Best Sailing Gear

74

By tolachi

Kokatat XCR Action Jacket (mango)

Spray Top

I've been disatisfied with my gill spray top and not really drawn to anything else that I have seen over the last few years on The Bay. A stop by California Canoe and Kayak revealed my dream spray top, the Kokatat Action Jacket. Unlike my poorly designed Gill spary top, the pocket is on the sleeve. How are you supposed to access a chest pocket when your life jacket is on? I would guess this is where you would want to store things you need instant access to... Except you have to take off your life jacket to get to them. Not to mention that the zipper froze up on my Gill spray top months ago. Other nice features on the Action Jacket are XCR gore tex, a really solid neck closure, and wrist gaskets. Oh yeah, and the range of motion in the arms is incredible. Of course it costs twice as much, but is still much cheaper than something similar from musto (makes gore tex sailing gear).

sailinggreece profile image

sailinggreece 4 years ago

Looks great! Do you know where to buy this in the Boston area?

tolachi profile image

tolachi Hub Author 4 years ago

Check the store locater ( http://www.kokatat.com/store_locator_us.asp?reg=AO ) store locater for Massachusets. Make sure they actually carry the spray tops though...

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    Astral Aquavest 200 (red)

    Life Jackets (aka the notorious pfd)

    Again, look to the kayaking industry. The primo model in my opinion is the Astral Aquavest 200. Astral is a small company that was started by the guy who started Lotus, since purchased by Patagucci. Lotus makes the Lola, which you may have seen at your local dinghy regatta. Why is the Aquavest great? Few buckles, no zippers, no auto inflating BS in the middle of the race. Great range of motion, accesible pocket, constructed from non-toxic foam and bomb proof cordura.

    The front pocket is hugely useful. When crewing I store my vhf and gps in it which saves scrambling around for them. It is also a great place to stash a wax pencil for scribbling numbers on the boat. There is a small lanyard on the inside to tie an knife, gps, etc... to. During the starting sequence I like to slip my stopwatch band through the little slotted plastic thing on the shoulder strap.

    If you are a pure dinghy sailor I might recommend a more stripped down model like the Newton.

    sarahd profile image

    sarahd 4 years ago

    Astral uses Kapok instead of petroleum based or vinyl foam.

    Kapok: comes from the Ceiba Pentandra tree which grows in the upper canopy of rainforests. It is sustainably harvested by tree climbers. "Kapok is a short tapered fiber that actually forms small sealed pockets of air. It is also protected by a waxy coating that repels water."

    "Kapok revolutionized PFDs in the early 1900s - replacing cork and wood as the primary buoyant material. Kapok was the preferred material for PFD stuffing until the invention of closed cell foam. During the 1960s the paradigm shift to plastics pretty much stopped the interest in Kapok, as petroleum became the word. Toxic vinyl came to rule as the foam industry blossomed."

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      Boye Knife with Sheepsfoot Blade and Marlinspike

      Knife

      Very handy to have around, especially if you don't lose it. I love the Boye knife because I have had it for 2 years and there is not a spot of rust on it. I rinse it maybe a couple of times a year. Most of the time it just stays in my pfd. The thing is made from some extremely sharp cobalt compound that doesn't rust. The marlinspike is made from titanium and I think there might be a few bits of stainless steel involved. I like the sheepsfoot blade because it keeps me from stabing myself or a crewmate when I'm waving it around. I use the loop at the end to tie the knife off in my pfd or spraytop with a armslength of thin line.

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        Boots

        I recently purchased a pair of Dubarry Shamrocks for a delivery from San Francisco to Vancouver. Some days I slept in them. They were incredible. Comfortable, great grip, 100% dry, light, excellent fit. It is very hard to find fault.

        My one problem thus far has been getting the salt out of the leather before reconditioning them. I eventually resorted to soaking them in fresh water over night. This seems to have worked reasonably well.

        I use these boots for keelboat racing exclusively. For dinghy racing I prefer to go barefoot. I have size 14 feet and I find that the extra bulk added by a shoe makes if far too easy to get my feet tangled up in something.

        Sunglasses

        Throwing down $150+ on a pair on sunglasses may sound frivolous, but I think it is worth it for a high quality pair of polarized lenses. I'm partial to Kaenon's C12 lens, any style. The reduction in glare does a lot to keep my eyes relaxed, no squinting. and helps stave of the headache that can develop from a day of peering into glare. I'm also impressed by how well a pair they reveal wind on the water. When I slip them on the bay comes alive with previously unseen detail.

        The best bet is to check campmor and see what the have on sale. If you aren't overly concerned about fashion you can probably find something quite cheap. Beyond that I would suggest checking the corporate site for your local retailor.

        working