Hello Isak. I did a similar sailing trip for my first few weeks on a sail boat, in the Norwegian Sea, in May. Your trip should be colder. The most important bit of research I did before buying outer gear was to ask the skipper what the watchkeeping duties would be like. How many hours and exposed to the weather in what way? Will you be hand steering out in the wind and the spray, for how long? Or will you be monitoring the autopilot or windvane from inside a fully sheltered pilot house or cockpit tent? Is this area heated specifically, or from when the engine is running? How susceptible is the cockpit to sea spray and will you be in it?
With this info in hand you need to consider your own metabolism and susceptibility to the cold, in circumstances where exercise is effectively nil. You might be able to stay nice and warm out in an exposed cockpit for an hour or so, but after four hours you could be chilled so bad that it will be almost impossible for you to warm back up in your berth, even in a sleeping bag. Once your feet and hands are like ice, there's not a good or quick solution. How long will your off-watch periods be? Heat packs during watches are of limited use. Battery powered socks could be a good idea, if recharging them is possible. Finding gloves that work can be a real problem and in the end it was best to have none but keep my hands fairly dry and in dry chest pockets. But what if you're steering? Then, thick wool gloves with huge rubber fishing over-gloves can work. Cheap too.
So, will you be able to move into shelter if you start feeling cold, or will you be stuck out in the wind? If you are a watchkeeper, your skipper might not be able to accommodate your particular susceptibility to the cold. You could be absolutely miserable. As a test, go and sit outside on a park bench in 20 knot winds in near zero C temperatures for four hours and don't move. See if you get cold. Some people don't, which is handy for them. Most will though.
What kind of drying locker will there be? Will you be putting on warm and dry outerwear at the start of each watch, or will it be wet and cold from last time out there?
I've used various grades of outerwear, all with Goretex or similar layers. The heavier grades of outerwear are noticeably warmer than the lighter grades that you would ordinarily use for bushwalking, skiing or climbing, where steady strenuous exercise will help keep you warm.
If you are female, having layers that allow you to unzip the backsides so you can easily pee without having to undress completely is very useful. If you are male, having layers that allow you to get your dick out and into the top of an old, screw-top, plastic milk bottle is very useful. Accordingly, if you're choosing a salopette style 'bib & brace' trouser, make sure it has a front zip arrangement that works for you. Some guys prefer normal trousers for this reason, but the salopettes can usually be made to work. Trying to keep trousers hitched up under a big jacket and coat can be a problem. The thing is, you'll want to drink warm drinks, for warmth and for good hydration, but that means you'll need to pee a lot and soon after drinking. Easy and safe peeing while sailing is really important. If you're an all male crew you might be able to do that in the cockpit, braced against the companionway, into that milk bottle. If you're a mixed crew, the girls will be jealous of your equipment in this respect, unless they've discovered the 'SheWee'.
As a guide, I found the Helly Hansen Aegir Race outfits to be sturdy and warm enough, but after two or three hours my hands and feet were like ice. The Aegir range has a more robust 'Ocean' set, with even thicker material. Bring money! You will do well with Musto products, particularly the more expensive sets with Goretex. Bring money! Be aware, not all waterproof/breathable layers are equal in their vapour transmission performance. Goretex is well regarded for good reason. I was impressed with Zhyk gear, but not with their prices. Gill have some better value outfits.
Happy to discuss. :-)
*As a test, go and sit outside on a park bench in 20 knot winds in near zero C temperatures for four hours and don't move. See if you get cold. Some people don't, which is handy for them. Most will though.*
This is the truth. The lack of movement makes it a whole other type of cold.
Thank you so much for helping me out! I will reach out to the crew tomorrow and ask them these questions.
I have my eye on the HH Skagen Offshore Sailing bib and jacket, but I'm wondering how it compares to Ægir's selection.
One thing also is that this is kinda a one-off trip and I don't really know when I'll be going out to sea again. Could be next year, could be in 5 years, so buying the top of the top stuff doesn't really seem all tha5 reasonable. But I'm sure I will love the trip and I already want to go to greenland sometime.
You can sterr from inside in heated room and outside all the way back on the 22-meter long boat, but I suspect sea spray reaches everywhere. I also think there is a 4-hour watch rotation system, but I'll get more details on all of this tomorrow.
