There will be times when you want all the bells and whistles with your foul weather gear, and there are times when all you really want are the basics. The new Gill Verso Lite Smock falls in the latter category as a well-executed, straightforward, efficient spray top. Nothing more. It’s waterproof, breathable, and has neck, wrist and waist seals, all of which are adjustable. A solid piece of kit for dinghy and small keelboat sailing.

What, you ask? No pockets? Nope. Well, chances are, if you’re in conditions that merit wearing a spray top, or smock as Gill calls it, especially on a dinghy, you’re likely wearing a lifejacket, which makes access to most spray top pockets difficult. Plus, the place where you really need pockets is in the lifejacket, where you can readily access them. So, no pockets? No problem.

Made of Gill’s proprietary two-layer fabric, which is one of the softest materials we’ve yet

seen in spray gear, the Verso Lite smock is quite comfortable–something you can easily wear for an entire day on the water. The fabric weight is light enough you’ll probably forget you’re

even wearing it, as we did, and it packs out very small. Great for stuffing into an inspection port bag. The low price point makes it the perfect entry-level piece of kit as well, while its simplicity will likely appeal to even broader ranges of racers. Available in black, light grey or marine blue. $130.

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Precise and active sail trim is the final-percentage difference in maximizing your boatspeed advantage on the racecourse. Harken’s new Zircon range of blocks use a ceramic race and ceramic ball bearings to achieve a better feel for a light-air trim and heavy-air efficiency. This is a true trimmer’s block, says Matt Schmidt, of Harken Inc., the global leader in performance sailboat hardware. After months of R&D, world champion sailor Ravi Parent confirms his Zircons make him faster and shares how he integrates Zircon blocks into the precision sail-trim systems of his high-performance crafts. For more information about the Zircon blocks, visit harken.com/zircon.

About Harken

The real fuel behind a company’s success is its people.

Peter and Olaf Harken recognized this basic business principle over 50 years ago when starting Harken/Vanguard in the snow and corn country of southeastern Wisconsin. Since those early days, Harken has grown from a backyard dream of two brothers to a global reality with offices and distributors around the world. Harken gear dominates events like the America’s Cup, the Ocean Race, the Maxi Worlds, Super Yacht events worldwide, the Olympics and one-design championships everywhere, with blocks, travelers, deck hardware, winches, and hydraulics.

The Harken story has been full of twists, turns, successes, and reinventions, but through it all the goal of challenging the status quo and commitment to excellence has always remained the same.

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When it’s really cold and wet, we have two options—and we’re not talking about going sailing or staying home. Well, of course we’re going…that’s what our gear is for. For dinghy sailing, our choice is either wetsuit or drysuit. For small keelboats—and even big boats—it’s pretty much all drysuits, unless you’re going with traditional foul-weather gear. While wetsuit development has evolved around materials and linings, there’s a lot happening with drysuits these days. Gill’s new Pursuit wetsuit and Verso drysuit are two good cases in point.

First, the wetsuit. The Pursuit is a variation of what Gill has offered in the past, with a couple of twists. It’s a traditional, full-body wetsuit, with 4mm of neoprene in the torso area and 3mm in the arms and legs. With that, you get great core warmth and about as much flexibility as possible with this level of wetsuit. The chest and back areas include a thermal mesh lining for even more warmth—and it’s soft to the touch. We especially liked the feel of the soft “Glideskin” collar, something you’ll appreciate if you spend more than a few hours on the water. There’s a vertical back zipper with a long pull cord to make this a do-it-yourself unit. Gill wisely put reinforcement on the knees, but there is none on the seat. Not great for sitting on decks with a lot of non-skid, but if you’re using a wetsuit for sailing, chances are you’re wearing sailing shorts over it anyway to make it easier to slide in and out of hiking positions. Other than that, the only feature not granted on our wish list is a fly. Enough said there. In addition to men’s sizes, the Pursuit is available in women’s and junior sizes. $195 for women’s and men’s; $130 for junior’s suit. 

