Fall Sailing: Extend the Season with Good Foul Weather Gear

I have more sets of foul weather gear in my sail bag than suits in my closet. I categorize them as 1. Light for warm weather, 2. Medium for coastal and summer night sailing, and 3. Heavy for cold weather and offshore sailing. Looking at the forecast has me reaching to the bottom of the bag to pull out the heavyset set. I will be sailing before sunrise tomorrow morning and it will be in the 40-degree range.

If you do not collect sets of foul weather gear like my wife collects shoes, do not worry. One good set will suffice. I buy my gear like I buy my anchors. I look at the one recommended and then size up by one. By size up, I don't mean the actual size but rating. For coastal sailing, I will go ahead and buy the offshore rated gear.

Layering is key, my gear starts with a good moisture wicking base layer, mid-layer fleece (pants and jacket) and then outer layer of bibs and jacket. This combination gets me through a wide range of conditions. I never skimp on the bibs because I usually wear them more than my jacket. It is very nice to be able sit down on wet decks and stay dry.

A wool hat, a pair of waterproof boots and gloves finish off my sail bag. Think of me when you wake up tomorrow morning, I will have already been in the cockpit for hours, nice and toasty in my foulies.