In general, fishermen wore very heavy clothing similar to that worn by sailors from northern Europe. They were exposed to all types of weather, during the day and at night, and it was essential that they stay healthy because they were irreplaceable. They needed clothing suitable for cold, humid conditions.

Fishermen from Normandy (Figure 10, c, d, e), who stood in barrels, wore an old hat or a cap. In good weather, they put on a shirt, a short cloth vest or a wool vest made of a type of ratine with a long uncut pile. They also wore wide knee-length pants made of wool into which they tucked their vest or shirt (Figure 12).

When it was really cold, they put on a hooded overcoat (Figure 10, e) or a sleeveless hip-length coat (Figure 12, B), and calfskin or sheepskin pants. The hairs or wool on the clothing were on the inside to provide warmth. During periods of rest, the fishermen spent some time treating their leather clothing and footwear with tallow and fish oil to keep them supple and waterproof.

Fishermen donned a large leather apron to keep their clothing clean and dry. To protect their arms and hands from the cold, many had cloth or leather sleeve protectors that extended over their hands. When it was hot, they rolled them up and left their arms bare. If there was an abundance of fish, they wore only a shirt. They also wore mittens made of frieze to keep their hands from getting cut.

Most fishermen from Normandy wore wooden sabots. Some had hip-length boots. Others had lighter boots that came up to the knee or just above it (Figure 12, B). Their footwear was adapted to slippery surfaces that were often wet and covered with fish scales. The soles and heels were hobnailed.

The salter almost always wore canvas but did not wear an apron. He had multi-layered leggings of tarred canvas (Figure 13) and sometimes protected his hand with a leather mitten. Like the rest of the crew, he wore sabots, shoes that were suitable for working in wet conditions. Sabots were clunky, but they did not prevent the salter from going up and down ladders between decks or doing his work on board the ship. ⁹³

The fishermen also needed a change of clothing. The captain had to ensure that everyone, especially the apprentices and the boys, was properly dressed because if the men did not have clothes to change into when they were wet, they would become ill. If that happened, they would not be able to work, would require care, and their illness might be transmitted to the rest of the rew. ⁹⁴