The Verso drysuit takes Gill’s drysuit line in a more versatile direction than their traditional models, which are still available. At first glance, the Verso looks like a drysuit with a spray top over it, which in a way it is, although the “top” is an integral and permanent part of the suit. What’s especially cool is how the “spray top” part holds the suit against your torso with Velcro tabs on each side, eliminating the need for internal suspenders, which are prone to slide off your shoulders if not set correctly. Coupled with the rear-entry zipper, this suit minimizes the bulkiness associated with traditional front-zip units. Wrists also have Velcro closures, which also cut down on bulkiness at the wrist. Then, there’s the hood. The first time we tried this, we thought, “Man, this would be perfect for doing foredeck in gnarly conditions. Or hanging out on the weather rail on a long upwind slog. Or standing at the helm when water is coming over the bow. Or . . .” You get the idea—if it’s cold and wet, this suit is in its element. 

With cincher cords to hold the hood close to your face and a breathable chin guard that can be zipped into place, you’ll probably stay about as comfortable as is humanly possible. The hood can be rolled up and secured when not used. The jury is still out about how comfortable this would be on the back of your neck long-term, but our guess is most people will simply let the hood fall back when not in use. If you’re using this for dinghy sailing, you’ll probably want the hood rolled, especially if you sail a boat with a low boom. A couple of other features we really liked: an easily accessible pocket on the upper left arm for small items and—wait for it—a relief zip. This alone is probably worth the price of admission. There’s no women’s version with a rear zip, however.

On the technical side, the suit has the requisite neoprene seals at the neck and wrist, all of which can be easily trimmed using Gill’s built-in trim lines as guides if a slightly looser fit is desired. The body of the suit is made of three-layer waterproof, breathable laminate fabric. The integral booties are also made of the same laminate for durability and ease of sliding into footwear. Rear-entry and relief zippers are German-made TIZIP, which do require occasional lubrication. Available in gray or a special edition “blue jay” blue. $850.

The post Gill’s Winter Suits Leave No Excuses appeared first on Sailing World.

Love the sun, but hate what it can do to our skin, especially areas that are continually exposed, such as ears, face, etc?  Here’s a nifty new Zhik product that helps keep us out where we love to be. While the Zhik Motion top does a great job of wicking moisture away from your body and cutting wind chill, the real draw is how it combats the sun’s rays, especially around the head and face, which is accomplished by a hood and balaclava. The hood is form fitting, meaning it stays put. 

While I was a bit skeptical about the balaclava function, it hangs just off your face so as not to obstruct breathing but keeps the lower portion of your face well out of the sun.  A big bonus.  When not in use, it comfortably rests below your chin.  Similarly, when you pull the hood off, you’ll hardly know it’s bunched up around your neck.  

Offering UFP 50-plus protection, the Zhik Motion top is breathable, fast drying and also functions as a great base layer.  If you’re thinking it’s your typical regatta shirt but with a hood, you’ll be surprised by this.  It’s much heavier and has a soft “peached finish,” which means that toward the end of the manufacturing process it’s received a light sanding. You can really feel the difference between this and a typical sun-blocking top. It’s not waterproof, which isn’t the intent, but it does shed small amounts of spray. And its four-way stretch helps ensure you’ll not only be protected from the sun but comfortable while out there. 

Available in men’s sizes from S to XXL, and women’s sizes from XS to XL. Black or Platinum at $99.99 

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            I’ve got an older Zhik smock that’s worked well for me, but I never did like the neck closure.  The Velcro tab was too small, and since you can’t see the tab when you’re wearing it, fastening it was done entirely by feel. Especially with gloves on, there were times when I simply couldn’t find it. The good folks at Zhik must have heard my muttering because the new CST500 has a neck tab that seems to drop effortlessly into place, even when wearing gloves. When not in use, it rolls back out of the way and can be conveniently secured to a small Velcro button that keeps the tab from flapping in the breeze.

            On to the neck seal—a big deal in smocks. I’ve worn smocks with neoprene neck seals and ones with a more traditional fabric seal that used a simple Velcro closure. The neoprene seals did a great job of keeping water out, but there was no way to loosen them when it got hot. Plus, and it might just be me; I don’t like wearing something tight around my neck for hours at a time. On the other hand, the traditional approach was comfortable, easy to open for ventilation, but not great when it came to water ingress.

            Enter Zhik’s cool new hybrid seal. It’s neoprene, but it still opens up, thanks to the tab, which is neoprene as well. Tighten the tab, and you have a neoprene seal.  Ok, maybe not quite as full-on as a latex drysuit neck seal, but darn close. Open the tab, and you’ve got the ventilation of a traditional setup. Waterproof mode to full-on ventilation in just one movement. Problem solved.  To allow for even more ventilation, there’s a large gusset at the neck, which is closed with a zipper. A small loop at the top of the gusset gives you a convenient handle to pull the gusset into place.

