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how much clothing

9K views 49 replies 24 participants last post by  travlin-easy 
#1 ·
just wondering how much clothing you guys keep on board? ive got all my foul weather gear, and a couple of changes of clothes but i pretty much spend all summer in flops and swimtrunks. ive got a conference room in my office where i keep suits etc, but was wondering how much stowage i need to plan for for clothing for extended cruising? heck, maybe one 'nice' outfit, couple of pairs of jeans, tees shorts and flops one pair boots? what do you guys keep on board?
 
#2 ·
When we moved aboard, each of us got rid of about 70% of our clothes (good reason to move south). We have a couple of nice clothes at each of our parents for funerals or whatever. On board, we have a few sweatshirts, jeans, foulies, long sleeves, but mostly shorts, swim gear and t-shirts. She also has quite a few sun dresses.

We have 1 hanging locker that we share which is about 4 feet long. We have 6 drawers each that are about 1 foot by 2 where we store under clothes, shorts, jeans, tees, etc. We have about 2 vacuumed closed storage bags under our berth for our "winter clothes".
 
#3 ·
When I was working and living aboard, I kept the good suit and clothes in the suburban, as my boat was older and had a smell that invaded everything, and changed in the bath house. Your conference room would be ideal. Now that I retired and have a less smelly boat, I live in swim trunks and wicking tshirts. One nice pair of boat shoes, one ratty pair of boat shoes and a decent pair of sneakers (we walk and cycle a lot). Foulies become the jacket/rain/windbreaker. I do keep some sweatshirts on board for colder winter days, and some socks to go with the sneakers. I still keep a dress pair of slacks and polo shirt in the truck in one of those vacuum bags for big events, but seldom use them, anymore.

Winter I go with jeans, and keep a pair of hiking boots (in case of snow) in the truck - everything else stays the same..

We are gearing up for scuba gear storage and a true set of foulies/boots this year.
 
#4 ·
I live aboard a 36 foot 73 vintage with not very much hanging locker space. I work as a consultant so I keep my suits and dress shirts on board -- it is a challenge but I find I can make do -- I am on the gulf coast so I keep my winter clothes in storage until I need them and then swap shorts and what not for sweaters and fleece -- I am looking forward to the day when I can get a larger boat with more storage... I also always keep two sets of foulies on board as you never know when you will need them.
 
#6 ·
I think you answered yourself perfectly.

Most things are not used. Sailors seem to wear with pride a shirt or shorts with an oil or rust stain. We actually have an iron on board, but it only appears if my work clothes need to appear.

You can often 'spot the yachty' prowling the markets by their clothes and hatwear, unshaven, suntanned and happy!!
 
#10 ·
We actually have an iron on board, but it only appears if my work clothes need to appear.
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. :laugher
 
#7 ·
How much you keep is as often a function of laundry cycle as anything else. If you expect to cruise in area where you won't be able to do laundry but every two weeks, you either need enough clothing to last until you see a laundromat again, or things you can hand-wash in the sink with minimal water use. (Note that jeans are heavy & bulky & use a lot of water - we've had more success with medium-weight chinos.)

That said, it might be more effective to think about packing based on activities you might be doing, because its really all about your lifestyle. Clearing in and out of customs on many islands, respect seems to dictate at least long pants and a collared shirt. We each packed something suitable for a New Year's Eve party or clubbing (for me, a lacy top and shimmery pants - both washable). I've also got a brown pantsuit that I could use for a funeral or business meeting (luckily, neither of those happened in the last year), and an outfit that I can wear for something celebratory like a wedding or a shower. And, being a girl, after all, a little black dress. ;) All of these, hand-washable, non-wrinkle synthetics. For everyday wear: 4 pairs of water shorts, 8 T-shirts/Hawaiian shirts, 4 long pants, 2 pairs of nice shorts to wear walking around in a city, 2 sun dresses, 2 long-sleeve sunblock shirts, 2 turtlenecks, 1 sweater, 1 fleece sweatshirt, 1 long underwear, 1 complete set foulies, 1 fleece jacket, tennies, Keens (hiking sandals), sea boots, nice shoes to go with dressy outfit above.
 
