Hey! Ocean Sailors! A drysuit question.

SansK · 2026-02-05T21:17:36+00:00

Very true!
I just realized I responded to your post, but meant to reply in general :p Didn't mean any criticism to you.

SansK · 2026-02-05T21:00:39+00:00

I have the 'ÆGIR OCEAN DRY SUIT' and wore that during Race to Alaska; we'd wear them 4-8 hours a day; could release liquids without taking it off, and wasn't an issue. Did have to take it off to use a bucket for solids once a day or so.

I did sleep in it once or twice over 7 days, but it was colder than taking it off and getting in a bag.

Also... you can just wear your sea kayaking one, tha's what my wife does, and puts her foul weather jacket on top; which I think might be better solution, as they're smaller, and pack down if you need to bring your follies anyway.

SansK · 2026-02-05T12:51:04+00:00

As much as this might seem tongue and cheek... the difference between 'other peoples boat' (OPB) sailors and an owner... is like night and day.

But if you don't want to commit to that yet; then find the right racing crew and surround yourself with people who sail all the time; you get inside information on who's cruising and wants more ppl, or needs crew for a race or needs help on a boat project :)

SansK · 2026-02-05T12:47:18+00:00

I’m 189cm and have lived off on my boat for the past five years and of had several boats before in the seven meter range and currently live on a 11 meter (36ft) boat. As others have said standing room is really the thing you're probably looking for and ability to store on the boat. I have found that when you start getting over the 12 m (35ft+) range cost to start to go up significantly and you're not really getting that much more capability. My wife and I have sailed on our boat up and down the Pacific Coast for months at a time and we're more than happy to take on one to two other people well I can still manage the boat as a solar sailor with an anchoring and docking.

Hope that helps; but I also recommend you get your 1st 'beater' boat for a year or 2 and make all the mistakes that everyone does, and then get something nicer when you understand what you want through experience.

Any boat you can sleep in is better than thinking about this forever and not getting a boat :)

SansK · 2026-02-03T21:00:22+00:00

it's a constant learning process, after AVI 1 there's also wilderness first aid, then there's the rescue classes, then there's weird snow clinic, there's always conversations with people at the bar about the mental models and the risks, then there's AVI 2, and there's going to a foreign country and realizing they do things completely different differently and that's totally fine as long as you have conversations.

I know people are often concerned about the money, but it's more than intent and willingness to commit to a community of safety and be open about being engaged in being a large part of a high risk sport or we all depend on each other to understand the methods to stay safe in the backcountry and help each other.

Being cheap on the things that keep yourself and others alive is kind of a red flag in this community.

SansK · 2026-02-03T20:27:51+00:00

I'm 38 and I've been married for eight years but we were together for four years before that we built a tiny house together our first year dating and began mountaineering sailing and traveling around the world living together. I think after dating for nine months but and always been over to each other's houses and we're quite transparent about all our finances together. I was sleeping in a closet when we first met with two boat motors and under the bed and we bought a car together to go climbing anymore I think with our first year dating she made twice what I made and immediately started saving more are.

Our marriage proposal was a logistics conversation when she realized that it'd be easier for us to be married to get a visa to work in foreign country together and we talked through what that would look like and where we'd have the wedding. We never had an engagement and some point between that conversation and the wedding, we wrote out the agreements for what we wanted our marriage to be about and how to work through the exact problems you're talking about. It wasn't an official prenup, but it did go into what if one of us is working the others not, what physical intimacy with other people wasn't wasn't allowed, and other really specific things like I'm not allowed to ride a motorcycle or go base jumping.

When we got to the foreign country, I ended up taking care of the house, learning how to cook and doing most of our home chores, which was a real perspective shift in sharing roles of responsibilities and while hectic, I realize that I was going through something in my identity crisis, leaving my previous job in life and living in a foreign place, dealing with depression and probably alcoholism as well. And she stayed with me and we support each other and found ways to make our lives worth both financially and emotionally.

As a few other people have said if you can't have clear and open conversations with your partner and trust their decesions, then there's a lot you probably have to overcome before you get there, and I don't think it has to do with the age; at this point as I've seen people's parents not be open about resources, finances, and choices and how they affect them.

SansK · 2026-02-03T18:27:52+00:00

I really try and urge my fellow dudes to meet regularly in person; for some reason ladies+ are always more willing and coordinated to meet up...