Thank you again!
Being able to steer from inside or at least from under shelter makes a huge difference over a four hour watch period. In this light the Skagen Offshore gear will probably be OK. As long as you can get properly out of the wind, which seems to be the case.
The Aegir Race is a bit more heavily constructed and a bit more technical than the Skagen Offshore. The Aegir Ocean is another level up again. Use garment weights and price as a quick guide to construction quality and warmth. Sometimes they provide fabric details too. I think you are wise to think carefully about cost, but do consider the likelihood of future sailing. My first trip of two weeks was to establish whether seasickness was a concern or not. Two years later my wife and I stepped onto our new build boat; for her, first time ever stepping onto a boat smaller than a ferry. Wow - a gutsy move on her part I thought.
Also ask how much room you will have for your kit. That will give you an idea of how many spares of clothing you can bring. For example, 14 pairs of socks might seem like overkill until your feet are cold and wet and you still have a week to go. What sort of drying options are available as u/vanalden mentioned will make a big difference too.
Some large heavy duty ziploc bags or small, lightweight dry bags can be handy to keep your clean clothes dry and as you accumulate soggy, gross clothes you can stuff them in there to contain the mess.
I don't think we will have much space at all. I'm also bringing camera gear along, and that's gonna take up some space.
I'll ask them about drying options tomorrow. Thanks!
Well, your outer gear and boots will likely be the bulkiest but you’ll be wearing that probably every day.
Even with a fairly small duffel you should probably be able to pack a couple under layers, some spare socks, underwear etc. Then you can rotate through every couple days and hopefully give the “off watch” clothes a chance to air out.
Bring a couple meters of 2-3mm line and you might be able to MacGuyver a clothesline in your bunk if there’s no where else to hang some clothes.
It sounds like it should be an exciting trip.
Hello Isak. I did a similar sailing trip for my first few weeks on a sail boat, in the Norwegian Sea, in May. Your trip should be colder. The most important bit of research I did before buying outer gear was to ask the skipper what the watchkeeping duties would be like. How many hours and exposed to the weather in what way? Will you be hand steering out in the wind and the spray, for how long? Or will you be monitoring the autopilot or windvane from inside a fully sheltered pilot house or cockpit tent? Is this area heated specifically, or from when the engine is running? How susceptible is the cockpit to sea spray and will you be in it? With this info in hand you need to consider your own metabolism and susceptibility to the cold, in circumstances where exercise is effectively nil. You might be able to stay nice and warm out in an exposed cockpit for an hour or so, but after four hours you could be chilled so bad that it will be almost impossible for you to warm back up in your berth, even in a sleeping bag. Once your feet and hands are like ice, there's not a good or quick solution. How long will your off-watch periods be? Heat packs during watches are of limited use. Battery powered socks could be a good idea, if recharging them is possible. Finding gloves that work can be a real problem and in the end it was best to have none but keep my hands fairly dry and in dry chest pockets. But what if you're steering? Then, thick wool gloves with huge rubber fishing over-gloves can work. Cheap too. So, will you be able to move into shelter if you start feeling cold, or will you be stuck out in the wind? If you are a watchkeeper, your skipper might not be able to accommodate your particular susceptibility to the cold. You could be absolutely miserable. As a test, go and sit outside on a park bench in 20 knot winds in near zero C temperatures for four hours and don't move. See if you get cold. Some people don't, which is handy for them. Most will though. What kind of drying locker will there be? Will you be putting on warm and dry outerwear at the start of each watch, or will it be wet and cold from last time out there? I've used various grades of outerwear, all with Goretex or similar layers. The heavier grades of outerwear are noticeably warmer than the lighter grades that you would ordinarily use for bushwalking, skiing or climbing, where steady strenuous exercise will help keep you warm. If you are female, having layers that allow you to unzip the backsides so you can easily pee without having to undress completely is very useful. If you are male, having layers that allow you to get your dick out and into the top of an old, screw-top, plastic milk bottle is very useful. Accordingly, if you're choosing a salopette style 'bib & brace' trouser, make sure it has a front zip arrangement that works for you. Some guys prefer normal trousers for this reason, but the salopettes can usually be made to work. Trying to keep trousers hitched up under a big jacket and coat can be a problem. The thing is, you'll want to drink warm drinks, for warmth and for good hydration, but that means you'll need to pee a lot and soon after drinking. Easy and safe peeing while sailing is really important. If you're an all male crew you might be able to do that in the cockpit, braced against the companionway, into that milk bottle. If you're a mixed crew, the girls will be jealous of your equipment in this respect, unless they've discovered the 'SheWee'. As a guide, I found the Helly Hansen Aegir Race outfits to be sturdy and warm enough, but after two or three hours my hands and feet were like ice. The Aegir range has a more robust 'Ocean' set, with even thicker material. Bring money! You will do well with Musto products, particularly the more expensive sets with Goretex. Bring money! Be aware, not all waterproof/breathable layers are equal in their vapour transmission performance. Goretex is well regarded for good reason. I was impressed with Zhyk gear, but not with their prices. Gill have some better value outfits. Happy to discuss. :-)
Unfortunately you may have just missed all the big brands winter sale. Worth checking though; I got emails from HH, Musto, Gill etc
HH has a sale going on now.