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#8 ·
All my variety of clothing can fit in two regular size washing machines and my wife's, in three. In addition we have foul weather gear and wetsuits that I did not include in this volume. I also have four pairs of shoes and my wife has about ten pairs. This is the approximate same volume we had when we moved aboard 39 years ago. Take care and joy, Aythya crew
 
#9 ·
Foul weather gear (jacket, pants, boots, gloves, thermals); 3pr boat shorts; 1pr good shorts; 3 long sleeved boat t-shirts, 1 long sleeved good shirt; 2 loud short sleeved Hawaiian shirts, 2pr flops; 2pr water shoes (Merrills w Vibram soles for water and light shore walking); 1pr med duty hiking boots; 1pr sorta good shoes, 4pr socks; 3pr sailing gloves; 2 Tilley hats; 1 baseball hat; 1 sweater; 1 light water resistant jacket; several handkerchiefs.

The good clothes are stored away in a waterproof bag and are designed for shore times. Boat clothes are clothes that have degraded from good to don't wear ashore unless you want to be razzed.

I wear flops most of the time (arches and age) or the Merrills if I need good traction and foot protection whether aboard or on shore. I really like the Merrills and since they're hard to find and fit to my big feet, I have a spare pair. The Merrills aren't what I'd call adequate hiking boots, so I have a pair of those for long walks, long shopping trips, or excursions. I will walk the shore or sand barefoot but will not, under any conditions, walk the dirt streets or paved roads barefoot.

I wear synthetic clothing most of the time as it seems to last the longest, be economical to wash, and isn't expensive. A spare Tilly, baseball hat, and rest of the gear for when temps drop below 75F or the rain's not hard enough to warrant the foul weather gear.
 
#14 ·
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.
 
#15 ·
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.
 
#17 ·
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.
 
#28 ·
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.

...
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.
I think Dave's right, especially that day-to-day living at the dock is a lot like on land, and I should have been more specific about cotton. 2 places I *won't* wear cotton - (1) sticky-hot places like hiking in the Virgin Islands (it holds sweat and B.O. and just stays moist all day) and (2) cold rain or spray. OTOH, Hanging out in the Bahamas, in winter, temps about 70 - cotton T-shirts are no problem.

We often wear loose lightweight long cotton pants - surprisingly, they can be cooler than shorts in some conditions. If "wet dinghy butt" is going to be an issue, we either ride standing up or if its too rough for that, we go ashore in full foulies - which earns us some funny looks in the grocery store if its a sunny day. :laugher

BTW, Serendip, welcome to SN, our hailing port is Northport, MI and we still miss the Sweetwater Sea.
 
#18 ·
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!!
 
#19 ·
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.
 
#20 ·
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.
 
#21 ·
I'm one who thinks the 'no cotton' rule can be overdone. Sure I want wool or synthetic/wool mix when things get exceedingly cold and wet but other than that I am not going to junk cotton for synthetic in warmer climes. Some things are simply not negotiable and wearing plastic clothing is one of them.

That said, it was with some sadness that I have had to admit that 501s and snake skin boots are not terribly practical on board. :(

Eryka is right....chino type pants are the go even in my opinion if cotton. Reality is that in moderate weather light weight cotton pants are not a serious problem if only because today's boats are not as damp collecting as they once were.

On my first (timber) keelboat I could not leave clothes on board for any lenght of time without mould developing or at least a nasty musty smell. On Raven in 2010 I leave some clothing on board at all times and mould and damp is simply not a major problem. Yes is can be a problem after say a rough passage combined with wet weather after but a bit of wool covers that eventuality.

Oh yes....wool or even better possum socks.
 
#22 ·
Looks like I have a lot to learn about clothing from a boaters perspective. Besides knowing that foul weather gear should not be cotton, I did not know it would be a issue for everyday use. I did know that mold/mildew would be a problem for everyday storage, so I was/am planning on keeping all my clothing in plastic bags when not in use, but I did not know sitting on the boat or walking around town would be an issue with what I'm wearing. But this is also coming from a girl who spent 5 hours in soaking wet yoga pants and a fleece when crossing Lake Michigan in a storm this past summer thinking, "That kind of sucked, but so is life." (Although one reason I didn't go below to change or get foul weather gear is because everyone was sleeping and I didn't want to wake them. Selfless, or stupid, I'm still not sure which. :) )

I'm not looking to get a whole new wardrobe right now, all the extra money I can get is going toward our trip. I have a few synthetic blends that I'll be packing, maybe picking up a few more here or there before I go, but I think it was good advice to bring what I have and pick up more on 'the road' if I need to. And sorry QuickMick, but we're not coffee drinkers. ;)
 
#23 ·
Whoever left you out in the cockpit by yourself in such unsuitable clothing should be taken out and shot, and that means the skipper. For heavens sake, it is the skippers responsibility to attend to the welfare of the crew. Failing to do so is inexcusable.

