Dart 15 Forums

As a very new owner (of #2008) we know we need new kit to wear.

Looking to 3 season use inland (Rutland) and summer holidays (eg Cornwall, National Championships).

We used our existing, very cheap, shorty wetsuits for a test sail with Windsports and they were clearly inadequate.

So what do people recommend?

- Wetsuit? If so which brands and styles are recommended. I was wondering if a long john style with separate jacket giving some options for different weather. Or are long sleeves needed all the time?

- footwear? What works well?

- Trapeze harness (we have buoyancy jackets)

Thanks

Dave & Jane

Congrats on the purchase of your Sprint 15!

A shorty is always good on a sunny day but most of the time, especially if the breeze is up, you'll need more.

A long john style, or skiff suit, is a good idea if you want it to cover the majority of the year because you can add or take top layers off to keep the warmth, or keep you cool. You could wear just a rash vest over the top of you could have a full wetsuit top. I wouldn't say you need arms all the time, usually just something to keep the spray and wind off you when it's a bit breezier.

With regards to Trapeze Harness, in my opinion the Zhik trapeze harness is the most comfortable and well designed by far - http://www.dinghy-rope.co.uk/zhik-t2-tr ... rness.html

I am a big lover of all of the Zhik clothing, it is more expensive than some other brands but it lasts and is developed with top olympic sailors who are always on the water.

Hope that helps.

Andrew

Hi Dave and Jane,

The fleet, well known for its fashion sense, vary quite a bit. At one end there is the "Shanklin dandy" Paul G, who spares no expense, to the downright scruffy (no names to spare blushes).

Many wear a breathable drysuit all year round, which is good if you always tend to be cold or don't like getting wet and you then wear different stuff underneath it as the weather changes.

Any spray top, even cheap ones, will make a lot of difference as it keeps the wind off over a wetsuit. Wind chills the body by evaporating the water from a wet - wet suit. Another good tip is keep a hat in the cocktail cabinet as the addition of a hat warms you up quickly if cold. Most people have some combination of long john wet suit, or steamer wetsuit with a wind/waterproof top.

kind regards

Keith 1840

a_dowley wrote:Congrats on the purchase of your Sprint 15!

Thanks. We are very excited

a_dowley wrote:A shorty is always good on a sunny day but most of the time, especially if the breeze is up, you'll need more.

We also felt protecting knees from abrasion would be good and some foot protection.

a_dowley wrote:A long john style, or skiff suit, is a good idea if you want it to cover the majority of the year because you can add or take top layers off to keep the warmth, or keep you cool. You could wear just a rash vest over the top of you could have a full wetsuit top. I wouldn't say you need arms all the time, usually just something to keep the spray and wind off you when it's a bit breezier.

Great. Rash vests hadn't been invented when I last used a wetsuit a lot for windsurfing over 30 years ago

a_dowley wrote:With regards to Trapeze Harness, in my opinion the Zhik trapeze harness is the most comfortable and well designed by far - http://www.dinghy-rope.co.uk/zhik-t2-tr ... rness.html

I am a big lover of all of the Zhik clothing, it is more expensive than some other brands but it lasts and is developed with top olympic sailors who are always on the water.

Thanks, a brand I hadn't heard of before. Will look.

a_dowley wrote:Hope that helps.

Much appreciated

Dave


Andrew[/quote]

Keith wrote:Hi Dave and Jane,
The fleet, well known for its fashion sense, vary quite a bit. At one end there is the "Shanklin dandy" Paul G, who spares no expense, to the downright scruffy (no names to spare blushes).

A friend, Rob Boswijk (a former Dart 15 sailor) seemed to have changed boats quite a lot just for the colour schemes

Keith wrote:Many wear a breathable drysuit all year round, which is good if you always tend to be cold or don't like getting wet and you then wear different stuff underneath it as the weather changes.

I guess I assumed drysuits were probably overkill unless we get really serious and sail a lot, all year. Do people tend to wear them in the summer as well?

Keith wrote:Any spray top, even cheap ones, will make a lot of difference as it keeps the wind off over a wetsuit. Wind chills the body by evaporating the water from a wet - wet suit. Another good tip is keep a hat in the cocktail cabinet as the addition of a hat warms you up quickly if cold. Most people have some combination of long john wet suit, or steamer wetsuit with a wind/waterproof top.

Looks like we will most likely be joining the "most people" then

Thanks

Dave

Thanks Liam,

I don't think the world is ready for me in a mankini, and even if they are, I'm not

Liam wrote:

borat-mankini-thong-081.jpg

A basic shorty wetsuit will fine for most spring/summer/autumn days provided you have good spray top & trousers to wear over it when the breeze/spray is up. I can't emphasise enough the importance of that outer layer - on a cat trampoline you are exposed to the chill of wind and spray from head to toe, unlike many dinghies where the hull gives some protection to your lower half. On the sprint 15 we have the luxury of the 'cocktail cabinets' (centre hatches) which are perfect to stuff spray gear into on hot days in case you get cold later and need to 'layer up' out on the water. A warm hat is another cheap but effective addition - also easily stored in the cocktail cabinet.

My personal outfit is a mash up of bits purchased over time. I've no particular brand affiliation. I normally weigh up price/features/special offers whenever I'm in the market to replace a particular item. I don't have any Zhik gear at the moment, but if I was in the mood to treat myself to something extra nice that is where I would look first.

