This year will be my first Trans Atlantic crossing from the Canary
Islands to the Caribbean. The boat is 38ft.
I have no wet weather gear at all. The boat skipper has a spare jacket
for me, but I am not sure whether I need to buy a full set of foul
weather gear (trousers, boots, wooly hat etc) for this trip alone - I
may not do any other sailing this year.

Any thoughts? Would I be insane to go across the Atlantic in November,
bearing in mind it's in the tropics the whole way, without a full set
of gear? What is essential and what might be recommended but optional?

Any other tips very welcomed.

Many thanks in advance.
Dan

On 17 Oct 2006 17:43:05 -0700, "Dan" wrote:


This year will be my first Trans Atlantic crossing from the Canary
Islands to the Caribbean. The boat is 38ft.
I have no wet weather gear at all. The boat skipper has a spare jacket
for me, but I am not sure whether I need to buy a full set of foul
weather gear (trousers, boots, wooly hat etc) for this trip alone - I
may not do any other sailing this year.

Any thoughts? Would I be insane to go across the Atlantic in November,
bearing in mind it's in the tropics the whole way, without a full set
of gear? What is essential and what might be recommended but optional?

Any other tips very welcomed.

Many thanks in advance.
Dan

Insane - yes.

Get the best gear you can afford - even in the tropics you'd be
surprised at how cold and wet you get (like at night. when you're
tired and realy feel it).

Get "breathable" wet weather gear, but only wear synthetics, not wool
or other naturals, under it otherwise the wicking effect of getting
sweat from you out won't work and you'll end up wet and cold.

Think layers under the gear. It's a lot better to have lots of thin
layers than one thick layer.

And enjoy the trip.

Peter

Ocean Odyssey
Australia
www.oceanodyssey.net

"Do not measure your life by the number of breaths you take,
Rather by the number of times life just takes your breath away"

I own some very expensive "offshore" foul weather gear and I'm just
doing protected waters. I have a HH set that cost a cool grand. It was
a gift and I pretty much laughed at it when I got it, thinking I could
get much use out of it. Amazingly I DO get use out of it because it's
warmer and more rain resistant than my 400 dollar set. It's overkill
for most of the summer, but I wear it a lot in late October and
November. When we get deep snow here in NY I also use it and prefer
over typical winter garb.
Good foul weather gear, like good shoes is usually worth owning!


RB
35s5
NY

Bring one pair of quick dry shorts and a couple of T shirts,
a couple of long sleeve quick-dry shirts, hats, sunglasses,
and a towel.

If you want foul weather gear, buy breathable Goretex if
you must, but leave it home. It should be a warm trip.

Pack light. You can do it with 1 bag.

Dan wrote:
This year will be my first Trans Atlantic crossing from the Canary
Islands to the Caribbean. The boat is 38ft.
I have no wet weather gear at all. The boat skipper has a spare jacket
for me, but I am not sure whether I need to buy a full set of foul
weather gear (trousers, boots, wooly hat etc) for this trip alone - I
may not do any other sailing this year.

Any thoughts? Would I be insane to go across the Atlantic in November,
bearing in mind it's in the tropics the whole way, without a full set
of gear? What is essential and what might be recommended but optional?

Any other tips very welcomed.

Many thanks in advance.
Dan

OzOne wrote:
On 18 Oct 2006 19:15:51 -0700, "Bart"
scribbled thusly:


Bring one pair of quick dry shorts and a couple of T shirts,
a couple of long sleeve quick-dry shirts, hats, sunglasses,
and a towel.

If you want foul weather gear, buy breathable Goretex if
you must, but leave it home. It should be a warm trip.

And if it's not a nice dry warm trip with gentle 15kt
breezes......you'll curse the day you took this advice!

Ok, maybe I was being a little silly. It would be smart to
bring foulies--just in case. I'd roll them up tight and
compress them to take up minimum space. And, I bet
he doesn't use them except for a pillow.

Now if he was going the other way, he should bring heavy
clothes and full gear.

My guess is they will likely sail south from the Canaries to
the Cape Verde Islands--then due West for the Caribbean. It
should be trade winds sailing for nearly 3000 miles. Now that
would be fun.

The Canary Islands are more southern than Bermuda, about
like Northern Florida--and on the warm side of the Gulf Stream.
Cape Verde is the same latitude as the Leeward Islands--that
is fairly far south. All that means warm weather unless caught
in a short term cold down-draft under a thunderhead.

Any late season storms that develop should be easy to avoid
by heading more southerly.

Hopefully, we'll get a trip report when he gets back. I would not
mind making that trip myself.