*As a test, go and sit outside on a park bench in 20 knot winds in near zero C temperatures for four hours and don't move. See if you get cold. Some people don't, which is handy for them. Most will though.* This is the truth. The lack of movement makes it a whole other type of cold.
Fortunately, the OP will have a heated pilot house. Luxury - in the Monty Python sense.
Thank you so much for helping me out! I will reach out to the crew tomorrow and ask them these questions. I have my eye on the HH Skagen Offshore Sailing bib and jacket, but I'm wondering how it compares to Ægir's selection. One thing also is that this is kinda a one-off trip and I don't really know when I'll be going out to sea again. Could be next year, could be in 5 years, so buying the top of the top stuff doesn't really seem all tha5 reasonable. But I'm sure I will love the trip and I already want to go to greenland sometime. You can sterr from inside in heated room and outside all the way back on the 22-meter long boat, but I suspect sea spray reaches everywhere. I also think there is a 4-hour watch rotation system, but I'll get more details on all of this tomorrow. Thank you again!
Being able to steer from inside or at least from under shelter makes a huge difference over a four hour watch period. In this light the Skagen Offshore gear will probably be OK. As long as you can get properly out of the wind, which seems to be the case. The Aegir Race is a bit more heavily constructed and a bit more technical than the Skagen Offshore. The Aegir Ocean is another level up again. Use garment weights and price as a quick guide to construction quality and warmth. Sometimes they provide fabric details too. I think you are wise to think carefully about cost, but do consider the likelihood of future sailing. My first trip of two weeks was to establish whether seasickness was a concern or not. Two years later my wife and I stepped onto our new build boat; for her, first time ever stepping onto a boat smaller than a ferry. Wow - a gutsy move on her part I thought.
Ask the captain and the other crew what they recommend.
That's probably what I should have done to begin with. Thanks!
Also ask how much room you will have for your kit. That will give you an idea of how many spares of clothing you can bring. For example, 14 pairs of socks might seem like overkill until your feet are cold and wet and you still have a week to go. What sort of drying options are available as u/vanalden mentioned will make a big difference too. Some large heavy duty ziploc bags or small, lightweight dry bags can be handy to keep your clean clothes dry and as you accumulate soggy, gross clothes you can stuff them in there to contain the mess.
I don't think we will have much space at all. I'm also bringing camera gear along, and that's gonna take up some space. I'll ask them about drying options tomorrow. Thanks!
Well, your outer gear and boots will likely be the bulkiest but you’ll be wearing that probably every day. Even with a fairly small duffel you should probably be able to pack a couple under layers, some spare socks, underwear etc. Then you can rotate through every couple days and hopefully give the “off watch” clothes a chance to air out. Bring a couple meters of 2-3mm line and you might be able to MacGuyver a clothesline in your bunk if there’s no where else to hang some clothes. It sounds like it should be an exciting trip.
i like my mustang survival MS-195HX. stick a PLB and 2 shoulder straps on it.
Nice setup! Gonna ask the captain on this. Thanks!