Why Vermont Flannel is a necessity on Lake Champlain

Sailing in Vermont is different than sailing almost anywhere else.

Lake Champlain is a freshwater inland sea, 120 miles long, bordered by mountains. Even on a warm summer afternoon in Burlington, a steady lake breeze can cool the air quickly. Add the shade of a gaff-rigged mainsail overhead and the natural evaporative chill that comes off the water. Suddenly you’re grateful for something soft, substantial, and warm.

Not just any blanket.

A high-quality Vermont flannel blanket.

We’ve found that flannel, real flannel, changes the experience on board.

High-Quality Fabric That Holds Warmth

Vermont Flannel is known for its tightly woven, brushed cotton fabric. It’s soft, but it’s hearty. It doesn’t feel flimsy. It holds warmth close to your body without overheating you.

On a two-hour sailing charter in Burlington, that balance matters.

You want to feel the breeze.
You want to smell the lake.
You want to hear the sails.

You don’t want to be shivering.

Wrapping up in a Vermont flannel blanket while sailing on Lake Champlain creates a cocoon, a pocket of comfort, without separating you from the elements. It enhances the sensory experience instead of muting it.

The softness of flannel against your hands.
The texture of brushed cotton.
The weight of it across your shoulders as you look out at the mountains.

It’s simple. But it’s elevated.

Comfort Upgrades the Experience

We talk a lot about the “authentic sailing experience” at Whistling Man. Authentic doesn’t mean rugged. It doesn’t mean uncomfortable.

It means intentional.

It means feeling the boat move.
It means connecting with the landscape.
It means being present.

And comfort allows presence.

When guests hold a warm flannel blanket close while watching the sunset behind the Adirondacks, they relax more fully. Conversations deepen. Phones stay away longer. The world quiets.

A Vermont flannel blanket on a Lake Champlain sunset cruise isn’t just a nice touch, it’s part of what transforms a boat ride into an experience.

Homage to Vermont Craftsmanship

There’s something poetic about the combination of traditional wooden aesthetics and classic Vermont textiles.

Our Friendship Sloops are based on an 1880s Maine design with a gaff-rig, sweeping sheer line, bronze eagle at the bow. They carry history in their shape. They are boats meant to be felt. The creak of blocks, the pull of sheets, the quiet glide once the engine cuts.

Pair that with a Vermont-made flannel blanket, crafted with the same commitment to durability and tradition, and the experience deepens.The softness of flannel against your hands, the texture of brushed cotton, the weight of it across your shoulders as you look out at the mountains. It’s simple. But it’s elevated.

Flannels. Boats. Mountains.

All three are built to withstand the elements.
All three are grounded in tradition.
All three are better when shared.

Vermont Flannel represents a piece of the state’s textile heritage: high-quality flannel shirts, blankets, and apparel designed for hard working people in real weather.

Sailing on Lake Champlain represents Vermont’s maritime history: working waterfronts, canal connections, naval battles, and quiet coves.

When you wrap up in flannel on deck, you’re participating in both stories at once.

You’re warm.
You’re grounded.
You’re in Vermont.

Flannels. Boats. Mountains.

It just works.