The forecast says 68 and sunny. You leave the house in a T-shirt. An hour later you are on a sailboat in the middle of the Bay, the afternoon breeze has filled in through the Golden Gate, and 68 feels more like the mid-50s.
Almost everyone dresses for the city. The Bay is a different place. Here is what to wear, from the top of your head to the soles of your shoes, and how it changes through the year.
Dress for the boat, not for the sidewalk you walked down to get here.
Why the water is colder than the city
Two things happen at once. The ocean off the Golden Gate stays cold all year, and the wind that makes the sailing good is that cold ocean air, pulled in through the Gate most afternoons. Out on the water there are no buildings to block it. Once the breeze is up, the Bay runs ten to fifteen degrees colder than downtown, and a moving boat makes its own extra breeze on top.
Our guide to how wind and weather work on the Bay explains the whole engine, and why July is cold and October is warm explains the strangest part of it.
Dress in three layers
The answer for every season is the same idea: layers you can take off and put back on, because a charter can go from sheltered sunshine to open, breezy water in ten minutes.
- Something comfortable underneath A T-shirt or a long-sleeve top. This is the layer you will be wearing when the boat turns downwind, the breeze drops away and the sun comes through.
- Something warm in the middle A fleece, a sweater or a light puffer. This is the layer that matters most, and the one people most often leave at home.
- Something windproof on top A shell, a rain jacket or any jacket the wind cannot get through. Warmth without a windproof layer over it gets blown straight out of you.
Head, hands and feet
The small things decide whether you are comfortable for the whole afternoon.
- A hat that stays on. A beanie when it is cool, a cap or a brimmed hat with a strap when it is sunny. A loose hat is a hat that ends up in the Bay.
- Sunglasses. Even on a grey day, the glare off the water is surprisingly strong.
- Sunscreen. The breeze keeps you cool, so it is easy not to notice the sun until the evening.
- Soft, flat shoes. Deck shoes or trainers with soft soles that grip when they are wet. Heels and hard soles make for a bad afternoon.
- One soft bag. There is storage aboard, but it is not a hotel room. A backpack or a tote squashes into a corner; a hard case does not.
Season by season
Summer: June to August
The coldest-feeling sailing of the year, which surprises everybody. Mornings are often grey, and the afternoon breeze is at its strongest. Bring all three layers and a warm hat, even if the city is warm when you leave.
Autumn: September to November
The warmest, clearest weeks of the year, and the easiest to dress for. Plenty of September and October afternoons are T-shirt weather for part of the sail. The breeze still comes in, often softer than in summer, so the middle layer and the jacket still come along. They just spend more time in the bag.
Winter: December to February
Cooler air, but often calm, with clear days between storms. The sun is lower and sets earlier, and the temperature drops quickly once it goes. Wear a warmer middle layer than you would in summer, add gloves if your hands get cold, and bring a hat. A rain jacket is worth having as your outer layer. If a front makes the Bay unsafe, we reschedule.
Spring: March to May
The breeze comes back and builds as the weeks go on, and by May the summer pattern has mostly returned. Dress as you would for summer: three layers, a hat and sunglasses. Spring sunshine on the water is brighter than it feels.
Getting wet
On most charters you will stay dry. On a fresh afternoon, especially out near the Golden Gate, the occasional splash comes over the bow, and the people sitting at the front are the ones who find out first. A windproof jacket that also keeps off water covers it. If staying dry matters to you, sit toward the back of the boat and ask the crew where the dry side is.
Plan your sail
If you only remember one thing: bring one more layer than you think you need. Nobody has ever been sorry they brought the extra sweater, and plenty of people have been sorry they did not.
Look over the fleet and the current rates, then ask us for a quote with your date and headcount. For directions to Pier 40 and what else to bring, see how to find us.