If you are going offshore or even on something as large as the Great Lakes the first thing you need is adequate wet weather gear. Jacket, Pants, Boots, Gloves. Good socks are important...preferably wool, definitely not cotton.

Some underclothing is going to be better than others but in cold though not bitterly cold weather you can get by wearing fairly normal clothes as long as your wet weather gear is quality.

Remember..good wet weather gear not only keeps you dry but also keeps you warm cos it keeps out the wind.

Spend you money on good gear but keep your cotton shirts for the Bahamas.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Aside from the hypothermic/heat loss problems with wet cotton clothing-once it gets wet, it provides little or no UV protection. A lot of the newer synthetic clothing is UPF rated and will block UV even when wet. Skin cancer is nasty stuff and UPF-rated clothes can help keep you healthy.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Gesh all those years in the Navy where I wore Navy dungrees (cotton) in the north Atlantic & Pacific... According you guys I should have died a long time ago.
As long as you take precautions in your dress you will survive. But having wool clothing is a large factor in surviving in the Northern waters & Southern above 32N/S. Dress to stay warm and partake of high calorie foods do help. Your body will burn those calories off as it works to stay warm.
Of course down in the Tropics you can only take so much clothing off before the whole world either starts Laughing or gagging. :D :D :D
 
#29 ·
you can get good deals at these places...so money for gear and the trip!
gillna.com <-----------go to the clearance section
evo.com
sierratradingpost.com
moosejaw.com

no affiliation, just like being cozy
 
#30 ·
Whatever you choose, take less rather than more. Although we took a hand wringer so we could wash clothes onboard, we found (in Mexico, Central and South America) that it was usually easy to find someone who did laundry, for a reasonable price. Sometimes boys came out to the anchored boat to solicit such services. In humid tropic areas, everything gets sweaty within an hour of putting it on, so we tended to wear the same thing over and over anyway.
 
#32 ·
So I was also thinking about getting a new fleece or jacket since the one I have (Columbia) is a bit older and apparently didn't do such a great job of keeping me warm or dry on my sail across Lake Michigan. :) I'm looking for something to go under the shell of my Columbia coat, but also something that would be my everyday go-to if it gets chilly. I've heard a lot of good reviews about Patagonia, and was looking at this item in particular:

Patagonia Women's R1® Regulator Full-Zip Jacket

Anyone have any reviews for this or similar Patagonia items? I ask b/c it's a little more than I was planning to spend, but if this line is as great as everyone says it is, then it might be worth the money. Or any other recommendations for an everyday fleece/jacket that can be worn under a Columbia shell?
 
#33 ·
Instead of a fleece, I'd look at one of the softshell jackets... Some will integrate with the outer shells like the Bugaboo or Whirlibird jackets used. As warm as fleece, but more wind/waterproof.

So I was also thinking about getting a new fleece or jacket since the one I have (Columbia) is a bit older and apparently didn't do such a great job of keeping me warm or dry on my sail across Lake Michigan. :) I'm looking for something to go under the shell of my Columbia coat, but also something that would be my everyday go-to if it gets chilly. I've heard a lot of good reviews about Patagonia, and was looking at this item in particular:

Patagonia Women's R1® Regulator Full-Zip Jacket

Anyone have any reviews for this or similar Patagonia items? I ask b/c it's a little more than I was planning to spend, but if this line is as great as everyone says it is, then it might be worth the money. Or any other recommendations for an everyday fleece/jacket that can be worn under a Columbia shell?
 
#34 ·
The one you've picked is really nice (but a tad out of my price range) My everyday go-to is a windblock fleece full-zip jacket from Land's End for <$50. If its really cold I'll be wearing a cotton turtleneck with wool sweater or fleece sweatshirt over, followed by the windblock fleece, with my foulie jacket over that. (Note, everyone says, oh don't do that, you'll sweat and the foulies will trap that and make you wet and cold ... the reality of it is, I've never had a problem because when its cold, I really don't sweat much, ya know?)
 
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