Naked Sailing - Truth or Wishful Thinking ?

[sarafina]

*sigh*

if only...but in San Francisco bare boat sailing would lead to sunburn and frost bite all at the same time...

oh for southern climes.

I think on a hot day I would strip down if off shore, but prolly at anchor, if others were around, I would keep the bare minimum on... oversized tshirt and sandals maybe? I have hung out in a towel wrapped around sarong style after scraping the hull, but I don't think that counts as bare. I wouldn't be bothered by others going bare.

[RABenko]

We sail most of the summer season in our birthday suits in the Chesapeake Bay. We are careful to keep the sunscreen going from 10 a.m. til 2 p.m. Our cockpit is covered by the bimini year round so time in the direct sunlight is little. That reflected off the water provides a very nice all-over and seamless tan.

We have a flotilla of like-minded sailors and often raft up in secluded coves and rivers for socializing and skinny-dipping. We keep the more intimate activities strickly below deck.

Those who feel that naturism is only for the young, buff and beautiful don't know what they're missing! The comfort can't be beat ... as others have pointed out, keeping your parts out of winches, blocks etc. is no harder than keeping other parts safe as well.

Thank you to those who don't wish to participate, but don't mind while we do! We don't flaunt it and keep to ourselves and our own kind.

[Mark Johnson]

Everybody I know who has cruised the tropics, & has a good bimini, generally do so naked or close to it. In an anchorage however, if your neighbor is closer than 150', we just hunker down in the cockpit so as not to offend others... At least untill they're walking around naked too.
Mark

[Sandero]

I think that one should be comfortably and tastefully attired for the occasion. When it's super hot and we're out sailing with no one around, I don't see that sailing naked or with undies or swim trunks or something minimal is inappropriate. And if it's blazing hot, why not?

On the other hand in port or near other vessels it's really a bit exhibitionist and selfish as your bod becomes part of their scenery. Sure everyone likes a beautiful image in their field of view, but here again discretion is the better part of valor. YMMV

[anjou]

Gosh

I had forgotten about this thread.
A lot of water has passed in 12 months.

[MarkJ]

I would like to inform the female members of this community who may, at some stage, relish a cruise on this boat that I remain fully attired when at sea. And at anchor. And in public.

Further I do not wear a captains hat/cap or beanie.

[anjou]

Slip, Slap, Slop eh Mark?

Lets be careful out there.

[markpierce]

No. I don't want the sunburn and subsequent cancer.

Nothing seems to age women faster than heavy tanning. Do some women, who were once beautiful, feel leathery/wrinkled skin is attractive?

[SaucySailoress]

Has this thread changed title?? Strange...

My mate burnt her boobies this weekend! Haha. She didn't think it was funny!

[Tallswede]

Studies have shown that those who slowly build their tan actually have less incidence of skin cancer. Developing more pigmentation helps to protect you. Trying to get tan all at once and burning makes it it more likely you will have trouble. There is such a thing as too much sun though and leathery skin can be a symptom. Wife and I like to feel the wind and sun naturally but take care not to stay in the sun too much. Summertime on the Texas Gulf Coast with the heat and humidity, it makes no sense to wear clothes if you don't need to. Stay under the bimini and stay cool!

Kevin

[ViribusUnitis]

Ya'll really feel that no clothing keeps a person cooler than proper clothing?

I've grown up working outdoors, and was always instructed to wear a long sleve shirt, and long pants to "stay cool". And I dare say that it works. A long sleve, LIGHT colored, light weight cotten shirt and pants works very well to keep a person cool. The sun first hits the cloth, some of the energy reflects of the light colord fabric, and the remainder of the heat is blowen away in the wind. If your bear skined, the sun hits the your skin, all of the energy is absorbed, and makes you hot.

Usefuly, you can also make light clothing damp, and the evaporation will help to keep you cool. It doesn't take much freast water or sweat to make a shirt damn, and help cool a person off.

Only reason that I can see to avoid wearing clothing is when your going to get completely soaked. The clothing tends to stick and chaff in an annoying mannor. That goes double if your going swiming in salt water.

Then again, my wife thinks I'm crazy!

[Joli]

Doesn't everyone on some occasion sail sans clothing? During nice weather we tend to use the outside shower in the aft cockpit and that is generally done in the nude.

[boatman61]

All sailing Nh & Sth of 40 is done naked if the weather permits and I have compatible/like minded crew... otherwise its the barest minumum to be polite.......... . Must confess tho' at anchorage it depends on the boats around and their proximity.... if they're bollox nekkid I'm the same.... if not then....

[Tallswede]

Viribus, if I'm sailing my little Sunbird (which has no bimini) it is better to wear clothes just like you said. When I'm on a boat with a bimini it's much cooler to be bare. No matter what you do, in the summer down here you're gonna sweat. Bare skin will cool much easier (when under shade) that even light colored clothing. Going out to adjust sails etc. takes little time in the sun and back under the bimini, you cool much faster. Swimming, we think suits are just dumb. LOL.

Kevin

[Astrid]

Doesn't everyone on some occasion sail sans clothing? During nice weather we tend to use the outside shower in the aft cockpit and that is generally done in the nude.

On occasion of course at sea and if the weather is warm, but I have to watch out for sun burn. Otherwise, I just wear baggy clothing.