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Rated 4.9 out of 5 by our customers
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July 05, 2025 2 min read
Sailing in the summer might seem all about the sunshine and warm weather, but anyone who's spent a day on the water knows how quick the weather can change. A sunny morning can turn into a chilly, windy afternoon and spray or breeze can make it feel a lot cooler than the thermometer says.
That's why smart layering is key to staying comfortable and performing at your best on the water during the summer months. It's not just about staying warm - it's about managing moisture, protecting your skin from the sun, and having the right gear to handle whatever the sea throws at you.
The best part? You can chop and change these as you like, and tailor your setup to your needs and requirements to keep you safe and comfortable on the water, rain or shine!
Here's our guide to the must-have summer sailing layering essentials - lightweight, breathable and designed to keep you cool and dry all summer long.
The base layer is your first line of defence. Look for the materials that wick sweat away from your skin and dry quickly, so you don't feel clammy or overheated. Products like the Zhik Mens Short Sleeve Spandex Rash Vest Top are perfect for this. These summer layering essentials offer UV protection and are designed to be worn all day without restricting movement.
Even in the summer, those cooler moments can sneak up on you, especially on early mornings or late afternoon races. A hydrophobic fleece like Zhik Hydrophobic Fleece Top provides just the right amount of warmth whilst repelling water from spray or light showers.
Wind and spray are the biggest challenges on the water. A layer like the Zhik Performance Smock is windproof and splash resistant, designed to keep you dry without overheating. It's lightweight and breathable - ideal for Dinghy sailors RIB crews, or anyone spending long hours on the water.
Small but important details make a huge difference. Lightweight gloves protect your hands without causing sweat, and technical sailing socks keep your feet comfortable and blister-free. These little extras ensure you stay focused on sailing - not on discomfort.
Base Layer - choose breathable tops and bottoms with UV protection
Mid Layer - Pick a water repellent fleece for those cooler spells
Outer Layer - Opt for a windproof, splash resistant smock or jacket
Accessories - Include gloves, socks and head protection for peak comfort
Our summer layering essentials are all about giving you freedom to move, protection from the elements, and confidence to perform at your best. Browse our full range of summer sailing kit today and set sail knowing you're prepared for anything.
Needed 5m of a low stretch rope to act as a mast raising / lowering tail on my Wayfarer forestay as the existing 5mm rope was a bit thick to pass under my reefing spar attachment. Now it fits snugly and the mast raises and lowers better than it did before because of less friction and "bounce".
The top cover was delivered on time as expected. The cover fits perfectly and hopefully it will last forever … Thank you
Bought this for my son so can’t personally comment as I’ve not used it. However he was very pleased with the purchase and said it’s great quality.
Always happy with my orders from Sailing Chandlery. They are quick to post and very helpful when I have had a question.
Jason delivered the boat on time at Hayling Island Sailing Club. The boat was new and all the spars were in perfect condition. Jason came to pick up the boat and return the deposit which I gave at the time of the delivery. Every interaction with Andrew and Jason were handled very professionally. I will recommend to any sailor Sailing Chandlery in the future. I really appreciated how easy it was to charter this boat. Thank you very much. Jacques Kerrest
This was a birthday present for a sailing daughter (i don't sail!) She was delighted, it hasn't been out on the water yet but she's looking forward to trying it out and says it's just what she wanted... so looks like a good choice by me after helpful advice from Sailing Chandlery staff!
I bought the 2.5mm dyneema for a special winch/pulley project which needs to pull two sides of a cradle exactly simultaneously for about a meter. Originally I was going to create loops on both the LHS and the RHS, then loop them together onto a 3mm dyneema rope. This gave me two issues : firstly the "knot" would be large and may rub on the cradle (not much room available), secondly there was no redundancy if the 3mm dyneema was to fail. So I then looked at splitting the drum on the winch into 2 halves so I could wind on both the RHS and LHS 2.5mm ropes on together. This would give redundancy if one leg was to fail but it would not guarantee simultaneous pulling.
Then I had a brainwave. I spliced the 2 x 2.5mm together and then fed a 1.5meter tail through the middle creating a combined rope of approx 3.5mm diameter. I then wound this onto the drum of the winch as a single rope. This would ensure simultaneous pulling, and also provide redundancy if say the outer sheath was abraded and failed - also there was no significant "knot" so it fitted in neatly in the space available.
It was a bit of a fiddle pulling the tail through but not really difficult with the D-splicing tool.
All in all, I am very impressed with the dyneema and I am glad I did not choose a wire rope for this application.
Quick and easy to fit on to the end of the sail and work perfectly.
Thank you 'Sailing Chandlery' for your quick service and easy website which helped me pick the correct part I needed. I am back sailing when the weather allows.
Prompt delivery, with helpful updates and time slot spot on. Perfect new sail at a great price and the number fixing service is well worth it. It even won its first race! Thank you.
This was an easy thing to sort out for my Wanderer. It's a common part for a wide range of boats. The whole thing comes complete that's the Rudder pivot bolt, wing nut and 'socket washer' for the bolt head. The whole process took just a couple of days for my order to be picked dispatched and shipped and I was ready to go sailing again.
I needed GBR letters for the ILCA Europeans and they arrived by the next post.
I bought four of these blocks to deal with Control line take away Perfect.
Great product. Very good quality and price!
Quick delivery, great item
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