Choosing the Right Sailing Jacket for Croatia in April

One of the things I quickly discovered while preparing for our sailing trip to Croatia in April is that choosing the right sailing jacket is not nearly as simple as it sounds.

At first I thought it would be easy. Walk into the Dinghy Show, try one on, hand over the credit card, job done. Unfortunately sailing jackets are a bit like boats — there are lots of choices, plenty of opinions, and everyone thinks theirs is the best.

So at the show I did what any sensible sailor would do. I tried on quite a few jackets, asked lots of questions, and listened carefully to people who clearly spend far more time getting soaked at sea than I do.

A number of sailors recommended Gill jackets, saying they were very waterproof, well made, and good value for money. Several people also mentioned that they hold up well when the weather turns unpleasant — which in the Adriatic in April is not impossible.

Another small detail that caught my eye this year was the colour range. Gill are producing jackets in gold and blue, which happen to be the colours of my company. That might sound like a trivial reason to choose a jacket, but if you’re filming sailing videos and taking photographs for a blog, a bright colour is actually quite useful. It also helps the safety boat spot you!

In the end I settled on the Gill OS2 Offshore Jacket in gold, which you can see in the photo above.

The jacket has several features that made it stand out:

• Highly waterproof and breathable fabric

• A high collar for protection against wind and spray

• Plenty of large pockets

• Adjustable cuffs to keep water out

• A bright colour that is easy to spot at sea

My thinking was simple. If we are out sailing in wind, rain and choppy seas for a day or two, the last thing I want is to be cold and wet. A good jacket won’t make you sail any faster — but it will certainly make the experience a lot more enjoyable.

Of course, I haven’t yet tested it in the Adriatic. That part of the experiment happens in April.

But if the weather does turn rough, I suspect I’ll be very glad I spent a little extra time choosing the right jacket.

And if nothing else, at least I’ll look suitably nautical in the photographs.