Winter is one of the most beautiful seasons for sailing: clear waters, steady wind, and superb light. However, you must be properly equipped; with water around 10°C and a wind that quickly chills a wet body, it is the cold that cuts your session short, long before fatigue sets in.
The rule is simple: layer up, with each layer serving a specific purpose. Here is our five-point method for dinghy sailing, featuring the products from our shop that we recommend for each step.
1. The base layer: staying warm, even when wet
Everything starts against the skin with a synthetic layer that does not absorb water. Forget cotton: once damp, it draws heat from your body and will not dry.
Our choice is the Bipoly set by Magic Marine: the Bipoly Hydrophobic long-sleeve top and the Bipoly Hydrophobic pants. Their fleece lining insulates, their elastane exterior moves with you, and they fit easily under a wetsuit or a spray top.
Under a drysuit, step up to something thicker with the Overall Fleece Fzip, a full-body under-suit with a tailored fit designed for this purpose.
2. The suit: 4/3 neoprene or drysuit
This is the piece that does the bulk of the thermal work, and the choice depends on your type of sailing.
If you get wet often (dinghy, sports catamaran, foil): choose a 4/3 mm neoprene suit. The Racing Fullsuit FZ 4/3 GBS by Magic Marine is made of very flexible M-Flex neoprene. Its GBS seams, glued and then blind-stitched without passing through the material, limit water intake.
If you stay relatively dry or go for long sessions: the drysuit is unbeatable. The Regatta Drysuit Fzip by Magic Marine is waterproof and breathable, with sealed seams. You regulate your warmth using the base layers from point 1.
For mild winter days, the modular option works well: a 1.5 mm long john, such as the Rooster Thermaflex Long John (women's cut) or the SLAM Foil Long John 1.5, paired with the WIP 3DS Neo Top 3 mm neoprene top.
3. The spray top: cutting the wind
A wet wetsuit exposed to the wind cools down very quickly: it is evaporation, more than the water itself, that freezes you. A windproof layer worn on top changes the session, especially when sailing upwind or during waiting periods.
The winter reference is the Rooster Pro Aquafleece 2026 Top: a waterproof exterior lined with fleece, which blocks the wind and adds warmth in a single piece.
For lighter protection over an already warm wetsuit, there are two alternatives: the Magic Marine Brand Spraytop, which is waterproof and easy to pull on, and the SLAM breathable OD Spray top, designed to be worn over a thermal layer.
4. Feet, hands, head: protecting the extremities
Your extremities are the first to get cold, and numb fingers make every maneuver slower and less safe.
- Feet. Choose a thick bootie: the Magic Marine Ultimate 2 Boots in 5 mm neoprene, or the Rooster 4 mm EasiFit booties, designed for trapezing. Underneath, add Rooster 0.5 mm Hot Socks or Magic Marine 2 mm fleece-lined Thermo Socks. Be careful not to be too tight: a compressed foot gets cold.
- Hands. Switch to full-finger gloves with the Magic Marine 5-finger Racing gloves, featuring reinforced palms to maintain grip on the sheets.
- Head. The Windesign 2 mm neoprene beanie protects the head and ears from spray. Under a helmet, the WIP Winter Neo Helmet Lining 1 mm neoprene hood is so comfortable you will forget you are wearing it.
5. Safety: life jacket, helmet, and good habits
In cold water, a fall has different consequences than in July. Cold shock takes your breath away and physical strength in your arms drops within minutes: wear your life jacket for every session, over all your layers.
- Life Jacket. On fast and foiling boats, the WIP Impact Vest 50N adds impact protection. The Vaikobi VXP 2 Race PFD has a high cut to free up movement. The Magic Marine Racing Buoyancy Aid, CE ISO 12402-5 certified, allows for a trapeze hook.
- Helmet. The WIP Wiflex weighs only 170 g, and the Wipper 2.0 is the alternative from the same brand. Both can be worn with the hood from point 4.
Always try on your life jacket with all your winter layers: your summer size will often be too tight. And keep good habits: do not go out alone, inform someone on shore, shorten your sessions, and have dry clothes ready for your return.
Ready for winter?
When well-equipped, you can sail all winter with as much pleasure as in summer, and often with more wind. Find all this gear at navibreizhshop.bzh.
Hesitating about a size or the right combination of layers for your boat? Write to us, we are happy to advise you.
