Sailing Outfit: What to Wear Sailing
There's no single right solution to what to wear when sailing. Your sailing outfit can be affected by various factors, such as wind conditions, temperature, and duration of the sail. But having the proper marine clothing and footwear for your sail can mean the difference between a comfortable and enjoyable sailing trip or an altogether miserable one.
No worries, after sailing over 15.000nm in different weather conditions around the world, we have compiled the ultimate sailing outfit guide so you can focus on enjoying your sailing trip or race instead of worrying about sailing outfit faux pas. In this article, we will discuss our favourite sailing outfits, from swimsuits over foul weather gear to the right sailing shoes and clothes for sailing trips.
This article will cover:
Sailing OutFit Basic Rules
What to wear sailing?
Some sailors might say, "Who wears clothes offshore?" and we definitely encountered naked sailors along our sailing adventures, but most of us wear sailing clothes. The choice to wear sailing outfits is not only based on bashfulness but especially on safety. Marine clothing saves you from getting wet, burned from the sun or cold, but most importantly, they protect your fingers and toes from injuries.
However, like anything we wear nowadays, they can have a fashion aspect. Especially if you intend to go on a sailing holiday and not a sailing race. Even if we are being honest, sailing races can quickly turn into fashion runways. Nowadays, personal style does not have to suffer when it comes to sailing outfits.
Before we dive deeper into sailing race attire and offshore marine clothing, let's outline the basic requirements sailing gear should meet.
5 golden rules for sailing must-haves.
Comfort: on a boat, you need to move freely— flexible materials are your best bet for a sailing trip; avoid tight jeans or anything you can not sit in for hours comfortably
Practicality: preferably choose clothing with pockets so your hands are free for sailing
Easy to clean: chances are high the boat you staying on has no laundry, so pick clothes you can wash by hand if needed.
Crease-resistant, no-iron fabrics: leave those suit shirts at home. The sea is no place for steam irons.
Water-repellent or quick dry: being surrounded by water is beautiful, but it also causes you to easily get wet. Choose water-repellent fabrics or light fabrics which dry quickly.
Weather protection from sun, cold and rain: depending on where you sail, your sailing clothes should keep you dry, UV-resistant, and warm.
Free packing checklist for your sailing adventures
What NOT to wear sailing?
Although there's no official dress code at sea, there are still certain items you should avoid:
Precious Clothes: Clothes can get wet or ruined while sailing, so if there's an article of clothing you'd prefer to stay clean and dry, it's best to leave it at home.
Improper or street footwear: your marine footwear will significantly impact your protection, comfort and the captain's mood. An unspoken rule is that street shoes should not be worn on a boat. Choose clean shoes with a light-coloured sole to avoid leaving scratch marks on the deck. An option could be your gym shoes, for example; definitely avoid any shoes with heels!
Jewellery: Consider well if and which jewellery you want to wear while sailing. Looser pieces like necklaces and bracelets can be dangerous if they get snagged or snarled in lines, and rings or earrings can be lost, instantly turning sailing happiness into heartbreak. Generally, we advise leaving anything precious or irreplaceable at home when sailing.
Sturdy big luggage: Few sailboats can accommodate large, sturdy luggage. Choose a soft bag which can be folded once emptied.
4 steps to pack the perfect sailing luggage
Anticipate weather conditions
Use the weather forecast and your sailing location to plan your sailing luggage. Some places are known to have strong winds, while others are known for their humidity. Take that into account when planning your sailing wardrobe. However, be prepared in case conditions turn cooler, wetter, or hotter than predicted. Wear or pack layers accordingly.Embrace layering
The best way to be prepared for all sailing conditions is a layered strategy. Do not bring one big coat. Instead, bring many middle layers so you can stack up or down depending on the weather conditions. A good layering strategy could be a simple base layer (t-shirt), an insulating mid-layer (comfy hoodie) and a waterproof outer shell. (Soft-shell jacket or foul weather gear).Focus on function first (and fashion second)
No one looks good when they feel miserable. Choose functional clothing over runway outfits. Yes, also when you're on holiday. Pack a few "fancy" outfits for your land trips but have comfortable clothing for your sailing trips.Take half of the things out of your suitcase again
Everyone who visited us on board agreed on one thing: they brought too many clothes! No need for 8 T-shirts. Most likely you will wear the same for the whole week. A sailboat is a place to get comfortable and relax, not run a fashion show.
What to wear on a sailing trip?