            Another simple but cool innovation is in the kangaroo pocket. Centered inside is a vertical strip of Velcro to divide the pocket into two sections—or not.  You can also lay small items, such as a pencil or lightweight knife, across the Velcro to prevent them from shifting around in the pocket. That’s some clever and subtle engineering. For coastal racing, the left-hand shoulder has another pocket, sealed with Velcro, with a D-ring inside. There are a lot of possible uses for this, including enough space for an emergency personal locator beacon. Velcro closures at the wrists and waist help ensure a good overall fit.  The shell is made from Zhik’s three-layer Aroshell fabric, which keeps it lightweight and breathable. $349.99 

            This past fall, we checked out a half-dozen salopettes, including Zhik’s offshore OFS800 model. While the OFS800 is “military grade” and great for the entire range of racing, the average dinghy and coastal sailor might find it a bit more than what they need. If so, the CST500 might be worth a close look. Great build features, lightweight, and they’re about $100 less than their older sibling.

            The most obvious difference between the 500 and 800 is that the 500 uses a breathable, water-resistant, high-stretch “XWR” fabric from the mid-chest area up, while the 800 uses the three-layer laminate Aroshell material throughout. Is one better than the other? Depends on what you’re after. With the lighter weight of the stretchy top fabric, you hardly know it’s there—yes, it’s that comfortable. And when the temperatures heat up, you’ll appreciate how cool it keeps your upper body. True, it’s water-resistant, not waterproof, but if it’s going to be a wet ride, then you’ll probably be wearing a spray top over these anyway.

            Knee and seat reinforcements are really rugged. Made from Zhik’s patented “Zithane” material, which Team AkzoNobel tested in the 2017-2018 Volvo Ocean Race, it’s lightweight and reduces the amount of stitching and seam taping in these prone areas. The result? Very tough, completely waterproof. 

            The front features a two-way zipper, with a large gusset behind, and, sticking with the minimalist theme, there’s only one thigh pocket.  Think about it. When was the last time you were carrying so much stuff that you needed multiple pockets?  $429.99 

The post Zhik’s New Doubleheader appeared first on Sailing World.

We’ve all been there—a regatta or practice session where you end up changing into or out of our sailing gear at the car.  The usual drill? Make sure you’re parked close to another car, open both the driver and passenger doors to create a bit of a shield on either side of you, and hope the gravel parking lot isn’t too rough on your feet. Then, scramble to get changed before the next group of gawkers wanders past. The good folks at Gill Marine decided it doesn’t have to be that way.  

Enter the Gill Aqua Parka and Changing Mat/Wet Bag.  First the parka.  Picture what NFL players wear on the sidelines on really cold days, and you’ll get the idea.  It’s a calf-length, waterproof and windproof zip parka, with a two-way zipper and hood. Most importantly, it has a generous enough fit that, while standing, you can easily reach under it to shed or put on clothes.  If you’ve ever done this with a towel draped around your torso, you’ll discover how much easier this is.  And with its fleece lining, you’ll stay plenty warm, even when wet—think early spring sailing.  The parka includes hand-warmer pockets on each side plus an inside zip pocket. Lots of other occasions where the parka could come in handy as well—basically just about any time you’re cold (and maybe wet) and need a quick warm up.

The Changing Mat is a novel idea, and again, way easier than just throwing a towel on the ground or balancing in a giant plastic tub.  Roughly 3 feet x 3 feet, it’s made of PVC fabric thick enough to smooth out even the roughest surfaces underfoot.  It’s puncture-proof, waterproof, and once home, hose it off and you’ll be set for next time.  It comes with a handy open-top waterproof Wet Bag with plenty of volume to hold the mat and the parka, or use it to stash wet gear.  Combine the parka with the mat/wet bag, and you’ll discover changing was never so easy.  Aqua Parka sizes S-XL, $180. Changing Matt/Wet Bag $48.95. 

The post Changing the Change appeared first on Sailing World.

