"L D'Bonnie" wrote

I've never owned any sort of foul weather boating gear and would
appreciate some advice on what is practical before I make any
purchases. There is a wide choice of gear available with prices to
match.

Cold weather boating:
#1 Stay in the boat, and keep the water out. Remind yourself that swimming
= funeral. (others have covered this)
#2 Regardless of #1, wear your PFD.
#3 Good quality, all-purpose raingear is really nice. In my family, we
get "the best" Gore-Tex gear from LL Bean. Long, not short jackets, and
lightweight Gore-Tex pants. Baseball-style caps under the hood help shed
spray/driving rain and improve visibility. Gore-Tex (or rubber fisherman
style)gloves. Boots. Unfortunately, kid-sized gear is hard to come by in
Gore-Tex.
#4 "Sailing" foul weather gear tends to be bulky, uncomfortable,
single-purpose, and expensive.
#5 For colder (winter in Maine) weather, layer poly long underwear, and
fleece sweaters. Cover-the-ear hats. Extra hats and gloves for when you
drop them. If you overheat, switching to a lighter (or no) hat will cool
you off in a hurry.
#6 Discomfort will lead you focus on yourself, huddle out of the elements,
and generally lose your focus. Stay comfortable.
#7 Bright colors for everything. Visibility trumps fashion.
#8 Did I mention PFD's?

Sal's Dad