Just curious: Is there anyone sailing in drysuit during cold/early spring? Pros and cons?
I see kiteboarders using them where I sail. Why not windsurfers?
Thx

Hey Gregory,

I have both but always opt for the drysuit over the wetsuit (mine's a Kokatat). The nice thing about the drysuit is the flexibility it provides (so much more comfortable than a wetsuit) and the ability to layer under the suit based upon temperature. Drysuits are considerably more expensive, but in my opinion, worth the extra cost. Once you wear one, it's hard to go back to a wetsuit...just my two cents.

I agree with Paul . Kokatat are great drysuits. I have Oneil Boost for couple years and I am very happy with it. I use it all the time rather than wetsuit. Light, less tension on arms, windproof, no wind chills, drying very fast. It is not as baggy, you squize out any air from inside to keep it snug. I use Fourth Element layers under drysuit and it was always enough warm, sometimes too much. Will be nice if it has some better knee protection. It always build up some moisture Inside after couple hours windsurfing. It will expand your sailing season to almost all year, depend on how hands are cold.

Thank you all for your help and reco with this.

Here's where I am on this:
On one hand I like the idea of a lightweight, loose-feeling and breathing drysuit like the Kokata but I'm a bit paranoid with the idea that the suit could fail and water gushing-in would mean drowning or rapid hypothermia. I just don't know how much this kind of suit can be trusted.
On the other hand, wetsuit is a pain to put on and off, somewhat movement-constraining, but a little water sipping through the zipper or the collar during sailing is not the end of the world: it still offers insulation and is inherently buoyant.
I am sometimes the only one sailing where I am on Lake Michigan and can only rely on myself if some unfortunate situations arise (I.e. Injury, rig or components failure, etc.).

Also, my experience with O'Neil wetsuits is that their neoprene is super flexible, very resilient but lacks ankle straps because they are primarily designed for surfers. I sail with footstraps on the rails and water inevitably gushes in and can even expose skin by rolling up the leg-end ...not good. NPs are better that way but I never tried one that fitted right on me!

The Ion Fuse seems a bit overkill for the conditions I'm willing to go out (48-50 degree air and water temp).
The Ianovated wetsuit is interesting with the upper body that seems a bit looser fit but I can do without the hand warming thing.
Then the Dimension Dry/Wetsuit from Promotion is also nice and loose on top but the shoulder back zipper is super hard to close/open on your own (first-hand experience helping someone last year...)

Man, I've been agonizing over a warmer suit this entire winter.... gotta make a choice...

Oneil was/ is making kind of hybrid drywetsuit also - wetsuit legs and upper body drysuit.. see below
Understand and respect your concern about possible tear and hypothermia, specialy if sailing solo.. I feel the fabric is kind of sturdy and if water start leaking you feel the cold right there on that spot. Hope that the hole is not too big and you could get back on board quick enough. I usualy wear neilpryde windsurfing buoyancy vest over drysuit. It protect the ribs and I think It fit snug over upper body so possible cold water would not flow there quickly..

Oneil does service for their drysuit and repair cufs and check fabrick if you need so.

Oneill hybrid assault - I saw many windsurfers using it in Chicago
www.wileyski.com/product/on-assault-hybrid-drysuit/

From years ago our very own Juan making news in Waukegan in his O'neill hybrid drysuit. Yes that's snow on the ground. I think it was January!





O'neill hybrid drysuit




Now he's in Portland, OR. We miss you, Juan!

You got to love the sport to face this kind of conditions!
Thank you all for your recommendations. Haven't made a decision yet but I'm leaning towards a 5-4 wetsuit or a hybrid. One thing I like about my current 4-3 O'Neil is its roughness: entirely covered in jersey, the suit might take a bit more water than a smooth-skin but it is super resilient, the knee reinforcements are particularly indestructible. I don't spend huge amount of time on my knees in spiny bushes but I appreciate not having to worry about cuts and wear.
I just ordered a paire of O'Neill TB3 5mm booties. Will update when they arrive.

I ordered and received a 9 and a 10 of the O'Neill Psycho Tech 5mm TB3 boots and the 9 seem to fit the best. The 10 were too roomy in all direction but I wish the 9 had an extra 2-3 mm in length. I don't have curled up toes in there but my guess is that I'm probably closer to a 9.5. The ankle/forefoot strap holds the foot well against the heel of the boot which I'm guessing will prove useful when sliding my feets in the straps (that is an issue i have with Atan boots, especially after the material relaxes after 10-12 sessions). The TB3 neoprene of the O'NEILL is super flex but holds the feet well. Very comfortable.
I previously ordered (and returned) the RipCurl Flash Bomb 5mm and the NP Mission 5mm because the toe box was too roomy. I think the O'Neill fits narrow feet better - feels almost as good and barefoot as a fresh pair of 6.5mm Atan!
I'll see how they feel on the water as soon as the snow melts!

O'Neill Psycho Tech 5mm TB3 boot:
www.cleanlinesurf.com/o-neill-psycho-tec...round-toe-boots.html

Alright! I finally went for the O'Neill Psycho Tech 5.5/4 Hooded Chest Zip Wetsuit.
Bought it where I purchased the boots: www.cleanlinesurf.com
So, no hybrid wet/dry, no Kokata, ho hand-warmer, just a good-old traditional wetsuit. My 4-3 of the same kind is so comfortable, that after all, I didn't want to walk away from something that worked for me! The Super-flex TB3 neoprene is also what made me go for the O'Neill. It is pricey but the 10% off made it more acceptable. Still way-less expensive than a dry suit!
Again, thx for all the reco and advices! ...my Goya Bolt and I can't wait to hit the water!

O'Neill Psycho Tech 5.5/4 Hooded Chest Zip Wetsuit is a disappointment or am I a disappointment?

I’m back to square-1: that chest zip O'Neill didn’t work for me and it’s going back. The fit is right, the quality is as high as the price, but the issue is to get the suit out! Sounds (and looked) pretty ridiculous but I couldn’t do it: I couldn’t get my arms out on my own. I watched videos on how to do it but that made no difference. This just made clear again that I’m no 20 and that joints flexibility is a thing of the past. Got to go back to back zipper solution...