Personal kit recommendations
Posted by MathAndCookie@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 11 comments
My wife and I just bought the Tiwal 2L sailing dinghy and we're looking to take it for a spin, next week. We're in Vancouver BC, will be sailing in the ocean, forecast says about 10-12 Celsius = 50-55 Fahrenheit, water temperature 8.6C = 47F.
What do you all wear out there in that kind of weather? I'm looking to pick up a wetsuit asap, probably the GUL Response 3/2mm. What more do you wear?
Moondance_sailor@reddit
Dry suit bud
MathAndCookie@reddit (OP)
General consensus seems to be that I need something a lot more substantial than I'd thought.
Thanks everyone
MissingGravitas@reddit
Are you talking Strait of Georgia or out in the Pacific itself? For those temps I would be looking at a drysuit.
MathAndCookie@reddit (OP)
Off Jericho beach, close to shore in the city
KCJwnz@reddit
Hey there fellow PNW dinghy sailor! I have a kokatat 2 piece dry suit that's designed for kayaking. Got it used for $400. Best $400 I've spent cause I also like to kayak. If I end up swimming it doesn't write keep me completely dry but it keeps me plenty warm to right after capsize or worse case swim to shore. All about the layers, thin fleece or wool plus the pfd is pretty warm. For the winter I'll add another quick dry layer under the dry suit or little thicker fleece along with a neoprene hood and gloves. Thick wool socks all year round, obviously.
If I were to buy new I'd contemplate a single piece dry suit for sailing and kayaking tbh
DarkVoid42@reddit
mustang integrity hx - https://mustangsurvival.ca/products/integrity-hx-flotation-suit-ms-195-hx
johnbro27@reddit
That dinghy is for warm lakes in summer. You'll need a mustang suit at a minimum for safety I assume, regardless of the restriction of motion. You know the Salish Sea is always cold, right? 5 minutes immersion and most people lose the strength to self-rescue with a ladder.
When I took people sailing in Puget Sound, I started my safety lesson with a warning that falling overboard was the same as putting a loaded gun to your head and pulling the trigger. The water is that cold.
Guygan@reddit
At that water temp if you ended up in the water you could be dead in 30-60 minutes.
Wait until the water is warmer.
johnbro27@reddit
The water there is never warmer. Source: I live there and sail there.
Guygan@reddit
It gets about 55-63 in summer.
Waterlifer@reddit
Wow. And here I thought I thought I was crazy.
I wouldn't go out in that boat in those conditions without an escort or buddy boat.
You wouldn't last long in 47F in 3/2, think in terms of 5mm or 7mm.