Low Budget Cool Weather Gear

in-shore pants, lots of layers, full bootties, 3 or 4 sets of gloves (so when they get wet you can swap out with dry ones), a wool cap, spray gear, dry bag full of extra clothes incase you dump).

Make sure you realize how heavy your gear is when wet (esp fleece), and that wind gear is worthless when wet

Water here isnt cold here yet, I am still windsurfing in trunks only. I'd think all you need is a wetsuit, water shoes, and gloves.

I went last week in a 4/3 wetsuit and i wasn't really comfortable the whole trip. 60air/60water. Booties probably would've helped though.

I picked up the wetsuit for $100. Thats about as cheap as they come.

Edited by matt922 on Dec 02, 2011 - 09:13 AM.

Just make sure that you have the proper gear on for the worst possible situation. If the water is 78 that is still 20 degrees less then your core temp.

MN3 suggestion = Lexus - you will be very comfortable all day.
matt922 suggestion = Toyota pickup - It will get the job done.

Personally, I get cold really easily, so I went the Lexus route to the tune of almost $300 That said, a $100 wetsuit would be money very well spent.

over in ocean springs I wear a 3/2 farmer john... w/5mm booties

under that i wear the booty foot liner things, and I cut some polypro long john pants to knee length.. and a polypro shirt under a spray top.

the poly pro is great base layer stuff... it's cheap, get some at a mil surplus store.
the polypro i wear under shorts in fall... and the polypro top i wear under my lifejacket in fall... the top however I cut the sleeves out off... kinda redneck, but that's how we roll. 🙂

you could get a sunny day in the high 60s. go to Juanas. they're cool and you can leave the boat on the beach overnight...

Hey thanks for the info. I'll look into the Surplus Stores. Cheap and redneck. Im all over that.

i want a dry suit this year...

Mil-surplus anti-exposure suits can be had for about $100. I would consider that budget. I have a spray bib, top and poly-pro under it all but even with sale prices I have at least $200 into it. That does not include my boots or PFD.

HULLFLYER wrote: Just make sure that you have the proper gear on for the worst possible situation. If the water is 78 that is still 20 degrees less then your core temp.

78 is like bathwater compared to most of the lakes I sail in even in the middle of the summer. We consider 60 to be warm I've sailed in 45-48 in shorts.

That said these are not coastal conditions and not alone or isolated without reasonable help around. I also have a lot of natural insulation built in. 😉

I never sail without a wetsuit, watertemps around here don't top 60! So with only a bit of spray we get cold fast around here (denmark!) we can only sail in wetsuits here from April to October.

Normally I wear a 2 mm longjohn and wetsuit booties no top, only lifejacket and harness. love the freedom of movement. keep moving to keep warm and don't go out of protected waters.
In the spring and fall I sail in a full suit 3/2 or 5/3 for the colder days. I sail until the watertemps hit 45, the customers don't get lower then 50.

Tons of used good condition wetsuits are available on ebay.

u can buy used underware too.... PASS

You asked for warm and dry on a budget that threesome is a tall order.

It probably should be mentioned that if you wear jogging pants, or other slick nylon type pants they are extremely slippery on cold and wet tramps.