I'm thinking that my gear is getting a bit old and knackered and am looking at getting some new stuff. 
Started looking around and it appears it's no longer as simple as buying a wetsuit and a spray top. 

Thought I'd start this thread to get an idea of what everyone wears in winter and summer in terms of wetsuits (I don't like dry suits). 

The speed/race skin things look popular but what do people wear under/over them on the top layer? I quite like having short arms during the summer but people only seem to manufacture things with long arms unless you just wear a rash vest. Do you get too cold with just a rash vest and skin in a moderate force 3 in the summer (anything above this and I guess you think about putting on the spray top)? Some people just seem to wear hikers but again, what do you wear on the top layer? 

thought I'd get an idea of what everyone else wears before investing in new kit! 

Dave

The trouble with all this modern gear is the blokes look either like rubber bullfrogs or male ballet dancers, the girls now there is a different thing! Suggest looser gear for men.

Look at the Rooster web site.  Excellent functional, innovative kit in new materials.  The aesthetics might take some getting used to....

If you hang on for a ebout 3 weeks/month I'll be able to secure you a 10% discount for rooster stuff...

Try Musto Short Arm Wetsuit, re enforced back side and from knee to ankle, full stretch and good sizes £79.95.  Next the best bit of sailing kit for a couple of years is the Gill Thermal Top, really excellent, great thermal qualities, fully breathable and taped seams, even in the winter you can use this with your wetsuit and be warm, £75.00, sliming colour (black). For boots try the Gill hiking boot, latest sole technology and a real winner £35.00. So for less than £200 notes you'll be set up and looking good.
Check them out on the web or if your near a good chandler, pop in and try them on.

Rooster used to advertise a lot in the Merlin magazine but don't seem interested anymore. 

I have personally found that their raceskins get holes in them pretty easily and have been looking at Gill speedskins and Zhick as an alternative as they seem harder wearing.  I also like the Musto short sleeve wetsuit which is incredibly comfortable.

I like the gill stuff personally, and their speed skin has advantages at being a lot more comfy than a wetsuit as well as drying at a rapid rate. Under the speedskin i wear a rashvest but its not necessary.It fits perfectly too. I also have a gull wetsuit which is great quality

They all stink and look simply daft, you either need strong scent or aftershave, and a size zero figure,  old fashioned and looser is best

um beer .... remember last weekend?

Give Tony a call at Sailsport, he'll sort you out

In summer i wear rooster race skin with or without a long sleeved rash vest and/or gill thermal(temperature dependent)and a spray top if necessary.

In between I wear a 2mm gul wetsuit with short sleeves or if its windy/wet/on the sea as the rooster gets a bit floppy and cold when wet!

Winter I wear a 5/3mm O'Neill surfing wetsuit with really flexy seams so its not restrictive - veeeeeeeery nice and warm!

And I wear leggings over everything so I don't rip the arse out!

Jumper and over the knee shorts winter, wool/cotton mix shirt and above knee shorts summer. Millets waterproof if you must.  Gloves, any cheap gardening ones will do.  You can find them on most markets 10 pairs for £6.50.

There speaks a real man!

It's all about the Merino base layer, warm in winter, cool in summer, quick drying and odour resistant!

Dry suits are improving all the time eg. breathable; neoprene seals; so for winter would seriously suggest Dangerous tries out the latest thing from eg. Gul.

So there something more comfortable that this brown rubberised outfit I have with lead boots and brass helmet.  If I replace it I will miss the head protection I get at the gybe mark!

Gee you guys are such wimps! In the good old days (i.e. 50s) we raced with up to 40 Merlins every other weekend in the winter series at Ranelagh and sailed in shorts over jeans, shirt, one or two sweaters depending on the weather, army surplus top and plimsolls. I'm not kidding and no lifejackets either!

Yes Robert and we were real men and women too, all ages from still at school to WW1 Veterans.

So real men and women don't wear polypropylene under their Goretex?  

I suspect there's a risk here of elevating a necessity into a virtue.  What alternative was there?  Why should we suffer when there's such excellent and effective technical clothing available today?

By the same principle, is anyone still using Cascamite or fish glue?  And presumably, Surplus Man, Robert Harris and the Ancient Geek live in houses without central heating?

