If you’re going to be at sea for any length of time, a pair of high-quality breathable boots is vital. A good pair of boots will also last much longer than a pair made of lower-cost materials using less rigorous manufacturing processes.
A look at the materials and design that go into bluewater foul-weather gear. Catch our September, October and November issue features on bluewater, coastal and dinghy foul-weather gear, and check back here for more information about our favorite picks and the materials they’re made of.
The challenge of bibs design is, not surprisingly, a very different one from that of jacket design. One the one hand, it’s a bit less complicated, because you don’t have things like collars and hoods to deal with.
In terms of cut and detailing, different sailing styles require very different approaches. A cruising-style jacket (or a jacket designed for more casual offshore racing) will typically feature a longer three-quarter length, or hip-length, cut.
While it’s true that just about any winch handle will turn a winch, that’s no reason not to think carefully when purchasing one. Selecting the right handle for a particular boat or application will make not only make your sailing more efficient but more enjoyable as well.
Although breathable fabrics are now pretty much universal, all breathable fabrics are not made by Gore-Tex. Ever since the company’s patent on semi-permeable microporous PTFE expired over a decade ago, a number of other manufacturers have started created similar materials, or “membranes,” that work equally well.
Like base layers, midlayers are another part of the foul weather gear equation that has undergone major changes in recent years. Time was that base layers consisted almost exclusively of fluffy, quick-drying synthetic fleeces.
Helly Hansen developed the first “wicking” synthetic base layer back in the early 1970s, and according to Helly’s Kristoffer Ulrickson, the basic concept has remained pretty much the same ever since.
They say good things come in small packages: take, for example, the Switlik MOM 600. Though it’s about the size of a throw cushion and weighs just 15lb, the MOM 600 automatically inflates when deployed to become a miniature survival raft.
The Forespar Tri-Reacher is a three-piece telescoping whisker pole ideally suited for poling out gennakers and other headsails, allowing for deeper sailing angles.
The 2023 Caribbean Multihull Challenge (CMC) introduced an unusual element to its three-day Sint Maarten-based schedule of racing: a rally. Race organizers found that the
SAIL Editor-in-Chief Wendy Mitman Clarke is at the Miami International Boat Show this week checking out the industry’s latest and greatest. If you can’t be
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