This level of flexibility is ideally suited to the racing community and Gill tells us that the fabric has its highest breathable reading ever.

Available in storm grey or mist the jackets are priced at £120.

It would seem the R&D team has been busy during this year as the company tells us it is launching its most comprehensive range of waterproofs ever during 2006.

It would appear the whole range has been redeveloped and the company is launching a totally new clothing system at London, but at this point in time the details are very firmly under wraps.

Global sales of Gill's waterproofs have increased by more than 40% since 2001, when the company made the move over to non-branded fabrics and introduced its yellow dot fabric classification system.

This increase in sales was, Gill tells us, achieved despite overall sales of waterproof clothing in the marine market not enjoying anything like this amount of growth.

With the company's 2006 catalogue being published in Japanese, Bryan Stewart, Gill's international sales and marketing manager, says: "As our business expands in this evolving market, we are delighted to support our partner in Osaka with a translation of the Gill 06 catalogue into Japanese."

It would seem that the racing products in the HenriLloyd range have been the focus of the use of a considerable amount of new technology. The 2006 range aims to combine conventional styling with weight saving, but the company says that the recent work undertaken with the BMW Oracle team has also led to new designs across much of the range.

The company's new GoreTex Ocean Racer jacket is not only new for 2006 but is also said to be 25% lighter than previous styles. The Gore-Tex Ocean Technology membrane now means the clothing does not need a lining. The material's strength and weight minimises wind profiling and prevents conductive heat loss.

With the 2006 range having Gore-Tex, Ocean Technology, Dartex storm cuffs, Riri Aqua Zip, Schoeller Keprotec tear and abrasion resistant fabric, Nanosphere Super DWR and Kevlar all listed in the information provided it would seem Henri-Lloyd has decided on the high tech route when deciding on the direction for new developments.

Safety and acceleration Helly Hansen, however, has chosen safety and acceleration as its themes behind the new Energy and Adventure collection for 2006. This range spans all areas of watersports as well as sailing, racing, powerboating and wave sports. The range includes, for the first time, a breathable Rigging coat - designed for kite boarders and windsurfers.

It was a little over a year ago that Helly Hansen launched its footwear range onto the UK market and the company says the range has increased business by 350% worldwide.

The main area of success has been the technical outdoor category, with the higher priced, feature-led products being the main drivers.

"We launched into a competitive new market, arguably overpopulated by brands and sub brands, " said managing director John Leaver. "Our strategy was to start small with a number of specialist water based models, creating a buzz in the sailing market, and then build to focus on major footwear retailers - hitting all leisure activities from water sports through to hiking, and incorporating street and beach lifestyle markets en route."

In an obvious attempt to build on this success the company has announced the Juell for summer 2006, a light and fast running shoe designed to give comfort and help the wearer excel in high-action activities.

The company describes Juell as a jacket for the feet, where the HellyTech fabric upper creates a bag around the foot. Other new products include what they describe as their iconic Hydro Power. This high performance, all-purpose watersports shoe is for warmer weather conditions.

The company has utilised the fabric technology from its clothing range and applied it to the footwear collection. The Hydro Power uses LIFA fibre technology, to move moisture rapidly away from the feet to keep them cool, dry and feeling comfortable.

One of the best known makers in the footwear area is Dubarry which has launched ExtraFit versions of its popular Shamrock and Ultima boots.

These new models are designed to accommodate wider calf muscles and the ExtraFit Shamrock and ExtraFit Ultima feature an expandable section of Lycra on the back of the boots. The boots provide an extra wide fitting, and the foot entry has been increased to cater for higher insteps, which is said to make the boots easier to put on and pull off.

Wick perspiration away Both boots have Gore-Tex lining to wick perspiration and moisture away from the foot and are made from water resistant leather - a hybrid between pull up and nubuck.

Dubarry's Annapolis boot is now available in new denim and red colourways and the lightweight, mid calf height, boot is, they say, fully breathable.

The Capri is a new style in the Dubarry Aquasport range.

The leather trainer features water resistant leathers that are designed to retain their softness and durability even after repeated wettings.

To ensure the trainers stay smelling sweet, the insole and lining has built in antimicrobial protection against bacteria and fungi.

An unappealing subject but important none the less.

Musto claims brand leadership in the international foul weather clothing market and says it has expanded in recent years to domination in other areas, notably marine casuals with its #1 range and the new Asymmetric collection for ladies.

Results for the year to December 2005 are set to show an 18% uplift, the company says. "The trend is set to continue" says Nigel Musto.

"But our development keeps faith with the core sailing fraternity at all levels of racing and cruising from round the world heroes, like our own Ellen MacArthur, to day sailors."

Musto also says its supremacy in the big boat scene continues unabated, capturing six out of seven of the Volvo 70 fleet, where crews will be counting on Musto HPX technology through the Southern Ocean.

And the development continues across the range, with the dynamics prevailing in today's most popular dinghy classes focussing the team on a new collection of neoprene-based products and associated garments that they claim is "very competitively priced".

"As a company, Musto are usually known for premium performance products at premium prices," says the company's new international sales director, Mike Todd. "In the case of the new dinghy range, we have sought to make an offet at prices which will please the punter and provide realistic margins".

Heavyweight marketing

Ina ddition, we're putting some heavyweight marketing effort in place, he added. "As well as advertising, there will be a dedicated catalogue, covering these and other dinghy products from our range, a strong PR programme, POS and pride of place on stands at all the major winter exhibitions - METS, Paris, London and Dusseldorf."

The introductions comprise six new styles that complement Musto's dinghy drysuit.

The breathable summer wetsuit in black and silver in sizes from small to XXL features 3mm breathable "airflow" neoprene, super-stretch panelling for extra comfort and flat-lock seaming to reduce chafing, plus "glideskin" arm cuffs, anti-abrasive seat, knee and shins for durability.

The breathable hiking pants share a similar specification and are also in black/silver in a range of sizes from JS (junior small) to XXL.

The short arm wetsuit and shortie wetsuit are also in a 3mm neoprene with superstretch panelling. Both feature a smooth-skin chest panel, flatlock seams and glideskin arm cuffs (also leg cuffs on the shortie) with anti-abrasive areas to the seat, knees and shins. Both styles are black/ silver and available in eight sizes from JS to XXL.

For the ladies and older girls, a a short arm wetsuit FW and shortie wetsuit FW can be immediately identified by the black/powder blue colourway in from eight to 16.

Musto says they are flatteringly cut with superstretch panelling for maximum movement and include a unique closure system with an easy-pull tab.

The associated Rash Vests have been designed to suit every member of the sailing family - men, ladies, boys and girls - and the feminine theme is clearly demonstrated by the printed floral panels on the powder blue, pink and black colourways of the junior and adult long and short sleeved vests.

In the ladies' colours, sizes include everything from JS to 16 and kids are also remembered in the unisex range with sizes from JS to XXL.

The fabric that Musto have sourced for the Rash Vests is 82% nylon/8% spandex made up with contoured seams and stretch, flat-lock seaming.

Musto's buoyancy aids for all sizes have been re-styled for 2006 and meet with international specifications approved by the EC.

Finally, says Musto, that other vital piece of safety equipment - good footwear - has also been developed as part of the new dinghy range with two new styles of dinghy boot with moulded or razor cut soles in two junior and five adult sizes to XXL.

"Our expansion is tuned to performance, " said Nigel Musto, who went on to tell BB more company shops are planned and expanded ranges of performance and casual gear are already in design development.