I’ve been frostbiting since high school, where I first crewed in Interclub dinghies on Sunday mornings. In those days, I just wore regular spray gear. I didn’t know any better. Later, at Hobart and Williams Smith, I continued frostbiting, but they just called it spring season, and we wore drysuits from February through May.  

Lately, I’ve been frostbiting with an intrepid fleet of Sunfish sailors at the Barrington Yacht Club in Rhode Island—and still wearing a drysuit. I recently got a chance to check out Mustang’s Women’s Helix Dry Suit. What particularly interested me was that it is specifically designed for women. 

Let’s start with one of the most important parts—at least for women. First, a little history. At some point, drysuit designers started adding front “relief” zips for men, which was great for them, but didn’t help us at all. Then, the butt-hatch concept was born, allowing you to take care of business without removing all of your gear. Amazing! But the downside is that butt hatch zippers tend to make regular contact with the boat and so the zippers had a hard time holding up. And sometimes you even needed help from your friends to deploy the hatch. 

Enter Mustang’s “Helix” zipper, which winds from the right side, armpit area to the left hip. It’s really out of the way for the sailing I’ve been doing. If you take your lifejacket off, you can still go about your business without pulling off the sleeves or neck seal and do so unassisted. They clearly got the placement right. What this means for women is you can stay hydrated and therefore on your game all the time. I have heard of Opti sailors who were taught to just pee in their dry suits—gross. At the other end of the spectrum, I’ve seen college sailors refuse to drink water because they don’t know when they will have an opportunity to use the bathroom. No way any game should be played. 

Having worn a number of drysuits over the years, I’ve developed certain preferences. I like Gore-Tex booties (rather than latex booties) and latex neck and wrist seals (rather than neoprene seals). While neoprene may be a bit less prone to chafing, I’ve found that it stretches over time, and you end up with a gap at the back of the neck that water always seem to find. On rainy days, I’ve found neoprene tends to seep a bit—another bummer. With Gore-Tex booties and latex seals, the Mustang Helix checks all the right boxes. The latex is also trimmable, so with careful scissors work you can get them to fit just right. And there are fabric cuffs at the neck and wrists to protect the latex and create a snugger fit.  

I’ve been wearing Mustang’s Meris Bibs for a while, and I love the integrated kneepads. They are so low profile that I didn’t realize they were there until I knelt down the first time. You don’t realize how often you’re banging into things until the blow is softened by this glorious kneepad. Now I find it impossible to go without them. So, it was a pleasant surprise to find the same kneepads in the Helix Dry Suit.  Kudos to Mustang for recognizing a good thing!  There are adjustable tabs on the outside of the suit to help you position them just right, and if kneepads are not your thing, they are easily removable.  

Mustang also offers an awesome one-piece base layer that works perfectly with this dry suit, the Women’s Kazan Dry Suit Liner. Not only is it quite warm, but the waffle-textured fleece traps heat, not sweat—ingenious! And here’s a bonus—most drysuit wearers know there is nothing more irritating than when the top base layer separates from the bottom base layer, exposing skin to the dry suit. This suit solves that problem. While the Kazan Liner is one-piece, it has a built-in drop seat, but it’s long enough on the top that it will not become untucked. It’s basically an adult onesie that I’ll not only be wearing under my dry suit but around the house all winter long!  

Probably TMI, but I can attest that you can pee on the water with this dry suit and one-piece base layer combo—a sure test for any dry suit/base layer combo. $169.99.  Also available in a men’s version. The drysuit is made with three-layer “Marinespec BP” fabric.  Knees, seat and socks are 500D Cordura, making them beefy enough to resist abrasion.  $999.9

Women’s Helix Latex Gasket Dry Suit

Women’s Kazan Dry Suit Liner

Amanda Callahan is the Head Sailing Coach/Assistant Athletic Director at Roger Williams University.

The post The Ultimate Women’s Drysuit appeared first on Sailing World.