Yep, a dutch oven and an open fire with a kettle on a trivet. A Tilley lamp or two to light the place as well.  Power cuts mean nothing. Well it does mean I can't use this confuser thingy unless I remembered to charge its battery.  As for glue, what glue is needed when the copper nails and screws hold everything together!

Remember folks, wool keeps you warm even when its wet. Try and buy some fine wool shirts to wear under canvas tops, you will be as warm as toast.

Rooster aquafleece, best bit of gear I've ever bought.  Magic marine wetsuits are the go if you're tall and thin and they're in black which is trick.

Oh, and if they've started doing those aquapro gloves again, they're fully sick.....

Wood fires, parafin lamps and the smell of gently drying Newfoundland Dog!

I understand that fleece material is woven from yarns made from recycled plastic lemonade bottles.  When I have got a soaking wearing a fleece I have noticed that the water flows to the bottom edge of the garment rather rapidly but is very cool until dry.  Seems that Surplus Man may have a point.  However Tesbury and Mataplan fleeces only cost a fiver so layers of those might be the answer rather than going to the "designer" shelves which encourage label envy.  As for the stuff seen in the chandlery catalogues, they are designed for athletes and those of us with a bit of life behind us and interesting stories to tell are not really catered for so we just mix and match what is comfortable and practical.  I would say the word match doesn't really apply very often either. Now I really must go and look to see what this seasons colours are   --- not.

Grey and black darling, grey and black.

Too,too morbid.

Ann Summers does a good range of summer wear.

I think that a pair of self draining incontinence hiking shorts for the ageing sailor would be  a great innovation.  Perhaps double bottomed!!

Can recommend you listen to Mike as what he has failed to mention is that he owns the Dinghy Store at Datchet!!!

Good bloke, will see you right witht he right kit at a good price!

Could brown be the next big hit?

Wouldn't show the stains then.

thanks for replies so far chaps - still haven't quite made my mind up so keep them coming!

For this season we choose the black and grey matching spay tops - to be worn over the bouancy aid for saftey reason (stops things getting caught) with the black dancer leggings (long john wet suits, mine a race skin, Adam's is some thin like a Gull dinghy, I agree the race skin rips through the back side a bit.) On shore style is a bit of an issue, as the colours are right, but the massive torso and little black legs .......

On the water, or should I say in the water, you have to agree, look fine!

Mags, spell checker .... please ....

Yachts and Yachting featured a really good article on this very subject around August 2007, which was really helpul which covered everything on this subject.
It may be worth contacting them for a photocopy or back issue as there a few directions which you can take with clothing.
I went for a layering system of fast wicking under garments/wetsuit/gil thermal spray top, which has been really good through the winter months. However, this may not suit everyone where the dry suit option may be more attractive.
At the moment I am using a Rooster Race a skin/UV Rash vest in the warm weather, which I add a breathable spray top to if the weather goes pear shaped.
Try YandY for that article?

Just had the Protec catalogue chucked on my desk.  Loads of clothing in there to give you protection against the elements but might not cut a dash amongst the label watchers/admirers.  The trainers with steel toecaps might help those who have a tendency to drop trailers and trolleys on their tootsies. And the thigh length wellies are just something else!

Are you sure the thigh length wellies aren't in a different kind of catalogue?

I'm Wearing green speedoes this season,x

oooooh! You must look like a large frog!

The best article on sailing attire (though for larger boats than Merlins) was in Sod's Law of the Sea, published back in the 70's but still very funny.  E.g.
Selection of club ties carefully processed to indicate purchase prior to new supply being made in Hong Kong.
Sailing sweaters, faded oiled wool, blue, embroidered Admiral's Cup 1967/ America's Cup 1964/ etc stitching then unpicked to indicate modesty but enough threads sealed in to convey message
All-purpose Sailing Jacket - Blue outside, red lining, boiled before delivery to make both sides similar faded mauve

The thigh length wellies are for those engaged in the honorable profession of deep sewer maintenance otherwise known as sh-- shovellers. And just where would we all be without them.  Up some creek I imagine.

Without a paddle?

Or shovel?