the right kit to keep warm at sea in high latitudes

24/3/2025

Keeping warm at sea is just a matter of preparation and attention to detail.

Of course, on some of the warmer legs, such as leg 1, leg 7 and much of leg 5, keeping warm on board is not a problem. In fact, dealing with 40+ degree temperatures and high levels of humidity below deck is the biggest challenge. If you want to read more on these warmer legs and how to keep cool, click here.

In my experience, staying warm requires that you look after yourself by eating well, staying active and staying as dry as possible and as well insulated as possible. Staying active on the race is rarely a big problem but there is an art to choosing the correct clothing for the conditions.

On a very cold night at sea, when it's wet and rough, with water over the deck (and the crew), staying dry and warm without overheating when busy changing sails, can be tricky. The start of a watch might have you thinking you are under-dressed, and feeling the bitter cold and yet 30 minutes later you might be sweating profusely having just dragged the yankee 1 down the deck, battling against sea state and gale force winds.

Understanding the best way to layer is therefore important. For a cold ocean, you should be dressed as follows;

Base Layers (keeps you 'un moist' - wicks away moisture)

The base layer is critical. It needs to be breathable and comfortable. Worn close to the skin it should 'wick' moisture away when you are wet or sweating. Being quick drying, it's normal to sleep in your base layers which will dry in your sleeping bag.

Base layers should be made of specialist synthetic material that is treated to resist bacteria or made up of merino wool, which is comfortable, wicks well and is largely odor resistant. Bamboo and Icebreaker are well known base layer brands. You should have both jockey shorts and long johns for when it gets really cold.

mid layers (Keeps you warm)

The mid layer is designed to work in conjunction with the base layer. The mid layer is usually fleece-lined and might comprise under-salopettes and an insulated, wind-proof jacket. These are worn under the outer shell of your waterproofs.

In addition to the midlayers you will probably want a warm polartec fleece top to go under your midlayer jacket.

Various brands worth considering include; Henri Lloyd (the race sponsor), Musto, Helly Hansen, Gill and Zhik.

outer shell (keeps you dry-ish)

In the past, this has been provided by the race sponsor and it comprises a hard-wearing, gore tex, waterproof outer layer comprising a smock jacket and salopettes.

For warmer legs, a lightweight, spray and wind resistant jacket is worth having too. Again, this has usually been provided by the race sponsor.

SAILING BOOTS (BUY THE BEST YOU CAN AFFORD - FOR COLD LEGS)

Keeping the extremeties warm is half the battle on a night watch. Cold, wet feet are really miserable, so making sure you have a good qaulity sailing boot is critical for the cold ocean.

I have no doubt that the best deep ocean sailing boot is the handmade Le Chameau Neptune. It really is a great boot. It's robust, stands up very well against the abrasive non-slip decks of the Clipper boats and they keep your feet warm and dry. They also have built in gaiters - a must for a waterproof footwear solution.

Other brands include Dubarry Ultima (wide calf is good for those with wide calves!) and Dubarry Crosshaven, Zhik, Henri Lloyd and Musto. But the Le Chameau is the best for cold oceans.

SOCKS AND SHOES

Boots should be worn with a mid-weight thermal sock (preferably merino wool). I found it useful to wear a thinner liner sock under the thermal sock which meant the liner could be changed regularly to keep smell to a minimum!

If you use a lesser boot then its worth considering some pairs of Sealskinz breathable, waterproof socks which will help keep your feet warm and drier in a wet boot.

In addition to your boots you should have some quick drying, synthetic deck shoes (again to help stop the smell) and some below deck shoes if possible - Crocks (yuk!) and various other brands are worth considering. Some sort of closed-toed sandal is worth having for deck and below deck.

For keeping your feet fresh, wet wipe washes and tea tree oil are excellent.

HATS AND BALACLAVAS

Your head needs to be protected against the sun (in the tropics) and the cold at night.

I suggest a soft, wide-brimmed sun hat that is well ventilated, with a head strap, a baseball cap or peaked thermal cap (helps to keep your outer shell's hood in shape when it is cold and raining) and a couple of warm thermal beanies. Sealskinz make waterproof ones that work well. You lose a huge amount of heat through your head.

For legs 3 and 6 in particular (and the last week of leg 5) a fleece-lined balaclava is well worth considering. It really keeps the rain out and massively reduces wind chill on a cold head and neck.

GLOVES

Gloves are a personal preference. I very rarely use them as line handling is tricky and I think they can cause more problems than they are worth as they always get wet and can get caught in winches, etc.

However, when it's really cold, a warm pair of mittens and merino wool liner-gloves can work well when you are on the rail and doing nothing. Sometimes it is so cold in the high latitudes that you need gloves, especially when on the wheel for long periods of time.

For helming, marigolds worn under mittens works quite well or buy some heavy duty rubber, fleece-lined meat packers gloves or fishermen's gloves. They are probably the best for the roaring forties and the North Pacific - and the cold beat into Qingdao too.

Some might consider moisturising hand cream worthwhile - frankly, my hands are too rough to consider worth saving!

OTHER KIT WORTH HAVING

Once you have the right kit, wear it properly. Always make sure the outer shell is properly done up with all rubber gaskets, sleeves and ankles properly closed.

Buy a couple of snoods for your neck. They work really well and stop cold air (and sea water) going down your collar at the beginning of a 4 hour night watch! I also used to pull it over my eyes on a midday off-watch to keep the light out and aid my sleep.

Some people swore by chemical hand warmers, but I never used them and having a small hot water bottle for warming or drying your sleeping bag and aiding in the drying process is worth considering.

If you are doing a cold leg or you're a round the worlder, I thoroughly recommend a purpose-built marine sleeping bag such as Gauss Marine or Ocean Sleepwear.

Also, make sure you take a synthetic pillow and case to stop mould and to allow a wet head to be rested on it every 4 hours.

Finally, if you are doing a cold ocean, it's worth considering a dry suit. Going overboard in a cold ocean is going to give you a very limited survival time. A dry suit will extend this.

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