The Best Sailing Apparel

All sailors know that it is absolutely essential to be prepared for all situations, and most importantly the apparel sailors wear are going to depend on the weather. Weather dictates every day apparel decisions, but it is even more crucial when sailing. On shore, the weather might be warm and sunny, but out on the water it could very well be chilly and breezy. Being equipped with many layers and especially the correct layers could also save a life if a sailor happens to go overboard and drift in frigid waters. 

The weather can change in an instant, even if it looks sunny on the shore. Also the weather out on the water might be drastically different thus take a sailing jacket to protect from cool wind or even rain. Harken jackets in particular are a sailor’s jacket of choice. This is usually due to its light weight which increases mobility, breathable fabric, and its premiere quality. Consider an alternative such as a Gill vest or jacket. Any sailing jacket which is purchased should have a neoprene waistband and sleeve so that the wearer remains dry and can still breathe. 

Compliment the sailing jacket with sailing shorts and sailing rashguards. Columbia Sportswear and Gill are brand options for boat shorts. These shorts will be padded to lessen the effect of hard decks aboard the sailboat. Usually a built in SPF protection of 35+ is done in sailing shorts. Sailing rashguards will protect against chafing as a result of wearing personal flotation devices, or harnesses. The sailing rashguards are made of spandex and usually also have built in UV protection ranging up to 50+ UVP. Both Harken and Ronstan are excellent choices for sailing rashguards. Sailors can choose between a short sleeve and long sleeve sailing rashguards. A thumb hole is built into long sleeve rashguards so that it is kept in place while sailors move about. 

A sailing wetsuit will protect and insulate the whole body. A great selection of sailing wetsuits is available from Ronstant, all made with the latest neoprene technology. Neoprene allows the body to breathe, while providing thermal insulation and even buoyancy. The wetsuit will stretch and contour to each sailor’s body. The knees of the wetsuits are reinforced for durability and protection. There is no decrease in mobility with these wetsuits as they are designed for sailors specifically. There is a choice between a full body sailing wetsuit or half-body sailing wetsuit depending on the situation and need.


A sailor will need the correct sailing apparel to protect the body when sailing on the water. Weather is well known to change in an instant, and being prepared for that change is half the battle usually. Be ready to adapt to any variations encountered, and help make it easier to sail by wearing the right sailing apparel for all weather conditions. As much as the spray will allow while sailing, sailors can stay as dry as possible with the best foul weather gear and sailing apparel.