This is Gill’s top-of-the-line sailing glove. It has the same Dura-Grip reinforcement as its predecessor, but the coverage is expanded, going well down on the palm and up and over the fingertips, as well as a reinforcing band around the top of the thumb opening, which should lengthen the life of the glove. The only downside is that there is a little less feel at the fingertips—probably not a big issue unless you are trying to do fine tactile activities. Not a deal-breaker, as it’s pretty easy to just take the gloves off, if necessary. Rather than sewing the grip material flat onto the glove, as it was before, it is now integrated into sides of each finger, proving a more seamless transition that should be less prone to lifting over time. The other primary materials in the glove are as before—a proprietary leather-like material in color and texture called Proton-Ultra XD on the palm side and four-way stretch nylon across the back. The glove has been shortened at the wrist, improving watch access, and the Velcro wrist strap has been enlarged and now fastens on the outside of the wrist instead of on the inside, as was the case with the previous model. The larger size makes it easier to attach and the location minimizes the possibility of snagging. Both big plusses. We checked out a size large and it was a fairly snug large, so if you’re close to the top end of your size range, you might opt for the next size up, unless you prefer a really snug fit.

$46.95.

Championship Glove

The Championship model is a step down from the Pro in price, but shares many of the same quality and design features with its more expensive sibling—seamless Dura-Grip on the palm and up over the fingertips, the same four-way stretch fabric across the back, a shortened length for watch access and the wrist closure enlarged and moved to the outside of the wrist. The primary difference is in the use of the stretch nylon in areas where the Pro glove uses the more rugged Proton-Ultra XD. Think leather gloves versus fabric. Still, the Championship has reinforcement where you need it most, and it should perform comparably with the Pro. Tactile use at the fingertips is slightly better than the Pro, perhaps because the Dura-Grip is wrapped over thinner stretch material, whereas the Pro wraps over the thicker leather-like material. Again, not a deal-breaker. The Championship Glove runs a little on the small side, although not quite as much as the Pro, perhaps because there is more stretch material here, which gives a little more.

$36.95.

Helmsman Glove

Here’s a cold-weather glove that, while you could use it in other positions on the boat, is really is designed for what its name suggests. A Thinsulate PrimaLoft lining keeps hands warm during long stints at the wheel or tiller, something any driver will appreciate during the spring and fall or on the occasional chilly summer night watch. And when damp, it still provides warmth. The soft shell is waterproof and breathable, with a gauntlet-style cuff that can be worn over or under foul weather gear. The glove is secured with a Velcro closure on the outside of the wrist where it’s least likely to snag, and a stretchy drawstring around the cuff reduces water ingress. For improved touch-screen capability, there’s a suede-like material at the tip of the forefinger, eliminating the need to remove the gloves when changing instrument modes. Like the other Gill products, the Helmsman incorporates the brand’s rugged Dura-Grip on the palm and up and over the fingertips and thumb for when the helm might be called on to trim sails or grind. Sizing seems true, as the large proved a comfortable fit.

$54.95.

The post Gill Redesigns Its Sailing Gloves appeared first on Sailing World.

I’ve never owned an outboard of any kind, relying instead on my skills, which eventually get me back to safe harbor when sailing dinghies or the magazine’s communal 27-foot harbor booze cruiser. The unwritten rule is to not pass Point A or Point B. Factor in the tidal flow and wind forecast and I’ll be fine. No propulsion. No problem.

But here I am, on the early morning of November 16, clamping an ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Plus demo unit onto the back of my wagon-red O’Day Widgeon, a 12-foot, 200-pound sloop built in 1971. As I tighten the bracket vise screws, white gelcoat on the inside of the transom collapses in radiating circle cracks. The subtle crunching sound sends a memo to my brain: “Build a backing plate this winter.”

With both screws snug, I stand back to behold this intriguing piece of modern technology hanging off the back of a low-tech classic sailboat. Its blue twin-bladed propeller sits on the trailing point of the torpedo-shaped lower unit that houses the direct-drive motor. The slim 25-inch grey aluminum alloy shaft (the “short” model) terminates at the battery case, now empty. This regular-length model is a perfect fit for this little boat, with a transom height of 17 inches.

I retrieve the ePropulsion’s brand new battery from the car. I’ve had it on the wall charger for a few days (instructions say 8.5 hours to full charge), so it’s topped-off and fresh. I carry it by its big handle to the boat and slide it into its cradle. The battery is only 20 pounds, and according to its maker, Guangdong Epropulsion Technology, Ltd., it actually floats (there’s a video to prove it). A spring-loaded latch secures it in place. I plug in the metallic power cable connector, straighten the integrated folding tiller and hold the power button for a few seconds. When the display goes live, showing runtime hours remaining and wattage, I rotate the throttle toward me; there’s a pause and then the motor whirs to life.