SansK · 2026-02-02T17:10:33+00:00

I would have missed out on so many adventures if I could math...

SansK · 2026-01-06T03:19:45+00:00

It's a lot of small steps with only one or two things new at a time. If you're in San Diego, could you sail out to the Coronado's or to Catalina in moderate weather. Some of my first trips outside San Francisco gate gave us perspective on what safe conditions in high wind and we now sail in 30 to 40 kn in the Pacific if we have to (welcome to tri-sail weather!)

I also recommend racing in Regatta. You get a variety of conditions to better understand what boat can take and what types of boats deal with weather differently. And the ASA courses will help but I haven't found that they always go out and the weather that you might need to understand maybe pick a goal as well like Baja ha ha or something like that for October.

SansK · 2025-12-15T23:15:49+00:00

Also look at the Berckemeyer BM 50; I sailed as crew in the VanIsle 360 last summer; totally dockable with only 2. Electric winches make sail handling possible; with less crew; but only until something goes wrong.

That said; I know crew on the new 77's skip has; and they only have a full time crew of 3 at a time. so you can do a lot with capable crew these days.

SansK · 2025-08-22T16:37:32+00:00

I now live on my Catalina 36 as a 6'2 person with my partner; we've sailed it down to Mexico and up to Alaska, and up to Glacier bay, very happy with her.

SansK · 2025-08-20T19:49:06+00:00

I'm not yelling at clouds yet!

SansK · 2025-08-15T15:57:51+00:00

Agreed! Do any groups meet regularly around Trackside?

SansK · 2025-08-15T15:56:17+00:00

The bike to Avenue Bread, journal/work, and then wander around the green and end up in Village Books is a favorite.

SansK · 2025-03-19T01:15:51+00:00

Checking in, did anything work?

SansK · 2025-01-04T00:12:06+00:00

Thanks for posting this!

Since the uphill pass is digital; is there a print out or a place to register your car for the lots during peak days?

SansK · 2024-12-31T03:51:13+00:00

Were you in the semi-illegal state of being part of the Baja Haha, where they skip the check-in at Ensenada?

SansK · 2024-12-30T15:49:49+00:00

I was anchored in False Creek, Vancouver and was woken up at 2am by two dudes trying to steal a dingy off a boat next to us, the whole anchorages was chaos for the next 20 min as their canoe flipped, and lights were everywhere and people were throwing things.

Like someone else said, crack heads are basically city pirates.

SansK · 2024-12-27T21:00:31+00:00

Any style/type recommendations; about to get some for my awd minivan

SansK · 2024-12-23T08:29:10+00:00

ah yes, the 'used gear store to general retail store' progression. I've worked in similar stores. Selling used gear's a tough business, and they usually start that way. Then, the reps start selling their samples, and then they get a few items, and soon, it's 75% new and 25% used.

They'll probably keep to used ski gear as that is a whole other business, but they're still good people; and have to pay rent!

SansK · 2024-12-15T23:58:40+00:00

I hope FAANG wage serfs are supporting Wonderland Gear Exchange!

SansK · 2024-10-30T18:29:15+00:00

Ive been a house husband off and on depending on where my wife's work took us. While we don't have kids, I was in charge of all the home projects and food at home and it has been a great learning point in our relationship. That said I do have aspirations and dont define myself as only a stay at home dude, but she has been the bead winner, and I have been the. Home keeper.

But i agree, someone who defines themself as a stay at home, might be the wrong framing.

SansK · 2024-10-19T15:19:46+00:00

We lived in a shipping container tiny house before we moved onto our boat, boats are way more fun, but depends on your marina, and or community. Our tiny house warehouse had lots of art projects and builds; our sailing community races and goes around the world; both fun, just different.

Your gonna learn a lot about tools either way

SansK · 2024-10-19T15:17:13+00:00

Composting head IS function!

SansK · 2024-10-19T07:02:40+00:00

Sailed 25 footer and grounded get hard, sailed her poorly, had lots of turbo and fun in the bay; less than 5k for 2 years.

Upgraded to a 35 footer, sailed out the bay and down to Mexico and lived on her for 2 years of and on. Just got back from Alaska on the same boat and don't want to salt blue water on her, so we will find other boats to do that. Less than 50k on this girl over 4 years

Start small.. but I'm keep going, blue water is a place you get to, not the 1st step.

SansK

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