how much clothing

[speciald]

We use vacuum bags to store our off-season clothes - the Winter ones that we use maybe three weeks each year.

[eryka]

Originally Posted by Serendipitous

I'm actually looking for some type of iron or travel steamer for use on extended cruising. Anyone come across something that's small, effective, and either uses very little power or works on batteries? I know non-wrinkle fabric would be the best choice, then I wouldn't need anything to get the wrinkles out, but I've got some cotton fabrics which I will need to get the wrinkles out.

Oh, and although I'm sure the first post would be 'wear clothes with wrinkles, no one's going to care', I'm still a little OCD about that and want to see if I have any options.

Anything that uses a resistance load to make heat will be power-intensive. How about seeking out an antique iron from the pre-electricity days - the kind that you heat up on the stove? (BTW, cotton clothing gets clammy in the saltwater environment in a way that you wouldn't believe if you've only sailed in fresh water like the Great Lakes)

[Serendipitous]

Alright, I'll have to check out my options. Too bad EVERY shirt I own right now is cotton. Looks like my birthday gift next year will be a new wardrobe.

[RedtheBear]

The bear's two cents worth
You can find those old cast iron irons at antique shops in the states. A lot of people use then for door stops and they will run from $5.00 up depending on condition and size. Don't get too big they get quickly heavy as they get bigger. Also being cast iron they will rust but using steel wool or fine sandpaper can usually clear most of this up and using a good old brown paper bag between the iron and the cloth works too. Be carefull heating the iron up of stove eyes. They are usually solid cast iron and the handle will get very hot if you let it. A pot holder helps. The iron has no temperture control but the learning curve is not to difficult to master here again brown bag will help prevent scorching but be carefull with synthetics.

[sailingdog]

I'd second Eryka's point about avoiding cotton clothing, especially heavy cotton clothing like jeans. They absorb salt, stay wet forever and are cold and clammy when wet. Wearing them aboard a boat is a good way to start getting hypothermic. Synthetic or wool-based clothing makes a lot more sense than anything cotton on a boat, especially one cruising on saltwater. Good synthetics will dry quickly, absorb less water, be easier to clean and rinse out, are often still warm when wet, and are less likely to attract pests/mold/mildew than organic clothing.

[SimonV]

If for some reason you need to get the wrinkles out, Just heat up and use the saucepan.

[SVAuspicious]

I've always preferred natural fabrics so most of my clothing is cotton or wool. Long underwear and socks as well as other technical clothing is generally synthetic. Day-to-day living on the dock is pretty much the same as ashore.

Dinghy runs usually mean some spray so I am more careful about fabric choices in the dinghy. Still, I haven't had any issues with cotton t-shirts -- if it's going to be that wet I wear my foul weather jacket at least anyway. I don't like having a wet butt regardless of the material type so I slow down rather than get wet.

Shoes are the biggest clothing-related storage issue for me, and dress shoes have ended up in the truck. I have a pair of Sperry Topsiders "dress" boat shoes that I can wear even with a suit, but real dress shoes are sometimes necessary for me.

Oh - I use a regular clothes iron plugged into shorepower or I run the generator.

I keep half my suits aboard and the other half in a utility trailer I use for storage. When a suit goes to the dry cleaners I rotate another one from trailer to boat and the clean suit goes in the trailer.

I wouldn't buy all new clothes (unless your looking for an excuse) until you get some experience living aboard and determine what works for you.

[QuickMick]

do you have a coffee maker on board? if so, in a pinch i ran a pot of hot water though it and used the carafe full of the heated h20 as an iron. just make sure you dont have gunk on the bottom of it!!

[Antares36]

Light cotton is not bad. I have 2 nice cotton shirts rolled up navy style for going out. I take 3 pair of light shorts, a fresh 5 pack of cotton tees and underwear from wally mart and on pair of clean chinos. A pair of sweats and a chasmere (Yes) sweater (It dries fast and is warm.) is all I need for 6 months. I leave it all in the boat for the next season in the big zip bags. You/we are all going to buy a formal tee shirt from some bar.

Just remember to change your oil naked so you do not get it all over your "Good" duds.

[eherlihy]

On the topic of which material; The common expression in the hiking and skiing communities is "Cotton Kills." The issue is that cotton attracts and holds moisture. In cold climates, this becomes a liability.