Team One Newport’s Martha Parker, who has been wearing and selling sailing gear for 60 years, knows what racing sailors want and need. As the retail partner of the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series, she selects the best of Helly’s new offerings to ensure your experience on the water and onshore is all about comfort and performance. Ahead of our regatta in St. Petersburg, we took a peek at Parker’s order sheet for the Series to learn what Team One will have available for us as we start a new season—what we see is great gear for great results. Let’s go shopping.
Versalite ½ Zip Top
Comfort is all about layering, and the midlayer is where magic happens. For climate control to happen inside your foul weather gear, moisture has to have a way to escape, and for this, Parker’s top recommendation is Helly’s new Versalite ½ Zip Top. It’s a technical, long-sleeved top with a waffle weave on the inside and a smooth face on the outside. The deep contours of the waffle, she says, trap air, which improves warmth and breathability so the shirt will never feel clammy against your skin. It’s an all-purpose layer for warm and breezy days, she says, but under foul weather gear it does the heavy breathing. “Think of your foul weather gear as the walls,” Parker says. “And think of this shirt as your thermostat.”
Foil Flyer Smock
For the “walls” that keep you dry, Helly has launched its new Foil Flyer Smock, which is an advancement of its high-tech Foil line. Wear it once and you’ll know why it gets rave reviews The fabric is incredibly lightweight and supple. “Buttery,” is how Parker describes it; it’s nothing like the stiff and crunchy fabrics of yesterday.
The Foil’s Helly Tech Professional fabric is a robust new four-layer construction, featuring a bi-component membrane sandwiched in the middle for even greater waterproofness and prolonged protection. The outer face layer is super stretchy, and the inner scrim, which protects the membrane, is silky smooth. The outer layer’s PFC-free water-repellent coating, used in lieu of banned water-repelling chemicals, effectively sheds water droplets, but it will need to be occasionally reapplied.
There are no shoulder seams, Parker points out, which are common leak points in foul weather gear tops, and the articulated elbow design minimizes fabric bulk in the sleeves. The smock’s high, quarter-zip neck gusset is offset so the zipper doesn’t dig into your chin, and when the gusset is unzipped, it fans open to ventilate. One great feature, Parker says, is the extended back panel with a neoprene and grippy waistband, which helps it stay put when bending over or hiking. There’s plenty of pocket action in this smock as well, with a chest pocket and a kangaroo pouch that’s easily accessible when wearing a PFD.
Helly’s Foil Flyer Salopettes
What pairs best with the Foil Flyer Smock, is Helly’s Foil Flyer Salopettes, which uses the same new four-layer Helly Tech Professional fabric. These awesome salopettes are loaded with features that dinghy and sportboat sailors will especially appreciate.
Start with reinforcements on the knees and seat, which Parker says are durable but not overly stiff. For excellent mobility, the stretchy upper panel does the trick and the knees are articulated to minimize bulk and excessive fabric in the folds behind the knees. Like the Foil Flyer Smock, the front gusset fans open for venting, and adjustable side cinch straps keep the salopettes above the waist. Thigh pockets have drainage and the ankle closures have both elastic and Velcro to get a snug fit around your ankles to avoid the dreaded flush.
Combine the Salopettes with the Smock, Parker says, and you’ve got yourself a legit high-end wet-boat gear setup that, when taken care of, will last many seasons.
Women’s HP Leggings
Now that we have our walls built, let’s take the conversation back to base layers, and here Parker is keen on the Women’s HP Leggings. These are all about fit and comfort, she says, with a high waist design and a half-moon stitch pattern over the backside, which ensures they sit securely on the hips. A polyester and elastomer fabric blend, she adds, has four-way stretch for unhindered movements and a snug fit. Flatlock seams prevent chafing. Parker says these leggings are excellent for warm, sunny conditions, but perfect as a thermal base layer, too. This is her go-to piece for sailing, perfect under shorts or foul weather gear.
Women’s Shine Solen
With a greater awareness of sun protection today, lightweight hoodies have become the fashion-forward statement of smart high-performance sailors. But hoods are often flappy and hard to keep fit on the noggin. With the Women’s Shine Solen half-zip sun hoodie, however, Helly has the ultimate design.
With UPF 50 protection, the elasticized hood on the Solen fits snugly around the face for maximum coverage, and thumb holes in the sleeves keep the cuff over the back of the hands—a common area for sun damage. The Solen’s raglan fabric sleeve material is smooth and less bulky, Parker says, and its shoulder seam design provides better mobility.
Viken SS Shirt
Now let’s take the action from the deck to the dock. For this, Helly has the Viken SS Shirt, which is made with a blend of organic cotton and polyester. Call this one a hybrid. The organic cotton part of the blend, Parker says, is what gives the shirt its soft feel. The polyester’s job is to extend the life of the cotton so it doesn’t wear out as quickly—plus it helps the shirt dry faster. For those who dislike the slippery feel of technical shirts, she adds, you’ll love the cotton touch.
