Not all that long ago the last word in marine waterproofing was sailcloth coated with tar and some stout woollens. With no more protection than that, fishermen, sailors and explorers achieved the most astonishing feats of endurance in cripplingly bad weather conditions. Frankly put, extreme clothing was pretty rubbish.
As late as the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, sailors were still competing in flannel trousers and Guernseys. However, British sailor Keith Musto, who won silver at the games, was soon to upend all that by bringing
