UV Protection Clothing for Sailing: Protect, Don’t Just Cover

UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor. Its measures how much ultraviolet radiation a fabric lets through to the skin. The measurement is taken in a laboratory, calculating the fraction of UV passing through the fabric. The classification follows international standards: in Europe, for example, the EN 13758 norm.

UPF and SPF measure different things: 

• UPF applies to fabrics and accounts for both UVA and UVB rays. 
• SPF applies to sunscreen and mainly measures protection from UVB, the rays most often responsible for sunburn. 

They aren't actually interchangeable. And for anyone who sails, the difference really shows. Sunscreen has to be reapplied around every two hours, and at sea sweat, spray and salt water dilute it easily. A garment with UV protection, on the other hand, holds the same shield for the whole time you're out on the water. 

UVA rays make up around 95% of the ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth's surface. They penetrate deep into the skin and contribute to its ageing. UVB rays act on the surface and are the main cause od sunburn, while UVC rays (the most harmful ones) are filtered out by the atmosphere and never reach us.

At sea, though, there's an extra variable: reflection off the water's surface. The foam of a choppy sea can bounce back around 25% of UV rays. Add the many hours on deck, and real exposure is often higher than it feels. It's one of the reasons many sailors choose long-sleeve tops even on the hottest days: not so much to cover up more, but to protect themselves better. 

The starting fabric matters more than you'd think. A white cotton tee offers low protection, which drops further still when wet. It might do for a stroll along the seafront, but it's not much use after hours in the sun at sea.

Technical synthetic fibres behave differently. Polyester, by its molecular structure, absorbs and reflects part of UV radiation, reaching far higher protection levels for the same weight.

The fibre doesn't work alone: how it's woven counts too. A tighter weave leaves less room for UV and raises the UPF. At the same time, it can turn out too warm and not breathable enough. And on a boat, under the sun, a garment that won't sweat escape becomes a hindrance. The challenge, then, is finding the balance between protection, breathability and comfort.

Some garments carry a protection built straight into the fibre. Others rely on surface treatments, which have the drawback of degrading with prolonged use.

Protection doesn't come down to the material alone. A sailing shirt, for instance, is worn in very different conditions from any ordinary sports top. 

That's why each garment's design comes from precise choices: 

• flat seams reduce chafing 
• long sleeves stay covered even during the trickiest manoeuvres 
• hoods are cut so they don't reduce visibility 
• fabrics have to dry quickly 

None of these design elements is purely decorative. Each one solves a real problem that comes up while sailing. 

Where do you sail?

Coastal, offshore, foiling and cruising all have different needs. A coastal race, for example, calls for lightness and freedom of movement, while offshore adds hours of exposure and shifting conditions. The sailing context weighs heavily on what you choose.

How long are you out for?

A few hours out and a month-long passage don't pose the same problems. Time is often underrated, but it has a big effect on how much sun you take on. 

Are you in direct contact with the water?

Anyone who practices foiling, wingfoiling or sailing dinghies is constantly in touch with the water and is used to getting very wet. That shapes the gear: you need pieces that dry fast and don't turn heavy once wet

Technical Shirts and Tees: The First Layer

The base of the system. They sit against the skin for most of the day and have to combine a UV shield with breathability and comfort. 

When you're exposed to the sun for a long stretch, especially in summer, the OD Tech Hooded T-Shirt comes to the rescue: it brings a shirt, a hood and a neck gaiter together in a single piece, for complete protection from sun, wind and water. 

UPF 50+ t-shirts: explore the full collection 

Technical Polos and Shirts: Protection Off the Water Too

The most versatile category. For those who move between time on the boat and time ashore, like the waits on the dock between one training session and the next. 

The OD Tech Polo SS and OD WS Tech Polo SS are ideal: made from a light, breathable fabric with UPF 50+ protection. 

OD Tech Polo SS: discover more 

Rashguards: Maximum Freedom While in Touch with Water

Close-fitting, quick to dry and leaving total freedom of movement. Rashguards are designed above all for dinghy, foil and wingfoil, where the body moves non-stop to keep up with the high speeds. 

Foil Rashguard: explore the full collection 

Hats and Visors: Completing the System

The piece that closes the system. The head, forehead and face are among the most exposed areas, and the least covered by clothing. Above all, a sailing hat has to stay put in the wind, keep visibility clear and never get in the way. 

Sailing hats: explore the full collection 

Rinse the garment in fresh water after every trip out: over time, salt ruins the fibres. Then you should use gentle cycles, low temperature sand neutral detergents, while bleach and harsh products are to be avoided. They can compromise the item's technical features.

No high-temperature tumble drying, and no direct sun for too many hours. Better to let the garment dry in the shade, somewhere airy, and put it away only once it's completely dry. 

Protection doesn't drop overnight: it fades the wear. A few signs help you tell when a garment no longer protects the way it used to: loss of stretch frayed fibres, badly faded colours. Fit counts too: a shirt stretched too tight opens up the weave and lets more harmful radiation through.

Looked after well, a good technical garment can stay with a sailor for many seasons. 

UPF measures how much UV radiation a fabric blocks, and covers both UVA and UVB. SPF measures a sunscreen and mainly concerns UVB. They're different systems and not comparable: a UPF 50+ garment and an SPF 50 sunscreen don't offer the same amount of protection.

Start from use: where you sail, how long you stay exposed and how much you're in contact with the water. Then choose the category. Always look for a certified UPF 50+, protection built into the fibre and a good balance between shield and breathability.

It depends on the fabric. Technical garments made for sailing generally keep good protection even in damp conditions, but performance drops if the fabric is saturated or stretched very tight. When wet, cotton may protect less.

At sea you need both. The garment protects covered areas consistently, while sunscreen protects exposed areas and has to be reapplied around every two hours. They work together, as a system.

An item with protection built into the fibre can perform well for years, if used and cared for properly. Protection fades with wear: frayed fibres, faded colour, thinned or over-stretched fabric are some of the signs to keep an eye on.

Not necessarily. Technical sailing fabrics balance protection, breathability and quick drying, so you stay covered without weighing yourself down. A technical long-sleeve top is often cooler than a short-sleeve cotton tee.