2006-10-24; 09:29:18 EDT
Member Since
2002-09-17
Posts: 4946
Mark, I sail all year in SC. Hard to believe, but it does get cold here. Our winters last from December 1st to April 1st. Some days when I leave in the morning I have ice in the cockpit. By noon I'm in shirt sleeves. I would recommend thermal underwear and good socks that wick moisture and shoes that don't absorb moisture. Layering is important and I use a light weight long sleeved nylon (?) athletic shirt as a base. It's the type used by runners and bikers. From their I layer up and top it all off with a good lite weight wind breaker that has a collar which can be zippered up high around the neck. I have a good selection of winter hats left over from when I lived up north and they come in handy. As the day goes on and the cockpit warms up I shed a layer or two and switch over from a winter hat to a more traditional style baseball cap. I've been in short sleeves on 50 degree days because the sun in the cockpit is so warm. A little practice will tell you what you need to wear. I always pack more clothes than I need and an extra pair of dry socks is really appreciated later in the day as the sun sets. Nothing worse than wet socks as you are putting the boat to bed. If my feet are dry, I can put up with other parts being cold. Last but not least is a sufficient supply of Mt. Gay rum. Rum always tastes better this time of year because you don't need as much ice to keep it cold. I pack a thermos of hot coffee which I drink first thing and plenty of good food. The nice thing about winter sailing is that the winds are usually great and not so many pleasure boats to get in your way. I really miss the bikini's though. RummySee the original archive post