Do you get cold sailing?

Might seem an odd question. I'm a skier who this weekend will be starting the process of being able to also call myself a sailer. We're doing the RYA level 1&2 with Sail Laser on Portland (we live in Weymouth) with the intention of hiring dinghys throughout the summer and then next year probably buying a Dart 18.

As a skier people are always saying to me "isn't a bit cold?" but I can't ever remember being cold skiing.

At the moment, sailing looks like it might get a bit cold, especially this time a year. Is it possible to stay trully warm, sailing in the UK, all year round?

Originally posted by radixon When sailing you have drysuits that you can wear clothing underneath and say warm. You have other options depending on the type of boat you sail but the Drysuit is the most favoured option for the winter months.

Best to wear proper thermals underneath drysuits though. If you do you will be nice and toastie in water that is freezing, apart from feet (even if you do wear shooting socks underneath the drysuit your feet get cold, as i discovered at the Tiger!) and hands.

I find it very hard to keep my hands wamr even when moving about a lot, but aparantly wearing latex gloves under winter sailing gloves works really well. Not tried it yet.

I find I get quite hot whilst sailing. The problem is when you are just sitting around or worse swimming then you can get cold pretty quickly even with the best kit. Once you get cold then righting a capsized boat suddenly becomes a lot less fun (as we found at the Tiger ). If you can handle the conditions then you stay pretty warm but best leave learning 'til the summer, or better yet the Med. 

I have never been as cold in my Life as i was at the Tiger Trophy recently, i was wearing a full wetsuit, spray top 2 rash vest and wetsuit socks and boots, as well as a wooly hat and gloves.  another 5 mins in the ater and i could of been in serious trouble! I now have a dry suit as well as thermals  but chris is right your feet will still be cold!!  but a dry suit is i think still the best way to stay warm!

 

Ps Latex gloves doesn't work! I have tried it and if anything i felt colder !!!

No such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.