When sailing during the winter, your body is using energy to stay warm, and as a result, you have to be well-protected from the elements. Having proper clothes and gear will ensure both safety and comfort while voyaging in cold weather. From a pair of gloves and socks to a heater and a sailing jacket, these and much more items are must-haves during your winter voyage to the high seas. When sailing in the winter the days become shorter, the temperatures drop, and heavy weather phenomena are to be expected. But don’t get discouraged if you have planned or want to plan a winter sailing voyage. Sailing is generally harder during the winter but if you follow some simple precautions, be well-prepared and organized, then there’s nothing that can stop you!

Precautions to take for the Engine and Batteries

Even though it is unlikely for the temperatures to fall that low, except if you’re sailing in Siberia, it’s advisable to keep an eye on the engine when your sailboat is left afloat in saltwater. This is because if there’s any water left in the engine, extremely low temperatures might cause it to freeze. So, when you’re sailing for too long in cold temperatures it’s worth attending to the engine to prevent this kind of issue.

In addition, ensure that the coolant is topped up with the proper mix of antifreeze. Optionally you can also apply some antifreeze through the raw-water system. Keep in mind that when you start a diesel engine from cold in winter temperatures this will consequently require more power than starting it in warm and mild temperatures. For this reason, make sure that your batteries are topped up. You can recharge them using shore power, an engine-driven alternator, or with the alternative green option of using solar panels.

Top Up your Tanks

Filling up your tanks with fuel and water is an important task to perform when sailing in the winter. Normally, during the winter, most fuel berth opening hours don’t operate as they do in the summer. Also, water supplies at marinas are likely to be non-functional so as to protect the pipes during cold snaps. The worst-case scenario would be if hoses freeze or if the water supplies are completely turned off. This would make it even more difficult for you to refill the tanks. So, bear in mind to have your tanks topped off and regularly inspect them.

Furthermore, it’s essential to keep your fuel tank topped up in order to reduce condensation. Keep in mind that a full tank doesn’t have enough empty surface area. Meaning that this will result in fewer chances of diesel bug forming. ‘Diesel bug’ is a term that refers to numerous contaminants that include microbial bacteria, fungi, and algae. These normally reside at the blend point between water and diesel. In addition, the water from the condensation in the fuel tank is what makes the diesel bug survive. It also favors its reproduction rate. The diesel bug is basically microbial contamination of the diesel tank. So, bear in mind that the fuller your tank the less room will be left for condensation to form. You might also hear the term diesel bug as a diesel virus or diesel fungus.

>>Also Read: Best Boats and Sailboats for Cold Weather

Safety Precautions

It’s of great importance to have onboard all necessary safety equipment. Especially during a winter sailing voyage when there are more hours of darkness and fewer boats on the water. Must-have items include a First Aid Kit, Lifejackets, torch, binoculars, flares, fire extinguisher, life raft, and a multifunctional knife. Moreover, you should be equipped with a VHF radio, flares, and other visual distress signals. Additional safety equipment includes a radar reflector, lifesaving signals, and navigation lights. To ensure safety you can equip your vessel with day shapes and sound signaling equipment.

Always pay attention when disembarking at a pier or dock. This is because ice, frost, and snow can cause serious problems as they tend to create slippery surfaces. Consider buying some eco-friendly ice melt in order to be able to solve this issue. Remember to put it into your PFD before walking down the dock. Also, bear in mind to create a float plan and pass it on to a family member or friend back at home. This has to include your time of departure, your route, where you’re planning to moor, and of course, all passengers’ contacts.

Lastly, as the water expands when it freezes, this might result in damaging pilings, piers as well as your boat’s hull. So, in order to keep ice away from the dock or pilings, you ought to remove ice floes and ice pressure buildup. The principal types of automatic systems for protecting marinas and docks include a submersed thruster or agitator and a dock bubbler. Ice is so powerful that can actually shift dock pilings and sailboats resulting in some expensive repairs. You can use an automatic system like a de-icer or ice eater that circulates warm water from the bottom of a creek or river.

