Expert tips for sailing in cold weather

Our friend Martha Parker at Team One Newport says there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad sailing gear, but as Andy Rice reports for Yachting World, there are people that embrace the misery:

Unlike most of us, Bob Beggs seeks out extreme cold and is currently planning his next yachting venture into the Arctic Circle. “When I was in the Commandos I did 10 winters up in the Arctic Circle in Norway, and quite a bit of time in Northern Canada, and I must admit I enjoyed the cold climates and the challenges it brings.”

Which is why Bob is the ideal person to ask what the rest of us should do when we’re faced with cold conditions on board.

His experience from skippering non-professional teams in the Clipper Race is that you design everything around minimizing exposure to the worst conditions and keeping as few people on deck as you can manage, without compromising the handling of the boat. – Full report