We’ve wrestled with what to use for foul weather gear for many years. What works the best depends on the conditions, and we’ve had a hard time settling on a single suit of foulies which are ideal for temperate, tropical, and cold regions. Each climate has its special requirements.

To this you have to add the expected use. Walking ashore in tropical rain showers, or making a wet ride in the dinghy is one aspect. Handling sail while beating in big seas is quite different. How wet the boat tends to be and the degree of protection on deck adds another layer of complexity to this equation.

And then there are the many types of fabric, garment designs, and construction details to consider. It is enough to give you a headache!

In recent years we’ve been fortunate to cruise on relatively dry boats, with good protection for the crew. So, the foulies we’ve used have tended to be less sophisticated that what would be warranted when cruising on wetter, more exposed designs. We’ve not felt the need to invest in the high-end gear favored by the high-latitude racing crowd – which is remarkable in its ability to keep you dry.

Instead, we’ve focused on breathable gear, which is usable on cooler days in the tropics, and also works during fall and winter in temperate regions.

Steve has been using a (now) four-year old-suit of West Marine gear.

Linda has a newer Musto breathable jacket, which she loves. Our granddaughter, Emma, is wearing a land-style Patagonia jacket – which works fine for occasional visits.

The photo above was taken in the summer of 2006 at Warm Springs Harbor on Baranof Island, Southeast Alaska. A typical wet, summer day in this part of the world. The rain is light, and spray is not an issue. Our daughter Elyse (left) is wearing a simple rain jacket (again, land-style) with rain pants. Linda has on a long rain coat (see below).

For working on deck and from the dink in cold climates we have been looking at the Mustang-style worksuit such as the ones used by the Coast Guard and oil rig workers, shown above. These keep you dry, offer quite a bit of thermal protection, and if you happen to fall in, provide a degree of thermal protection – essential if you are in cold water more than a minute or two. We got a chance to wear these last spring when doing a trial on a US Coast Guard surf boat.

Last summer we added long rain coats to our gear for use in Alaska – where it was raining most of the time. Combining these with high boots – so that the rain coat bottom overlaps the boot top – helps when walking ashore and in the dinghy.

Which brings us to dinghy riding in general. This is often a wet exercise, especially in smaller inflatables. So, a foul weather gear top which covers your rear end when sitting on the inflatable tube is a bonus. Most tops are not long enough, so some years ago we began using a long, light, mountain climbing top called a “cagoul” when going ashore. This piece of gear rolls into a small package, and is easily slipped over the head. It works particularly well in the tropics.

If we were cruising high latitudes on a more exposed design we’d seriously think about one of the dry suits like some of the Coast Guard crew wear that have also proven popular with the extreme ocean racing crowd. These incorporate neck and wrist seals, and really do keep you 100% dry in awful conditions.

So, here are a few of the things we consider:

• Breathable fabrics are really worth the extra cost.
• Lighter weight gear, with good seals and zipper details, is usually a better bet than the heavier, “technical” gear used by ocean racers,
• Consider how flotation and harnesses can be integrated.
• Buy the longest top you can find (best for the dinghy).
• Make sure the hood works well in wet weather (rain and spray) and in windy conditions.
• Possible use of special light gear for the dink and ashore in the tropics.
• Special cold weather gear which affords a degree of survivability in the water.

You can spend a lot of your hard-earned cruising kitty on high-end foul weather gear (not to mention the space it takes when stowed). However, we’ve always gone the moderate route on this equipment. But then we tend to cruise on dry boats. The one thing we can say for sure is that the worse the conditions, the more important becomes your foul weather gear. And, nothing is more unpleasant than being wet – even in the tropics.