Summer has well and truly arrived and the thermals are packed away. Time to don your shorts to feel cool and free onboard. Seasoned sailor Duncan Kent picks 6 of the best pairs

Sailing shorts are essential for summer cruising and there are hundreds to choose from.

Some are casual, with a smart cut for evenings in the yacht club.

Others are more for performance sailing and feature stretch fabrics, roomier fits and clever pockets with secure zippers or seals.

The latter are often either water-resistant or quick-drying, so you don’t end up sitting in soggy shorts all day after an early foredeck soaking.

Mesh pocket linings and corner drain holes also ensure you don’t end up with pockets full of water.

Look out for the machine washable sticker too, as it can make life a lot easier when you get back home.

Performance shorts will usually have reinforced seats as well, to resist the constant wear from rough, non-slip decks, along with strong belt loops for hanging items like knives or handheld VHF sets from a belt.

Many suppliers stock matching designs for men and women in a wide variety of sizes and colours.

These inexpensive but smart-looking Bermuda shorts are both practical and hard-wearing.

Made almost entirely from machine washable (@30°C) 265gm/m² cotton for excellent wear characteristics, they also feature six handy pockets, including two with zips for security, making them ideal for everyday use onboard.

Available in five colours and all standard sizes/fits for men and women.

Helly Hansen’s cargo shorts are made from quick-dry ripstop fabric that ensures total comfort even after a good dowsing of spray.

The 92%/8% Polyamide/Elastane blend means they stretch when you do but can endure endless hours on the weather rail without harm if needs be.

For comfort they sport a gusset, zip fly and a single flat button fastener at the waist, and there are belt loops too.

The two mesh-lined cargo pockets have concealed snap closures and there are two hip pockets plus a zip-secured back pocket.

Men’s and women’s sizes/fits available, with a choice of colours.

Made from a fast-drying Polymide/Elastane blend, these stretch material shorts are ideal for active sailing.

With two side pockets, two cargo and two rear pockets, there’s plenty of places to put necessary items, plus belt loops enable other items to be hung from the waist.

Both the men’s and women’s Evolution shorts have a gusset crotch, zip fly and flat button waist closure.

A full range of sizes is available with a choice of two colours, Stone or Navy.

Made to Musto’s BR1 rugged wet-weather gear standard, these shorts are ideal for use on wet decks in fair weather.

A reinforced seat panel enhances durability, while a tricot brushed mesh lining provides impressive next-to-skin comfort.

An elasticated wait and gusset crotch add to the comfort and help provide a tailored fit, while the taped seams keep you dry when the spray hits.

Available in most standard sizes and in two colours to complement the BR1 jacket.

These quick-dry, lightweight deck shorts are made from stretch fabric and cut for active use and comfort when seated, whilst the Nylon/PU combination of materials ensures they dry as quickly as possible.

They have a large, drained cargo pocket on the right leg and the hand pockets are made secure with hook and loop fasteners.

Belt loops and a snap secure waist are also provided.

These budget men’s shorts are made primarily from a light, breathable fabric except for the seat area, which is a much more durable 207g/m² fabric to resist wear.

They are stretchy enough to allow easy movement around the decks when sailing and come with four zipped pockets, one of which has a protective flap and contains a smartphone compartment.

These shorts, which are supplied with belt loops and a canvas belt, are available in a range of regular sizes and in three popular colours.

Forclaz also has a women’s range of shorts suitable for sailing

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