Seeing this thread on the 'front page' again, I had a rather strange Rip-van-Winkel moment. This is because, for reasons I won't go into but related to moving house, we have been off line for about 5 weeks, with no other access to the internet. I'm just catching up, and it's been a bit disorientating. Then I see something I wrote 7 years ago on the forum - and quickly checked that we are indeed now in 2015. Weird! Anyway, it's nice to be 'back', and I have to accept that the internet is now such an integral part of how we live that, like virtually everyone else, I've come to depend on it. Hrrrumph.
With regard to Peter T's contribution and something I wrote in 2009, for 'life jacket' read buoyancy aid, which I've always worn and frankly prefer - just a personal thing. During my Durdle Door 'experience' last summer my buoyancy aid was just the job, and I wouldn't have wanted to have been wearing something which tried to turn me on my back.
I have to say that I haven't worn my Fladen suit for some time. However "Cavatina' is now kept at Studland, Dorset, on an annual, not season only, boat park berth. This makes out-of-season sailing a real possibility, for which the Fladen outfit will be eminently suit-able.
Michael