The problem with children...

[SeaJay]

Now, the problem with children is that they have this terrible habit of growing just when you can least afford it! I've just bought a new boat (SM6) to accommodate them (yes I know, any excuse), but we're now fresh out of foul weather clothing that fits. I've been horrified at the prices for replacement clothing in the usual places, and have struggled to find anything in the right size and of a reasonable quality for less than £120.

So, does anyone have any suggestions, or should I stop being a miser and put my hand in my (empty) pocket?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Chris
Flying Scot

[poachers lady]

With the comfort and well being of your young family at stake, I think there is a clue to the answer in your post. You write, ".....reasonable quality". Would you be satisfied if the quality of your anchor or mooring was merely reasonable? Lifejackets, the hull of your boat? But I am sure someone will come up with a compromise best value suggestion.

Happy sailing in your new boat.

[rogerball0]

Have you looked at Toggi's range of outdoor gear, link below, my brother has the 'coast to country' suit and was very impressed by it, not at all dear iirc.

http://www.toggi.com/acatalog/Toggi_Coa ... untry.html

Failing that go secondhand via ebay.

cheers

rog

[Hot Ayre]

We bought something similar to these: http://www.compass24.com/product/106710 ... astel-tech for a two week charter cruise thinking that at the price they'd be worth it if they kept us warm and dry just once on the trip. They're still going strong and, though mine just about started to leak when sitting in a puddle with seawater coming straight at me on a rather wet Sigma between Mallaig and Skye, are much better than expected. Warm, dry, practical; I even wear my jacket when shopping in winter darkness so the traffic can see me (good retro-reflective patches)! Daughter banned me from wearing it in the city in her company, though!

[Vegable]

It depends on what kind of sailing you are going to do. We had (still have in fact) 4 children and we sailed out of Arisaig (near the Isle of Skye) for near enough 20 years with the youngest child being 4. When it was very wet and miserable we didn't go out and we certainly never went out in anything above a F4. With that sort of sailing in mind we had cheap plastic yellow waterproof suits and welly boots for them costing around £20. Having super breathable waterproof fabrics isn't really necessary for the type of sailing most of us do and cheap commercial fishing gear clothing like "Guy Cotton" is far more practical. If you're racing then that's a different matter as you are working hard winching all the time, but I doubt that children will be doing that.
I have see Aldi and Lidle having "Musto" type sailing gear on offer around this time of the year and have seen good reports about them.
Having said all that I do like posing in my matching Mustos though. Now the kids are in their 30s they buy their own stuff!
Mike

[Hot Ayre]

I spent my childhood messing about in small boats on the west coast in lightweight Peter Storm waterproofs and those great yellow plastic oilies (and lace-up yellow lifejackets - remember those?). Nowadays, however, I prefer waterproofs that don't leave you as damp on the inside as on the outside and my Compass ones are lovely and cosy in the hebridean summer weather! (eg 2 week cruise in June with only one day warm enough for shorts and t-shirt!!). Somewhere I have the official 'Midsummer's Eve' photo of us in the cockpit with only eyes and noses showing - the rest fully swathed in wet weather gear!