Hot & Calm Days:
Wetsuit ankle boots (Decathlon - cheapish but pretty good and comfortable hiking with toe straps)
3mm neoprene shorts (Palm)
Cheap oversized swim shorts (over the neoprene shorts to protect them from wear/damage on deck fittings)
Rash top (long or short sleeve. various makes. Widely available on Amazon and Ebay as well as watersport retailers)

Colder/Windier - I add ...
Spray Top (Gill)
Spray Trousers (Crewsaver)

Colder/Windier still - I add ...
3mm Neoprene Long Sleave Top (Gul - under spray gear over rash vest)

Feezin' - out with the above, in with...
Wooly Bear (underfleece suit)
Drysuit (Gul)
Cheap oversized 3/4 length lightweight tracksuit trousers (over drysuit to protect seat/knees from wear/damage)
Mountain hat (waterproof fleece-lined peaked hat with ear flaps - feels as warm as it looks daft!)

Nice thing about the drysuit is you can add more layers inside the colder if gets - provided you stick to synthetic materials (e.g. fleece tops) that won't absorb moisture.

Long john probably better than shorts if you like the extra knee protection. Also my shorts are only waist-height without braces so can slip down a little when hiking - a long john wouldn't have that problem.

As a mainly unarig sailor I haven't bought a new trapeze harness in years - designs and comfort have moved on a lot since then. I'm not sure what to recommend.

I wouldn't recommend a Mankini - certainly not under a trapeze harness

WaveyDavey wrote:A basic shorty wetsuit will fine for most spring/summer/autumn days provided you have good spray top & trousers to wear over it when the breeze/spray is up. ...

Thanks, that is really useful. The idea of lots of choices to layer as we find out how warm/cold bodied we are out there seems a good one.

Dave

Hi Dave

Welcome to the fleet! I will just add that Zhik harness is definitely the most comfortable one I have found - more expensive but worth it to be comfortable.

Which club will you be sailing your Sprint 15?

Jenny

Jenny Ball wrote:Hi Dave

Welcome to the fleet! I will just add that Zhik harness is definitely the most comfortable one I have found - more expensive but worth it to be comfortable.

Which club will you be sailing your Sprint 15?

Jenny

Thanks Jenny,

That makes 2 votes for the Zhik

Jane has never used a trapeze (although out first boat together was a Hornet with a sliding seat that she mastered, when she wasn't bailing as it resembled a sieve) and the last time I did was probably 30 years ago So she is a bit nervous and liked the look of the RWO Quick Release Hook spreader bar as an extra safety feature, it does not look like that will fit the Zhik harness though (nor the Rooster one that I liked the look of).

Rutland is the nearest place to us. The club membership is basically calender year so we will simply try from Whitwell first.
We then want to take on holidays (on the car roof as we tow a caravan). Falmouth area is a favourite but we will be looking for suitable Sprint 15 places

Dave

Have a look at the Rooster website. I've used their longjohn style wetsuits for a few years now and have been very pleased with their build quality and performance. Rooster feature layering systems i.e. base, mid and outer garments which I mix and match depending on the conditions. I'm a big fan of their PolyPro base layer and Aquafleece spray tops.

Their stuff is good value and I get the impression it's designed by someone who actually uses it on the water. Check out the video blogs on the website, loads of information on their ranges.

Hope you find the right gear, but best to buy a product when you need it rather than splash out loads of dosh on a range of stuff that'll probably stay unused in the bottom of your sailing bag.

Kevin
1615

Kevin Parvin wrote:Have a look at the Rooster website.....

Thanks Kevin, I've been looking at their stuff which does look nice, at least for men. Very few women specific items and very little info on what works as unisex, no pictures of women in long john's for example. So Jane sceptical about the fit for her.

Dave

They don't sell much retail mostly on-line ordering which can be difficult when you want a well fitting item. If you can wait a while they always have a big stand at the Dinghy Show and encourage shoppers to try on their stuff. Base layers and spray tops are mostly unisex, though top layers have bright colours available to suit female taste (nothing wrong with a bloke wanting to wear a bright pink Aquafleece).

Over time I've replaced worn out gear with Rooster stuff ( still have some Gill and Gull items in the bag which are regularly used ) finding it good value and well made. Don't pay over the odds for a popular make, it's going to get a hammering on the water.

Kevin

Kevin Parvin wrote:They don't sell much retail mostly on-line ordering which can be difficult when you want a well fitting item. If you can wait a while they always have a big stand at the Dinghy Show and encourage shoppers to try on their stuff. Base layers and spray tops are mostly unisex, though top layers have bright colours available to suit female taste (nothing wrong with a bloke wanting to wear a bright pink Aquafleece).

Over time I've replaced worn out gear with Rooster stuff ( still have some Gill and Gull items in the bag which are regularly used ) finding it good value and well made. Don't pay over the odds for a popular make, it's going to get a hammering on the water.

Kevin

I really like their layering approach and prices.

We do a lot of cycling and it is only in recent years that parts of the cycling industry have started to sell products that actually fit women rather than just adding pink to their smaller sizes. A good example is that it is only in the last year that the racing rules were changed to allow saddles to tilt down at the front after British Cycling showed research on the damage level saddles were doing to women's health.

When Rooster are serious about women their website will make it much clearer how their wetsuits fit, at the moment they only label a few tops as for Ladies and then randomly describe some items as Unisex while the videos make occasional comments about suits fitting all body shapes for guys and also for girls.

Dave