Cold Weather Clothing

 I snicker when I see people with a a foul weather jacket and jeans. I snicker quietly when I see foul weather gear on a cold, dry day. Really, it's more like going skiing and a walk in the rain.

 

Whats wrong with this?

• Waterproof socks. Gill makes thick ones that keep even wet deck shoes warm.
  
• Fleece base layer pants. Or soccer training pants. Pockets and I can wear them to the boat.
  
• Goretex snowboard pants. Lots of  pockets, good waist, ventilation zips.
• Base layer fleece top
• Thin mid-layer fleece  top. 
• Goretex/Primaloft climbing parka (Climb High). Super warm. Too warm above freezing.
  
• Powerstretch balaclava
• Fleece hat
• Ski goggles. I need sunglasses anyway, and these keep you face warm.
• Gloves. Many winter choices. I like either Musto winter cloves with heat packs or the 2021 Gill Helmsman (the fit is improved).

Doesn't look "sailory?" It's warm, highly water repellent, breathable, warm, and MUCH easier to move in than standard foul weather gear with underlayers.

I went paddling later. For that, I wore a drysuit. That's really a safety thing. I've never tipped a kayak, other than whitewater, but 32F water will kill. And suck majorly. And the dry suit is very comfortable paddling, like sitting at home on a warm couch. (You can search this blog for drysuit stuff.)

I've got a lot of winter combinations, but they only include rain gear if it's, well, raining.

 

 

 

Sewn Splices

 Traditional splicing of rope eyes is the gold standard, but there are times when it is not practical:

• The line is old and stiff.
• It is a line, like climbing rope, that cannot be spliced by conventional methods because the cover is too tight.
• The position of the splice must be precise.

 Enter the sewn splice. This is often seen on sails, and can be made strong for larger eyes by using more stitching. The strength is about the thread strength x number of passes, and add a 50% safety factor. Also protect from chafe with a webbing or other covering.

I've been using sewn splices for 30 years and I have not experienced a failure yet, though I do cover those that are exposed to chafe.

I made this video for Good Old Boat Magazine as a companion for an article on the topic some years ago.