Sailing Gloves? Yea or Nay?

[hellosailor]

"In the days of wooden ships and iron men you weren’t really an able seaman until you could light a wooden match on the palm of your hand😀"
Yaargh! And whole heartedly so.

But when not sailing I can sometimes be found cracking safes, playing the violin, and, uh, handling things where it is appreciated that my fingertips are somewhat daintier than the Fantastic Four's Thing. Even my fingerless gloves (yes, you really can cut kevlar) help make that possible.

[Allied39]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

Is 65' Swan serious enough

Yeah, Teddy, stick it to im!

I dont use gloves and my boat wont fit in a tub.
But I suppose I am no man either because I hate shoes aboard unless it's cold...and I still hate them, just better than cold toes.

And as for PFD's, yup, when needed, however I once watched a guy go up to his bow to drop anchor.....wearing a PFD.....oh, man, I laughed so hard. The bay was like a millpond.

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by Allied39

And as for PFD's, yup, when needed, however I once watched a guy go up to his bow to drop anchor.....wearing a PFD.....oh, man, I laughed so hard. The bay was like a millpond.

I make it a rule on my boats that a crew member going forward to handle an anchor or mooring, as well as those handling lines as we dock, wear PFDs (inflatables are fine for that application). Many years ago, I had a crew member fall between the boat and a dock as we came in. The person broke their shoulder and damned near drowned. I don't want to ever be responsible for anything like that again.

[Allied39]

Originally Posted by Dooglas

I make it a rule on my boats that a crew member going forward to handle an anchor or mooring, as well as those handling lines as we dock, wear PFDs (inflatables are fine for that application). Many years ago, I had a crew member fall between the boat and a dock as we came in. The person broke their shoulder and damned near drowned. I don't want to ever be responsible for anything like that again.

So ya'll must be dressed up like hockey players then?....I mean there's a great many head injuries aboard boats by all manner of flying sheets and bits and pieces ESPECIALLY booms! How many folks know of someone that's been hit by a boom? Seriously. Quick, quick...helmets!
I heard of a guy fell over and scraped his knee.....quick, knee pads!
No, not for me. I think most of us know of a friend lost at sea for one reason or another, but if i took that as a must not happen again....well I simply couldn't go offshore again.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by jmschmidt

Glad to see most of you agree.

Hmmm, by my (really rough count) it's 28 for and 29 against. MARGIN OF ERROR + or - 50%

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Allied39

And as for PFD's, yup, when needed, however I once watched a guy go up to his bow to drop anchor.....wearing a PFD.....oh, man, I laughed so hard. The bay was like a millpond.

If you were wearing your pfd continually (and some of us do you know) they why would you take it off to go set the anchor?

It's sort of the reverse of the gloves thing...If you aren't wearing them in the first place (and why would you if you are just cruising along), then why would you put them on just to adjust the sheets?

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by Allied39

So ya'll must be dressed up like hockey players then?....I mean there's a great many head injuries aboard boats by all manner of flying sheets and bits and pieces ESPECIALLY booms! How many folks know of someone that's been hit by a boom? Seriously. Quick, quick...helmets!
I heard of a guy fell over and scraped his knee.....quick, knee pads!
No, not for me. I think most of us know of a friend lost at sea for one reason or another, but if i took that as a must not happen again....well I simply couldn't go offshore again.

Now, there is no reason to be derogatory toward the opinions and practices of others, nor to stretch arguments to the point of absurdity. I told you what I do, and I told you why I do it - and it is not because I had a friend lost at sea. I believe the Captain/operator of any vessel assumes a personal responsibility for the safety and well being of those aboard. I choose to take that responsibility seriously. You will make your own judgements and define your own practices - unless, of course, you are a commercial Captain/operator, then many of those practices will be defined for you.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

Hmmm, by my (really rough count) it's 28 for and 29 against. MARGIN OF ERROR + or - 50%

Hmmm, so I’m the only one who said nay? Could have sworn there were a few more .

I don’t wear gloves most of the time for routine line work. I occasionally where gloves if conditions get hairy. I do where gloves for warmth. And I often wear gloves when anchoring.

