Me and My wife are looking to purchase some wet suits. I've looked at O'Neill for cost of course, they seem Fair priced I guess at 120-$180. I was wondering about suit thickness. I live in missouri, and travel here and there with the boat. Haven't seen myself going north yet.

Anyways we are casual sailors still learning. But would like to be comfortable.
Any Advice on thickness? model line?
thanks plan on ordering soon.

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1988 Nacra 5.2
YouTube link to see boat in action:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLddinE6IorSrPpZrlvcwAjRzSIQsKYPG1
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Where you live is not as important as the water you will be sailing in. The West coast is warm, but the water is not.
Fit is as important as the thickness. It is easier to get into a slightly oversize suit, & it will be warm on the boat...until you actually go swimming. Then the loose fit allows water to slosh in/out.
All things being equal, a thicker suit is warmer, but anything over 5mm restricts movement.
A shorty is much more comfortable, though not as warm.
I use a 3mm Farmer John in the early fall, using a spray shell for the top, then add the wetsuit top as temps cool.
Finally, the cheapest suits,think Wally World use a poor quality neoprene. It just isn't as warm.
I have 4 or 5 suits, of differing quality & thickness. Obviously the thinnest (2mm), the more it feels like you're just wearing a rash guard.
The best one I own is a Cressi semi-dri 2 pc. It fits very tight at wrist/ankle, & where the two pieces overlap. It also has a snug hood. I tested it one late fall day when the water was 10C.(50F). I could snorkel quite comfortably, & my hair was still dry under the hood. It was also almost double the cost of the cheapies, & harder to don.
There is some good info here;
http://360guide.info/wets…?Itemid=19#axzz3llPlIIvw

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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It all depends on what temperature you plan to sail in. There are wetsuits that can keep you comfortable in temps anywhere from 80 degrees down to 35 degrees. They all have different ranges that they're designed to work in. A 4/3 full suit will generally keep you warm in the 50-60 degree temperature range but you'll be burning up in 75 degree weather. A 3/2 would generally be suited to the 60-70 degree range. But keep in mind that these are very generalized numbers and a lot of it depends on the quality and type of suit as well as individual preferences.

By far, the most versatile and common type of suit for cat sailing is a 3/2 jacket and john. These suits give you quite a large temperature range. Combine them with a good pair of high top booties, gloves, and a warm hat and you will find you use them spring through fall with their only limitation being extreme cold temps. If I had to pick one suit, it would definitely be a J & J.

sm

Great advice so far.

I am a Kansas City area sailor. In general, I like a 3/2 shortie (short sleeves and legs) for May and September and a 4/3 full wetsuit for April and Oct. I like shortie because they are easy to get into and much cheaper. A dry/spray top pairs well with a shorty or farmer john also.

Good booties and Hat help a ton in staying comfortable.

Getting one wetsuit for all conditions is very hard/expensive/impossible.

I like a 3mm farmer john with a spray top. I found with a full suit I was still wearing a spray top to keep the wind off the wetsuit. This combo works best in fall when water is still fairly warm and he air temp is down some. Check out NRS for wetsuits.

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Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
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When things get chilly in Michigan, I sail with my 4/3. Its a bit on the stiff side, but keeps me quite warm.

Windchill has always been one of my biggest concerns. Watch the dew point. Regardless of air temp, that's what exposed wet skin will feel like. Spray top helps a lot. If its really cold, sometimes I'll supplement with a fleece. Keeping the core warm is always the priority.

Nice thing about these other options is flexibility in application. If its borderline, you can stuff them in the hull and apply as needed.

NRS is good. Wetsuit warehouse has treated me well also. Love the neoprene surfing boots.

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Jeff R
'88 H18 "Jolly Mon"
'10 C2 USA1193
NE IN / SE MI
cramsailing.com
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Neoprene only wet suits only really work when you are immersed in the water... You body and the suit act as heater to keep you warm.. On the surface they really don't do the job needed when there is wind and an occasion splash... Unless you want to add another layer of protection in they way of a wind shirt etc.... or just go with a dry suit.

I would take a look at some of the new stuff from Zhik, Gul, or Neil Pride that has the outer layer windproof/water resistant coating.. Even some of the surf companies have jumped on this...

I am using the Zhik Super Warm Top along with the Supper Warm skiff suit... they seem to work very well for the cold waters of the coast here and are great for winter sailing; at least here in California.... I know, but we do have an average of 50 degree water, and they are not as binding as a traditional wet suit. I just got the Spring suit as we have been having some unusual warm water here... El Nino you say?



Edited by JohnES on Sep 20, 2015 - 12:55 PM.

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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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