The perfect sailing outfit is composed by comfortable clothing, a rain or wind jacket, a sailing hat, sailing sunglasses, beach wear and swimsuits. Below you find more details to the things you should not miss in your sailing luggage:
download the complete sailing packing checklist
Rain/Wind jacket
Needless to say: to sail, we need wind. Ergo, it will be windy when we sail. No matter the climate you sail in, we recommend having a wind jacket at hand, best if it is water resistant. It's no fun being drained to your underwear on a windy sea. Personally, I love the soft-shell jacket from ZHIK. I learned that feeling the wind on my skin drains my energy, so I wear it constantly. It keeps my skin safe from wind and sun without making me swear in the summer heat. (get 10% off with the discount code BOATLIFE10)
Sailing hat/ sailing cap
save that sweet head of yours from the sun and wind by wearing a sailing hat. When you are on a sailboat, you will be constantly exposed to nature, especially the sun can be very damaging. To avoid getting sunstroke, please always wear a sailing hat.
Sailing Sunglasses
We can not stress enough the importance of wearing sunglasses on board. When you are on a sailboat, you will be surrounded by water, which means sun rays will not only hit your eyes from the sky but will be splayed across the whole surface of the water, hitting you at every angle. If you invest in proper sailing glasses, ensure they are polarised to "see-through" sun reflections on the water's surface. We love the START SUNGLASSES, designed for sailors.
Offshore sailing outfit
You're getting more serious about sailing and are looking for proper nautic gear. Keep these items in mind when you're putting together the ideal offshore sailing outfit:
Sailing gloves
You know how horrible it feels if you ever got burned by sheets and lines. Sailing gloves keep your hands and your crew safe. When handling sheets, you are responsible for the risk they bring. Letting go of a sheet because you do not wear sailing gloves can be a risk to everybody on board. Never underestimate the forces at play on a sailboat. Wear sailing gloves!
Foul weather gear
When we moved aboard ForTuna, we were convinced we did not need foul-weather gear. We brought our skiing gear, confident it would hold off water and wind. One sail on a rainy day quickly taught us that these clothes would not cut it. Great foul-weather gear is one of the best investments whether you sail in the Arctic Circle or the Caribbean. It does not have to be the most expensive jacket, but please choose proper sailing gear as there is a reason for the technical development behind those clothes. No other sport is exposed to water, wind, salt or sun like sailing.
-10% on all ZHIK sailing gear
use the discount code: BOATLIFE10
Foul weather gear consists of weather-resistant overall trousers and a jacket. Both should have reflective stripes to make you "visible" in poor light conditions. The jacket should hold a hoodie in neon yellow with a visor. If you scan the foul weather gear market, your will notice most jackets are red. Red is much easier to find at sea if you fall overboard. In the last few years, fashion has found its way into the foul weather gear, and while we do love a good fashion statement, we do not think your foul weather gear should be it. So please avoid the modern blues and blacks and choose the "old-school" red and yellow to be visible in bad weather.
Sailing shoes
Sailboats are famous places to stub your toes. We have been living on ForTuna for over 4 years, and we still hit our toes occasionally. So please wear shoes if you visit an unknown boat, and ALWAYS wear shoes on long passages and intense sailing. We slip on our sailing shoes when the wind picks up or a squall rolls along because they protect your toes and prevent you from slipping, which could cause you to fall overboard.
You can choose between sailing boots or sailing "sneakers". Boots are preferred for dinghy sailing, but Michael loves them for night sails as they keep him warm. I like my shoes on the more fashionable side and choose the sneaker version.
Performance sailing outfit
Sailing clothes look similar to street clothes but are made of technical materials. They are intended to repeal water and keep your booty safe when you need to sit on the railing or dry quickly.
I simply love my ZHIK sailing shorts. No matter how often I get seawater on them, I am dry within a few minutes. There is nothing more annoying than sitting in wet clothing in windy conditions.
Sustainability Features
Every product has an environmental footprint, from your sailing shoes to your foul-weather gear. As sailors, we live close to nature and do our best to protect it. Follow these 5 steps to do your part.
Use your wardrobe: Especially when you're just starting out. Use gym or comfortable apparel you own before buying a new sailing outfit. Michal, for example, used his weight-lifting gloves before buying sailing gloves.
Buy secondhand: An excellent idea for foul weather gear. It is an expensive item people might want to resell and the classical cut means no one will notice if your sailing gear is from last season.
Invest in quality: If you invest in new clothing items, consider buying durable, well-made pieces meant to last. As humans, we are completed to choose the bargain, but spending a smaller amount every season is not better than paying a higher amount once.
Repair your apparel: Some sailing gear companies offer repair services. Due to the waterproof nature of sailing gear, it might be challenging to repair home yourself.
Purchase products made from recycled materials: Did you know you can buy shoes made of used coffee grounds? Many new fabrics have been developed in the last years to recycle materials. If you are given the chance, choose recycled material.
Enjoyed this blogpost? We love to help people start their life at sea. Besides sharing empowering Boatlife Stories and helpful Sailboat tech blogs, we created the Boatlife Bundles. Get access to 4+ years of Boatlife experience by downloading them now or subscribe to our salty newsletter for liveaboard nuggets.
