Sailing Drysuit Guide - When To Wear One
When conditions are unpredictable, a drysuit is one of the most effective pieces of sailing kit you can call upon. While certainly not an item that will always be in your sailing bag, when the weather turns, the spray intensifies, or you’re completely submerged, the full-body protection that a drysuit offers is simply invaluable.
Unlike a standard waterproof sailing jacket and trousers or salopettes, a drysuit is fully sealed and locks water out from all angles. This means that, no matter what you’re exposed to, you can stay dry and comfortable.
However, these levels of protection aren’t necessarily needed every day on the water, and knowing when to wear a drysuit (and when to leave yours on the shore) is key to keeping focused when the conditions are demanding.
This Gill Guide breaks down what a sailing drysuit is, when you’ll need one, and what to consider when finding a drysuit for sailing that suits you.
What Is A Sailing Drysuit?
A sailing drysuit is a completely waterproof outer layer that covers your full body and stops water from reaching the layers underneath. It does this via sealed seams and close-fitting seals around the areas where water might otherwise enter when you’re wearing a standard waterproof jacket, like the neck, wrists and ankles.
The seals around the neck and wrists are designed to sit closely against your skin or an underlying layer to stop water from running inside the suit. Seals around the ankles provide similar protection at the lower legs, while a waterproof zip stops water from entering through the suit itself.
The high levels of waterproof protection offered by a drysuit make one inherently useful in conditions where you’re likely to experience sustained spray or even be totally immersed. That said, a drysuit for sailing also needs to have enough balance between protection and freedom of movement to keep up with the physical demands of life on deck, whether that’s helming or moving around the boat and working with sheets.
It’s also important to remember that a drysuit is an outer layer rather than an insulating layer in itself. What you wear underneath plays a key role in how warm and comfortable you’ll be when water is locked off by the suit itself.
When To Wear A Drysuit For Sailing
There’s no single type of sailing that immediately requires the superior waterproof protection offered by a drysuit. Instead, it’s best to think of sailing drysuits as coming into their own in certain conditions and levels of exposure, including:
Cold Weather Sailing
It probably goes without saying that cold weather is one of the most obvious situations where a drysuit can be useful. When the air and water temperatures are low or falling rapidly, getting wet can quickly turn an otherwise manageable situation into an uncomfortable and potentially dangerous one.
By wearing a sailing drysuit in cold weather, you’ve got both a reliable outer barrier against changing conditions and the ability to build the insulation you need underneath. Rather than relying on a bulky outer layer to provide warmth and waterproofing in one, you can adjust your mid and base layers to really hone in on insulation depending on how hard you’re working.
Dinghy Sailing
Capsizes, spray and regular contact are all natural parts of the dinghy sailing experience, making this environment one where a good drysuit can make a noticeable difference. By helping to keep your clothing dry, a dinghy sailing drysuit can make recovery after submersion more comfortable and allow you to stay focused on the sail or race rather than dealing with wet layers.
Of course, dinghy sailing also demands a high level of movement. You might need to hike out one moment and handle sheets the next, so a suitable drysuit for this type of sailing will need to provide reliable waterproof protection without restricting your agility. We’ll cover this in more detail shortly.
Offshore Sailing
Offshore sailing brings a very different set of considerations. Once you’re away from the shelter of the coastline, it’s not easy to just head back into the harbour to pick up extra layers. A sailing drysuit can therefore become valuable when conditions become rough and you’re spending long periods on deck.
This is less about whether a drysuit is needed for every hour of every passage and more about having the right protection when conditions demand it. The more exposed the sailing, the greater the value of having kit you can rely on when things don’t quite go to plan.
Which Sailing Drysuit Is Right For You?
A drysuit is designed to provide a high level of protection, but that doesn’t mean it’s automatically the right choice whenever there’s a chance of getting wet. Similarly, choosing the wrong drysuit for sailing can scupper things even when all the other signs suggest that it’s essential. A suit that keeps you protected from the water but leaves you feeling restricted or overheated isn’t going to make for a particularly comfortable day on the water either.
This is why waterproofing is only one part of choosing the right sailing drysuit. If you’re going to be active, you need a drysuit that moves with you and allows moisture to escape while still providing the level of protection you need. Flexibility and breathability become particularly important when you’re racing or manoeuvring a dinghy, and restrictive clothing can quickly get in the way.
At Gill, we’ve designed our drysuits around these demands, balancing total waterproofing with the ability to keep up with you as you work quickly and demand agility from your sailing clothing.
Pro Drysuit
The Pro Drysuit is a specialist sailing drysuit engineered for offshore and inshore sailing, making it a strong choice when reliable protection and durability are the priority.
Its 3-layer construction combines waterproofing, breathability and windproofing, while fully taped seams, a waterproof zip and close-fitting Glideskin neck and cuff seals keep water out even in heavy spray or immersion. Reinforced knees add durability in high-wear areas, while adjustable braces give you the flexibility to move around the deck.
If your sailing regularly takes you into exposed conditions where you need to adapt quickly with a drysuit that can withstand demanding use, the Pro is built with that in mind.
Verso Drysuit
The Verso Drysuit is an ultimate water protection companion, particularly suited to dinghy, technical and high-performance sailing in racing conditions. 3-layer XPLORE+® fabric provides a fully waterproof and breathable barrier, while the rear-entry design minimises bulk around the chest.
A grown-on, adjustable hood also provides protection when conditions turn, while the PFD-friendly sleeve pocket and reinforced knees and seat make it particularly suited to the practical demands of racing environments. The Verso is the perfect option when you’re moving frequently and need your sailing drysuit to keep up with you.
What To Wear Underneath A Drysuit
Once you've chosen a suitable sailing drysuit, there’s one final piece of the puzzle: what you wear underneath. A drysuit keeps the water out, but it isn’t designed to keep you warm on its own. The rest of your sailing clothing system is as important, particularly when you’re sailing in cold conditions.
The key isn’t to pile on layers, but to think strategically about what you can wear as you adapt to the changing conditions. Starting with a moisture-wicking base layer and adding a mid-layer for additional insulation will always stand you in good stead, and you can read more about how to approach layering in this guide.
Getting this combination right means that your drysuit can do what it’s designed to do: keep the water out while your layers underneath manage warmth and comfort. Together, they create a sailing clothing system that can cope with the conditions without getting in the way of what really matters: the sailing itself.