“Wow. That’s quiet,” my wife says.

“Yeah. I think that’s the point,” I respond. “Pretty cool, huh?”

I turn to Mount Hope Bay and note its mirror-like state, reflecting a muted blue sky and high Cirrus clouds veiling the sun. “We’ll definitely need it,” I say with a chuckle.

The day’s adventure destination is the Kickemuit River basin, a wide tidal flat in Bristol, Rhode Island. I’ve always wanted to check it out. It’s famous in a Rhode Island sort of way; a mile at most at its widest point, tree-lined and shallow, but fully protected. It’s a perfect place for small-boat sailing, anchoring and hurricane-holing, but the kicker is there’s only way in from the outside: a sharply curved and narrow channel. When the tide is in full flow, channel markers strain against the rip, laying back with a gurgling wake steaming behind. Right now, the ebb tide is on the move and the wind is forecast to build from the southeast, ahead of one big final leave-stripping cold front.

We step the Widgeon’s rig on the trailer, pin it, bend the sails on and slip the boat into the bay. With no wind, we don’t bother raising the sails. We’ll let this $2,000, 3-horsepower electric outboard deliver us to our sailing grounds, where we’ll explore while we wait for the wind. We drift off the dock and I coax the throttle toward me. I hear a gurgling bow wake before I can even hear the whine of the motor below the surface. The thrust is noticeable and our takeoff speed is excellent. Seconds later, I’m at full throttle, doing 3.5 knots, according to the GPS readout on my Garmin Quatix Watch.

Water rushes past the hull, swishing and gurgling, our apparent wind whispers across my ears. It’s the sound of freedom; freedom to quietly explore and play on an empty bay, social distanced, breathing fresh air and escaping the anxiety of a pandemic, a contested election and the impending arrival of another New England winter. While at full speed, my wife and I carry on a conversation; we talk about our two kids that we’ve left at home with a promise we’d be back in two hours. She wishes she brought her binoculars because the silence of the outboard would allow us to ease closer to shorebirds without spooking them.

As we nose into the heart of the current, the shoreline view is slow to change. I look at my watch—1.5 knots—and then at the readout on the tiller’s LCD display. One bar is gone already from the dashed circle that illustrates my remaining power. It tells me I have an hour of run time left at this full-throttle wattage consumption.

According to the manufacturers specs, this ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Plus will give me one hour and 15 minutes at full throttle, five hours at half throttle, and 13 hours at trolling speed. But this is a Bay of Fundy kind of current we’re steaming into and there’s no escaping to shallow sides in this channel. It’s all deep water and it’s running fast, but the motor keeps doing its thing as the world passes slowly by. After a few anxious minutes of wondering if the current will win this power battle, we’re into wider water and our speed over the ground returns to normal.

Because the outboard is best mounted on centerline, I can’t hang the Widgeon’s rudder from its gougeons until we pick up a mooring to remove the motor and raise sails. I pull up on a small blue handle atop the battery casing and it releases the battery. Luckily, it fits wedged between the forward cockpit walls and the centerboard trunk. I remove the rest of the unit and gently guide it prop first into a small cuddy cutout and rest the prop on a lifejacket. The upper bracket is too big, so it sticks out. It’s not ideal, but it’s not bad either. It’s out of the way for the most part. I suppose I could have raised the 24-pound motor and slid the unit outboard on the transom to accommodate the rudder at the same time, but the Widgeon is transom heavy already, and I like a proper fore-and-aft sailing trim.

With the engine stowed, we raise the sails and set off downwind on a fresh southeasterly breeze which materializes as soon as halyards are firm around their horn cleats. We sail down and then up the river, my wife on the tiller and me staring up at the mainsail, its black telltales streaming off the leech against fish-scale clouds and empty thoughts.

We’re doing good on time and we have the current in our favor to push us back out through the channel and back to the boat ramp a mile or so south. We won’t need the outboard for the return leg. We’ve got this, easy-peasy.

Before we reach the channel, we agree to swap roles. I’ll drive us out, I say, and my wife happily agrees. The breeze is freshening fast. The cloud deck is now thick and grey. I take the tiller in hand, pull on the mainsheet and the moment I give it another tug to load the leech a touch more, the windward traveler fitting pulls out of the deck and soars skyward. The mainsail dumps and flogs.