>>Also Read: Best Sleeping Bags for Sailing

Reliable Clothing Gear

Being dry means keeping a warm body temperature. For this reason, it’s essential not to get wet during cold-weather sailing. In today’s clothing and accessory market, there’s a lot of great gear available in a wide range of prices, sizes, and styles. For example, offshore jackets, spray-tops, dry-suits, waterproof bibs, and specifically designed gear for sailing. Choosing the right outfit, from shocks to gloves and a waterproof jacket, is important in order to stay dry and warm during cold-weather sailing.

But remember to purchase outerwear that won’t just keep you warm and dry, but clothing and shoes that will last for more than one sailing season. Some of the best and reliable brands for clothing gear are Helly Hansen, Musto, Gill Marine, and Nautica. Also, it’s advisable to try on your clothing and gear before making a purchase as you have to be certain about the size, fit, and protection from the elements that an item offers.

Don’t forget to bring with you some necessary items. For instance, a wool sweater or a synthetic blend base hoodie, sailing boots or shoes, wool socks, insulating mid-layers, and a heavy layer. Wool sweaters, hoodies, and socks are as important as a waterproof jacket is. But you can also purchase synthetic ones if you’re not keen on wool fabrics. However, due to wool’s composition and fiber arrangement wool fabrics tend to retain more heat. Wool can also absorb small amounts of liquid into its fibers and can wick moisture out through small openings within the fabric.

Moisture-wicking fabrics such as wool and synthetics are preferable for winter sailing. On the other hand, cotton is an anti-moisture wicking fabric and is not suitable for winter sailing. This is because, when you begin to sweat you would want to keep the moisture away from your skin so as not to get cold. Bear in mind that vests can also keep your core temperature up and keep your extremities warm. A new material, called hydrophobic-down, is highly water-resistant and breathable; the perfect material for outdoor and sailing activities.

But being dry and warm equals having the right layers to keep your body warm. Remember that the cold air over the water feels different in comparison with the cold air over land. This is because excess moisture and uneven heating occur between the land and water. Land changes its temperature faster than water does. Thus, when the sun is shining and heats the Earth’s surface, the land’s temperature increases faster than the water’s temperature. And that’s why temperatures differ between the land and the water. This temperature difference causes the winds to blow from the cold water to the warm land. Therefore, the greater the difference in temperature, the faster the winds blow. 

>>Also Read: Best Foul Weather Gear

Face, Neck and Hands Protection

Keeping your hands warm and dry, especially when navigating, is of great importance. And for this reason, hand and toe warmers are another must-have item for cold weather sailing. These will provide warmth to your hands and toes for a minimum of 8 hours. They have a sticky back on them so that you stick them in other areas, like your neck and chest. However, you should avoid attaching them directly to your skin. It’s advisable to put them into a neck gaiter or stick them to your shirt. Disposable and reusable eco-friendly warmers are easy to purchase either online or from your local sportswear store. Other options include USB chargeable heat packs and a safe burning fuel stick from Zippo.

Neck and face guard and protective gear are other essential accessories for cold weather sailing. These will keep you protected from the elements, cold weather and will keep your face and neck at your body’s temperature. For example, when the air’s temperature is low and there’s cold wind with high levels of moisture, a neck and face guard will protect you. Meaning that you won’t catch a cold or even worse suffer from frostbite on exposed skin. Consider purchasing a synthetic pack-towel or chamois fabric that you’ll put around like a scarf and tuck it under the collar of your spray-top.

Moreover, protect your face and eyes that will be constantly exposed to the elements. Cold air and wind can seriously damage your face and in some cases, saltwater might also damage your eyesight. So, purchase a reliable pair of sailing sunglasses or ski goggles that can efficiently protect your eyes and cover exposed skin. Prefer sunglasses or goggles that have polarized lenses. This is because they add dimension to flat light and will help you discern different winds coming on the water. Also, prefer purchasing ski goggles with clear lenses and not colored ones. Clear lenses are better so as to keep your eyes from watering at night.

