not cruising

[@WavedancerWesterlyfulmar]

I never use much sunscreen my eyes water from fumes off it. Discovered I'm allergic to sunscreen can only use hypoallergenic stuff.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Me too. Can’t stand the stuff, even the hypo allergenic

[@Sommers234]

I've walked by the Helly Hansen store 100 times in Annapolis. I guess it's time to stop in.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Might be! Like I said in the video, I do get a pro discount but otherwise not paid by H/H. I really do like their stuff though. My wife too.

[@douglashope3543]

Regarding the HH Aegir pants, "3-layer Goretex" is a frequently used but outright misleading marketing trick, one that countless buyers have fallen for. It likely originates from Goretex, as I've seen it used on many products from diverse manufacturers. There is one layer of Goretex. Always. Just one.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

I do not believe that anyone is claiming that there are multiple layers of Gore Tex. The difference between 2 layer and 3 layer lies in the way the various outer and inner materials are laminated. In two-layer construction, the membrane is bonded to the outer fabric with a separate lining. Unlike two-layer construction, the GORE-TEX membrane within the 3-layer construction is bonded to both the outer fabric and the inner lining

[@TABBoardsIreland]

Hard to beat dubarry for leather breathable warm sailing boots.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

They are beautiful boots! And you pay for them 😉

[@sailorrusty]

You say silk and wool make very good liners, is there a foul weather gear brand that uses both together?

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

It does not appear that any of the big foul weather gear brands offer a merino silk combination. The closest I have found is is HH with their Lifa/Merino combination which I have and like but Lifa is synthetic. I did find this website that offers base layers in a silk/ merino blend warmthandweather.ca/collections/unisex/products/engel-men-turtleneck-wool-silk

[@stasn3715]

what is the brand of this shoe ?

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Helly Hansen

[@stasn3715]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine thx!

[@amiabledave50]

Hat guarantee from the web site, SOME of our hats come with a Guarantee for Life. This is printed in the woven label inside the hat. We’ll repair or replace your hat if it is damaged due to: • normal wear and tear • poor workmanship • faulty material

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Thank you for the info

[@sailorrusty]

How do you feel about Hemp clothing?

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

That's an excellent question Douglas. I do not have any personal experience but will look into it. Thanks for the comment.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Like all natural fibers (cotton, down etc) with the possible exception of silk, hemp is not a good choice for wet weather insulation. Still seems that synthetic is the way to go "Wet hemp conducts heat very well when wet which means your feet could get freezing cold. ... Nearly all natural fibres such as cotton, hemp, cellulose (bamboo/rayon etc.) perform substandard in the cold and very poorly in the wet. Some silk blends can retain insulation while wet but may end up costing more"

[@arjundixit-e9j]

I am irish my skin burns within second if 20degree celsius

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Oh No!

[@veryrudeguy]

The worst par about buying sailing gear is lack of explanation in description. For Example.. Helly Hansen Skagen and Ægir jacket. Ægir is double the price, but there is nothing that explains what makes it double the price of Skagen. Skagen is already relativly expensive jacket at 500.. Ægir is 1000.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

I bought both to try them out. In a nutshell the Skagen is less durable but lighter weight and more useful for coastal cruising. The Aegir is much heavier, more durable and has more robust features like waterproof zippers and such. More designed for heavy use offshore sailing. Designed for offshore racers. Great protection from the elements but heavier, stiffer and not quite as comfortable. If you're not planning to sail a lot in very heavy weather the Skagen should be fine.

[@desgamble9220]

More of an advertisement for HH, but interesting anyways.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

It may seem that way but as I mentioned the stuff works for me. It was not meant to be advertising. I’ve used I don’t know how many different brands of long underwear in my life and the Lifa and Lifa merino are by far the best I’ve ever used. In fact I’ve bought spares just in card they discontinue it. Try find running shoes style deck shoes. My feet don’t fit the typical no Sperry and I prefer the support of running shoes. Sperry used to make some but no longer. These are just some of the reasons I like HH. I also love my Patagonia stuff but g thy hey don’t make fear for sailing anymore. Thanks for the comment and for watching 🙏

[@dulls8475]

Don't be conned into buying the breathable stuff either.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

That is your choice but it's breathable all the way for me on land or at sea. You are welcome to your non breathable, rubber water traps.

[@dulls8475]

@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine They all trap water, the breathables are poor in a salt water environment.

[@land7776]

HH way too expensive, it's fashion gear like UA.

[@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine]

Sorry you feel that way. Certainly not my opinion and I use their clothing for sailing and skiing. I am a sailing instructor and ski patroller so I use the gear professionally and I'm very happy with it, same with my friends and my wife. And I am not sponsored by HH, I do not get kickbacks for promoting their clothing. I just like it because it works. I have had Henri Lloyd and Gill and HH is the best offshore sailing gear I have ever used. Definitely not fashion gear.