“Uh oh,” I think to myself. “I’m not tacking out of the channel without a mainsail.” The Widgeon, we know, does not go upwind under a jib alone.

We spot an empty private dock on the near shore and reach straight to it. Crisis avoided, but before we even start taking down the sails, I state aloud: “Well, it’s a good thing we have the outboard.” And I’m not kidding. This two-hour tour could easily turn into a hate mission.

With our sails rolled and stowed and the ePropulsion mounted on the transom once more, we set off at full wattage, our bow pointed south with plenty of runtime left on the readout. Around the first bend, though, with the tide running head-on into the stiff breeze, the bay is not the placid surface it once was. The chop is steep, sharp and stacked. The only way forward is straight into it.

Those familiar with the O’Day Widgeon know of its chubby cheeks and flat rocker. It’s built for ponds and lakes, not this Southern Ocean stuff. With each pounding wave, the 50-year-old hull shudders, the aluminum mast flexes and the tired wire rigging goes limp. Wifey not happy. Neither am I.I can see the tall white-tipped pilings of the boat ramp in the distance, but between here and there are all white horses.

“It’s a good thing we have the outboard,” I repeat aloud, again, glancing nervously back at the LCD readout. We’re sucking wattage like a starving pig at a trough. “It says we have 45 minutes left. We’ll be fine, though.”We’re doing about 2 knots as I weave through the waves, trying to take them broadside. A few crash over the low cockpit coaming and fill the boat with cool seawater. I’m harboring a tinge of doubt, but once around another sharp bend in the channel, we’re able to flee to flatter water along the shoreline. I have no idea how shallow it is, but I’m not concerned; the outboard has a beaching pin that I’ve removed. Should we hit, it’ll pop up to prevent further damage to the prop and drive unit.

Once in the flat water, our speed resumes to a happy 3 knots, which seems to be terminal velocity for this particular Spirit 1.0 Plus/Widgeon combination. Eventually, I cruise up to the boat ramp’s tie-up dock; twist the throttle to neutral as I glide alongside and then twist the throttle the opposite way for the reverse gear. Yes—reverse in the tiller throttle. The boat drifts alongside gracefully, and I look at my watch to stop the tracking: 1 hour and 32 minutes.

It could have been hours—or days—more before we saw our children if not for the Spirit Plus saving the day.I don’t even need to ask my wife what she thinks of it. Her opinion comes unsolicited the moment she jumps onto the dock: “I love that thing,” she says, referring to outboard, of course. “You don’t have to give it back, do you?”

“I’m not sure,” I reply. “But I hope not. I will say, it sure is nice to have an outboard when you need it.” It only took this one trial to convince me an electric outboard is a no-brainer for small-boat sailing adventures. Yes, the piece of mind knowing it can help get me out of a pinch is one reason, but there’s also the obvious benefits: no gas, no mess or winter servicing. Best of all, though, there’s never any obnoxious engine noise spoiling the serenity, and that’s why we go sailing in the first place, right?

The post The ePropulsion Spirit’s Silent Power appeared first on Sailing World.

Gill’s Navigator’s Jacket is a no-frills coat perfect for fall or spring big boat sailing or just kicking around ashore when the temps are down a bit. We found it did a nice job down into the mid-40s, with a fleece vest underneath. Warmth is provided by a 100-percent polyester lining, and the elements are kept out with two layers of waterproof polyester—great for when your sailing takes you into the 40s and 50s. The jacket includes a lower back hem for added protection (sitting on a dew-covered deck, for example). It’s lightweight and breathable and includes a roll-away hood, adjustable cuffs and a zippered inside pocket large enough for a cellphone. $199.

A good compliment to the Navigator’s Jacket is Gill’s Waterproof Beanie. Just how much better can you make something as simple as a beanie? Try adding a polyester micro-fleece thermal lining to keep your head toasty, and then make it waterproof. We had a chance to try this out in sub-freezing temperatures recently, and it kept the pate nice and warm. $33.

The Millbrook Zip Tee is a lightweight, quick-drying tech shirt that does a great job of wicking moisture away from your body. Its high collar adds to the sun protection provided by the 50+ UV material and the zipper makes the shirt easy to get in and out of. $50.

Combine these three and you’ve got yourself a great three-part warmth system for fall and winter sailing or offseason boatwork. www.gillmarine.com

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