>>Also Read: Best Sailing Gloves

Useful Tips for Cold Weather Sailing

• Bear in mind that silk, wool, and polypropylene inner layers are able to hold body heat much better than cotton does. This is because when cotton gets wet it will absorb and trap water into its fibers. So, it’s advisable to choose a synthetic highly-resistant to the elements water and windproof jacket as well as a pair of sailing boots. Consider putting on two pairs of woolly socks with your boots for extra protection. 
• Always have extra clothing, towels, blankets, and bedding stowed in watertight/vacuum bags. These will keep linen and duvets dry and mildew-free.
• Prefer to buy insulated rubber work gloves, 3mm neoprene dive gloves, or insulated leather utility gloves. You can get them from a specialized watersport/outdoor activities store. You can alternatively put a pair of dish or latex gloves under your sailing gloves so as to better keep your hands dry and warm.
• Don’t forget to wear a PFD as much as possible as physiological changes can alter instantly by immersion in cold water.
• In case you sail year-round, you already know that water and air temperatures can be dangerously cold and can have sudden fluctuations, especially in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
• Make sure that you have downloaded a reliable and functional weather forecasting application that provides charts, information on marinas, anchoring, etc. It’s another must-have tool and an investment that is worth paying.
• Always wear moisture-wicking fabrics and layers that are able to remove any damp and keep you warm and dry. You can also try a system of a second thermal inner layer, a breathable mid-layer, and a waterproof outer layer. Brands like Nautica, Helly Hansen, and all major marine clothing manufacturers offer triple-layer clothing systems.
• Keep in mind to protect the most vulnerable parts of your body; the extremities. Keep them wrapped up using a fleecy hat or balaclava, wool socks, and insulated/durable gloves.
• Cold-weather sailing requires to be as much as active during the day. This helps to warm you up, so consider getting involved in other physicals activities onboard apart from sailing.
• Remember that when you get into your sleeping bag to take as many layers off as you can. This is because in case you get sweat after you get out of your sleeping bag there are high chances of catching a cold.
• Apply some hand cream and chapstick that prevents your skin from cracking and keeps it moisturized during cold-weather sailing.
• Always make sure that you have warm clothes to put on. Keep them out of the cold dampness and store them in the bottom of a sleeping bag, underneath the berth, or in your storage space in the closet.
• Don’t forget to put on your fluffy and wool socks even when you’re not wearing your sailing shoes. But, ideally, you should let your feet free while sleeping.

>>Also Read: Tips For Living On a Boat In The Winter

Food and Drink Tips

• Warm beverages are easy to make onboard and benefit your health. Tea, coffee, cocoa beverage, and hot chocolate, boiled herbs, and spices like Chai Masala protect your immune system and prevent pneumonia and frostbite. Also, always pour your beverage in a thermos so as to keep it warm for as long as you want.
• For health reasons, it’s important to cook often while sailing. But always make sure to stock up in your provisions pre-cooked meals that you can heat in the oven or boil with some water. These will be your savior for the cold and tiring days!
• Stock up your provisions with staple and non-perishable food like nuts, dry fruits, beans, legumes, apples, oranges, pears, cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli.
• Prefer to have frequent but small and warm meals during your winter sailing trip. Navigating with a full stomach and bloated belly is generally to be avoided. Eating healthy, warm, and small meals is the key to ensure stability and well-being during cold-weather sailing.
• Thermal mugs and thermos are a must-have accessory for your galley. Apart from keeping your beverages warm they also prevent spillages and unexpected damages. Having a hydrated and warm-up body will keep you healthy, prevent you from getting sick, and will help you be active during your voyage.
• Purchase some healthy snacks and stock them up in your galley’s cupboards. Remember that big meals require more energy to digest, and this consequently will make you feel colder. So, make sure that you keep your energy levels high with healthy snacks that are high in protein and easily digestible. For instance, dry nuts and fruits, chocolate and almond bars, kale and sweet potato vegan chips, etc.

The Bottom Line

Sailing during the winter or sailing in Northern countries might seem hard for some sailors, but for others, is a lifetime experience. If you’re keen on cold climates and temperatures, less crowded seas, marinas, and Canals then winter sailing might suit you more than summer sailing. Both winter and summer sailing a pre-planned route, safety equipment, and enough provisions. The difference is that you need to bring more clothing and equipment onboard during winter sailing. During your cold-weather adventures, you might sail in the harshest environment on earth. The thought of freezing winds, cold spray off the sea, and the idea of having to defrost any ropes are enough to discourage many sailors. But remember that sailing is about one’s preferences, like routes, plans, voyage duration, weather, and sailing conditions. So, it’s not about bravery, it’s about willingness and preparation! Wish you all safe and enjoyable voyages!