Dress Right, Act Right

[il corvo]

a question for Ribbers & Sibbers alike,

having a smaller boat (3-4m) normally means potentially a wetter ride due to no console protection and a lower freeboard so with that in mind what are peoples preferences in suitable clothing? obviously weather depending but lets face it, you're not off out in a force 8 gale but even on a clear day cold can set in easily.

i'm trying to decide what's best for warmth, movement and so on.

normal clothes with waterproofs over the top,
wetsuits,
drysuits,

bearing in mind my stomping ground will be the north east where you go in the water a man and come out a eunuch.

[Trimix]

Drysuit. Gives you movement and warmth if you wear something warm underneath it. Then when you are not on the boat you can take off the Drysuit leaving you dressed in dry clothes.

A wet suit wont be warm when its wet and windy, and more restrictive and harder to get on/off.

Waterproofs over dry clothes - would they still be waterproof if you fall in ? A Drysuit would be.

[Fenlander]

Like so many of these things it's quite a personal thing. To me SIBs are for a couple of hours to a day out with family so we never dress as if for an Atlantic challenge. We also have a core period of boating that excludes Nov-March so we never see the coldest temperatures (despite the Scottish weather of our annual holiday making a good attempt).

I am always the one to launch and that means standing in the sea to just above my knees (or to my waist if an unlucky wave strikes). I'm an outdoors type so don't feel the cold that much.

So I mostly wear beach type shoes (like trainers with loads of cut outs so they drain easily) with closed in toes so a good stubbing on a rock goes unnoticed. Lightweight swim shorts so they will air dry from any soaking and not hold too much water if constantly wet. Then a thin short sleeve T-shirt if it is super warm with an unlined waterproof over that if it's warm but wet. In a dry bag I have a thin fleece should it get colder while out plus a spare second T-shirt for a change if I get soaked or an extra layer if really cold. I always wear a RNLI baseball cap (which I've waterproofed) to stop wind chill on the brain and keep a bit of sun off. Another thing we carry is waterproof over-trousers... never wear them but perhaps would keep some heat in if we were ever stranded for a while.

Wife wears similar. Teen girls often similar too but they will sometimes wear wetsuits as they are more inclined to jump in and swim at beaches.

We are not cheapskates as such but don't see the need for expensive major brand stuff for what amounts to just several outings a year. So waterproofs are Mountain Warehouse, fleeces from Sports Direct, shorts and T-shirts are Tesco.

[il corvo]

i was talking to one of the lads i work with who has a sea kayak used in the same area i'm looking at and he just uses a semi dry jacket like this

Gamma Taped Spray Top | Wet and Wild, Hull

and equivelant trousers and he recons that would be more than enough for my needs. has anyone tried them in a rib?

[Max...]

I too generally go out in the warmer summer months only (certainly to sea) and am a bit of a fairweather fairy...

I wear layers and add/remove as necessary like any activity - so baggy MTB shorts, base layers and fleeces on top then a lighter Pertex windproof or when expecting to get more wet then a long back cycling waterproof/breathable jacket and on the legs waterproof/breathable over trousers. This covers most of me and keeps the wind/wet at bay, there are always a few gaps though but launching any SIB at sea you will start wet regardless.

Feet always the same - neoprene windsurfing type booties.

All man made, quick drying materials - essential. Worse thing is cotton t-shirts/shorts etc as they soak up water like sponges, weigh a ton, never dry and chill you very quick.

A dry suit is a step too far for SIBbing in my case as I like to be able to quickly adjust layers for the rarer hot/dry days.

You can spend a fortune on branded sailing gear but general biking/walking stuff is OK for most SIB stuff. Have a look at Decathlon's own brand sailing stuff though, superb value and I've had good life from their clothes.

That jacket you linked looks good - possibly a bit of a boil in the bag job though in warmer times. That's always the issue with cheaper jackets, the more you pay the better the breathability and fabric tech.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by il corvo

i was talking to one of the lads i work with who has a sea kayak used in the same area i'm looking at and he just uses a semi dry jacket like this

Gamma Taped Spray Top | Wet and Wild, Hull

and equivelant trousers and he recons that would be more than enough for my needs. has anyone tried them in a rib?

Your friend has his legs in the kayak out the wind and "sealed" around the waste unless there is a big "oh dear" moment. So whilst the sort of top he is pointing you towards is good it doesn't address the legs, and with a SIB at least one person is going to end up knee deep (and possibly further) for launch/landing/recovery etc. If you are likely to anchor it off a beach (to protect the boat from incoming swell) you may be looking at swimming or deep wading ashore. I'm sceptical that "semi dry" suits will keep the water out if you are deep enough to submerge the waste seal. Being wet inside a dry suit is horrible. A wetsuit or dry suit make a big difference.

Nobody has mentioned flotations suits. They have their place including being relatively cheap and warm, but I do think sibbing in the north sea I would be looking at a dry suit.

[Stevem]

I launch off Northumberland and use my surface drysuit which i bought for kayaking when its cold and use my breathable chest waders when its warm. The chest waders come off easy if its very warm, the dry suit not so easy.

Like you say it depends on what conditions you go out in. There have been a couple of times in the Spring when the weather turned and i was glad i had the drysuit on. But, it would be uncomfortable and overkill on a hot day.

[Ceejay]

At a reasonable cost, I think you can't beat a Fladen flotation suit.

http://www.aspli.com/products/938/fl...FfQatAod3yQO9A