Necessary Sailing Apparel
All sailors know that it is absolutely essential to be prepared for all situations, and most importantly the apparel sailors wear are going to depend on the weather. When sailing it is vital to pay attention to the weather as it will dictate apparel decisions. It might be sunny and warm on shore, but once out on the waters sailing, it could be breezy and chilly. Being equipped with many layers and especially the correct layers could also save a life if a sailor happens to go overboard and drift in frigid waters.
The weather can change in an instant, even if it looks sunny on the shore. Also the weather out on the water might be drastically different thus take a sailing jacket to protect from cool wind or even rain. Harken jackets in particular are a sailor’s jacket of choice. This is due to its light weight which increases mobility, premiere quality, and breathable fabric. A jacket or vest by Gill is a good alternative. Any sailing jacket which is purchased should have a neoprene waistband and sleeve so that the wearer remains dry and can still breathe.
Compliment the sailing jacket with sailing shorts and sailing rashguards. Options for boat shorts include Columbia Sportswear and Gill. To lessen the effect of hard decks aboard the sailboat, there are shorts which are padded. Most sailing shorts have a built in UV protection of usually 35+ SPF. Sailing rashguards will protect against chafing as a result of wearing personal flotation devices, or harnesses. The sailing rashguards are made of spandex and usually also have built in UV protection ranging up to 50+ UVP. Both Harken and Ronstan are excellent choices for sailing rashguards. Sailors can choose between a short sleeve and long sleeve sailing rashguards. A thumb hole is built into long sleeve rashguards so that it is kept in place while sailors move about.
The whole body will be protected and insulated with a wetsuit designed for sailing. A great selection of sailing wetsuits is available from Ronstant, all made with the latest neoprene technology. Neoprene allows the body to breathe, while providing thermal insulation and even buoyancy. Each sailor's body is contoured by the stretchable fabric of a wetsuit. The knees of the wetsuits are reinforced for durability and protection. There is no decrease in mobility with these wetsuits as they are designed for sailors specifically. There is a choice between a full body sailing wetsuit or half-body sailing wetsuit depending on the situation and need.
A sailor will need the correct sailing apparel to protect the body when sailing on the water. Half the battle is being prepared for the weather changed which can happen in a brief instant. Help to make it easier by being wearing the right sailing apparel for all weather conditions and be ready to adapt to any variations encountered. As much as the spray will allow while sailing, sailors can stay as dry as possible with the best foul weather gear and sailing apparel.