I'd love to sail in just boardies and a harness but commonsense dictates otherwise:
1. This time of year in the south of WA a steamer is a given.
2. Booties are also but then after wearing them for a while you get used to the extra traction so they become the norm.
3. After a couple of spectacular stacks a few years ago I thought a helmet prudent, plus other guys were wearing them so I wouldn't look too out of place.
4. Saw someone in one of those Pryde bouyancy vests last year and after he had told me the ease of water starts in the chop I bought one, and it's great, makes water starts easy especially when the tank is low on fuel but you want to sail just a bit longer.
5. After yesterdays session in strong winds I had bleeding blisters on my thumbs (I'm a softcock I know but they still hurt) so I bought some padded cycling gloves today.
I have more windsurfing apparrel than I do gear. It takes me longer to get changed than it does to fkn rig up!!!!!(even though I do it driving to the spot) I like to keep things simple but what do you ditch?
i know its frowned upon but i wear fingerless leather sailing gloves otherwise i find my hands are way sore after even a short session... I like my hands looking all soft and plush not hard and cracked...
Meh it works for me...
Ive got about the same amount of gear as you.The helmet is great to keep your head warm in winter.![]()
Years ago before I started wearing a buoyancy vest I also wore a wetsuit vest over my steamer & socks in my booties in midwinter..
daggy as ..but id still gasp from the cold when I fell in..thats in Lake Macquarie early Spring B cold! 14degrees?..?
Still maybe Im a whimp as Vic & Tassie would be worse!
Spring suit with a blast shield underneath, only wear the steamer if its freezing cold, I hate the bloody thing, The rest, all the same as Krisiz1 except the gloves. I hate boots, but two major foot injury's has convinced me its a small price to pay![]()
Only ever boardies, except when I was down Burrum Qld earlier in the year where I wore my kayak vest to compete.
You guys are soft!![]()
I'd wear a pair of HTFU budgie-smugglers all year round here in Vic, but I don't want to scare the tourists away! That's the only reason I wear a wetty & helmet...nothing to do with the sub-zero temp....![]()
(also, hail on bare skin isn't recommended)
G-string looks great in waist harness with extra hairy crack[}:)] Man-kini may be even better![]()
In the winter I wear surfing 3/2 steamer (modern wetsuits are so much better), cycle gloves iof I'm allowed to sail more than 2 hours every 2 months. Tried shoes but they hurt my big toe and had to adjust footstraps so I tried neopreen beenie (with sunvisor and chin strap) and found this the cheapest and easiest way to retain lots extra heat
Always add specs on string, and a hat, plus sunscreen (usually), plus carkey on string.
Wouldn't mind a waterproof watch either - birthday comin up