For winter sailing I wear a ski jacket and overalls. I buy mine from the Salvation op shop, they are normally about $15 for a good jacket. I keep one full set stowed away onboard in case I need a warm dry set of clothes to change into or sleep in. The only down side is the colours and colour scheme of some of these. The set onboard is a lovely lilac colour! The pair I wear are green and gold on white, superb quality made in Japan. Feel a bit like Liberace
when I'm at the boat ramp launching the tender, does not matter at sea.

Aldi have good gear sometimes. I also peruse eBay for those $1500-2000 jackets but they don't appear often.

Stick with the Burke factory Outlet at Rydalmere. The Burke Southerly will cover you when the weather turns. Other brands have all types of different styles for inshore, offshore (and usually at higher prices). Unless you really understand what you are doing and have a specific and dedicated purpose you will otherwise end up with a collection (been there!). I now have the original cheapie that never leaves the wardrobe, a jacket I now use for day sailing and going to the football and the Burke Southerly I now use. It has the pockets in the right places, sufficient cover over the head (wait till a wave breaks over you and you will soon find out) and is waterproof and breathable. I am not knocking the equivalent offshore offerings in other brands only that they are out of my price range and their cheaper styles of equivalent pprice to the Burke, I have found to my chagrin, do not have the same capabilities as the Burke.

Check out the prices on-line also. There is a Gill distributor/outlet at Brookvale, A few years back I was after the Gill OS1 (really nice kit BTW). Ended up buying it online from a place in Melbourne but actually drove down to Brookvale to pick it up as it was cheaper than the Gill "outlet" price and saved on the postage as well.

It's all about layers. My second best clothing investment is a Sharkskin base layer. It has a thin fleece lining and then some fancy breathable stuff layers, keeps you really warm. Even got the booties for nice warm feet. I originally bought the Sharkskin for sea kayaking; used under a cheapo spray jacket for winter paddling which also works really well. The sharkskin is like an above water wetsuit that breathes, it also dries really quick if you get it soaked.

Next layer is a polar fleece type top that dries quickly; and finally the OS1 outer layer. Nothing better for offshore winter overnight races! I hate being cold.

Around the SOPS cans in summer; I have a Bourke Coastal Jacket and Musto coastal long pants. They spend 99% of their time left in the bag at the dock, but they are well suited for that kind of thing.

If you are looking at ski type gear, ensure you go shell type stuff and simply layer up for warmth. I couldn't imagine anything worse than a wet thick soggy big heavy ski jacket that needs a climate controlled drying room to dry out.

The modern ski stuff is the light weight breathable stuff like the 2 grand sailing gear, just cheaper from the op shop. While I have bought numerous wetsuits from the op shop I have never seen yachting there. Brings too much on eBay. The Aldi bike gear is another source.

Get the best you can afford. I have Gill Offshore 1 jacket and pants. On a recent trip had to go forard to sort out a prolem with the headsail furler. helmsman said i just disappeared under a wave that came over the bow. Came out of it completely dry inside. Cant recommend them enough.