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Wetsuit thickness for dinghy sailing and windsurfing for the San Francisco Bay?
I’m a 5’3" ~120lb female looking for a full-length wetsuit for the SF bay that is appropriate for dinghy sailing.. and possibly windsurfing in the near future. I’m planning to sail mostly in the late spring-early fall season and I’m looking into either a 3/2 or 4/3 wetsuit, but not really sure what to go with. Any advice would be appreciated–thanks!
If you’re definitely going to be winsurfing on the bay, go with a 4/3 (at least). The water in SF Bay is actually about as cold as the Irish sea. Right near the Golden Gate water temps are in the mid-50′s and only vary by a few degrees during the year. If you’re in the south bay, the water can be a bit warmer during the summer because it’s shallow and there’s not as much current carrying in the cold ocean water.
If you’re dinghy sailing, you might be able to get away with a 3/2, depending on how often you think you’ll fall in the water and how quickly you can get back in the boat. As a kayak outfitter on the bay, I put students in a 3mm farmer john with a windbreaker type jacket. This won’t keep you warm indefinitely, but it keeps you warm enough for the few minutes it takes to get things sorted out.
2 Responses to “Wetsuit thickness for dinghy sailing and windsurfing for the San Francisco Bay?”
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April 14th, 2010 at 7:47 pm
I’d go for a Ripcurl wetsuit, like an E-Bomb 3/2. I’ve got one of those in 5/3 but I live in Ireland and the water is bloody cold.
Have a look at it here: http://www.wetsuitoutlet.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=21_60&products_id=2382
But yeah, Ripcurl are the best.
References :
Plenty of experience…
April 14th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
If you’re definitely going to be winsurfing on the bay, go with a 4/3 (at least). The water in SF Bay is actually about as cold as the Irish sea. Right near the Golden Gate water temps are in the mid-50′s and only vary by a few degrees during the year. If you’re in the south bay, the water can be a bit warmer during the summer because it’s shallow and there’s not as much current carrying in the cold ocean water.
If you’re dinghy sailing, you might be able to get away with a 3/2, depending on how often you think you’ll fall in the water and how quickly you can get back in the boat. As a kayak outfitter on the bay, I put students in a 3mm farmer john with a windbreaker type jacket. This won’t keep you warm indefinitely, but it keeps you warm enough for the few minutes it takes to get things sorted out.
References :