I always wear my my inflatable lifejacket while underway, but I wouldn’t wear a standard lifejacket. Comes down to comfort and ease of use. Mine has a built in harness, so that is always on as well. I do run jacklines and use tethers when we head offshore, are doing overnight passages, or if serious ugly weather is expected.

BTW, I don’t wear helmets or knee guards either.

[Allied39]

I don't know, is it fair to say it's absurd to apply the same rule to head injuries and the need to wear helmets?
I would say no. I have caught a jib clew in the head sailing onto mooring (huh, it happens) and I personally know of two other incidents where friends received a smack in the head.
If the question were asked of all the CF members do they know of many head injuries I dare say a majority would say yes.
So no, I don't think my comment could be reasonably termed "absurd".

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Hmmm, so I’m the only one who said nay? Could have sworn there were a few more .

Please ignore my silly comment Macblaze. I don’t know what I was thinking (as per usual ). 28 Yea and 29 Nay … nice split.

I also hate my auto correct. I see half my “wears” are “wheres” Grrrrrr

[Don C L]

Ah the safety issue... when I was younger, I didn't use gloves, though I had them... shoes, most of the time... PFD? never... harness? never... on a boat that had no lifelines...
I've been lucky. For me now, it is not just what might happen, but what MIGHT ELSE happen as a result of a lack of some minor piece of protection... in other words, what might also happen as a result of not having full function of my hands because of an injury a glove wold have prevented? What else might happen if I am not able to walk well because I shredded a foot or broke a toe on a deck fitting? etc...
And then there is the probability thing.. if you have never been hit in the head by a boom, you'll laugh at anyone suggesting a helmet.... if you have never heard a good swimmer being lost because his boat sank out from under him on a stormy day, or he was washed off a deck by a large wave, then you'll likely chuckle at the folks with their PFDs on. I used to. I don't anymore. I am not a safety freak, and I measure the need for the conditions... but now I measure against the yard stick of what ELSE might go wrong if I am not prepared... Someone else on the boat is depending on me to stay healthy... and present.

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by Allied39

So no, I don't think my comment could be reasonably termed "absurd".

I certainly wouldn't suggest that a serious discussion of wearing helmets under some circumstances would be unreasonable. The recognition of the risks inherent in serious head injuries has clearly changed the tenor of such a discussion. Many skiers and snowboarders now routinely wear helmets. Helmets are worn in various kinds of high performance sailing these days including skiff and dinghy racing. I would suggest that was hardly your point above when you referred to "Quick, quick, helmets!" and " quick, kneepads!".

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Allied39

I don't know, is it fair to say it's absurd to apply the same rule to head injuries and the need to wear helmets?
I would say no. I have caught a jib clew in the head sailing onto mooring (huh, it happens) and I personally know of two other incidents where friends received a smack in the head.
If the question were asked of all the CF members do they know of many head injuries I dare say a majority would say yes.
So no, I don't think my comment could be reasonably termed "absurd".

I wouldn't agree it is absurd, no... but there are folks, like me, who have had a bad head injury in the past and, as a result, I don't think I will tolerate the next one well, at all. I carry my old kayaking helmet on the boat. I haven't deemed the conditions right yet to warrant it, but I will not be embarrassed to pull it out if think I'll need it.

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

And if you watch a lot of youtube sailing (and unfortunately I do) it's usually the well-dressed noobs who sport the fingerless gloves. But maybe when I get a bit saltier I will want some?

Being from Maine, all I can add is that it depends on latitude and the month of the year. True story. Your nautical miles might vary.

[Maka]

Originally Posted by jmschmidt

Glad to see most of you agree. One guy said he uses gloves for everything but boat handling. My response is he must not be handling any serious boats. If you shun gloves, shoes or PFDs when boat handling the you must be talking about the boat in your bath tub.

This has to be from a guy who doesn't have a boat, has never sailed one, and doesn't hang out with people who do.


On my boat the rule is "PFD w harness whenever on deck and we are not anchored or tied to the dock." In other words: Sailing.

Shirts, shoes, gloves or anything else you want to wear or not wear is optional and your choice.


Personally I consider my 40' Ketch a "Serious Boat".