Protective headwear

[BlueSkyNick]

I recall when Stingo had a little forestay problem on his single handed Atlantic crossing, that he made a point of putting on his cycle helmet to go onto the foredeck.

This struck me as a very sensible thing to do, but 3 years later I still dont have a helmet on the boat.

In preperation for Lisbon to Brittany passage, and because big bangs to the head must be avoided for other medical reasons, I plan to buy a helmet of some sort.

Anybody else done this, and if so any recommendations on the best type?

I am thinking about a soft one like rugby forwards wear, ditto the Chelsea goalie who had his head kicked in.

 

[Luanda]

A soft one doesn't sound very suitable - unless you have perhaps padded your boom, or whatever else is likely to hit you. Cycle helmets are cheap and strong - go for it!

 

[Slow_boat]

Last year there was a letter in PBO in which a person, apparantly seriously, suggested that helmets should be compulsory on yachts. It was, very sensibly, ignored.

Agree that a hard cycle helmet would do the job, though. Just not one of those silly space age things with fins and vents and go faster stripes, though.

 

[PeteCooper]

Wouldn't a canoeist type helmet be more suitable? Musto used to do a sort of hard hat for yotties but I don't think that they do anymore.

 

[DinghyMan]

Do a bit of sea kayaking and always wear a helmet - see Bournemouth Canoes they are comfy enough to wear all day and plenty of choice in style and cost.

 

[Danny_Labrador]

Please can we have more BLOG

 

[Lakesailor]

Protective headwear Ineffective

Not much use here.

 

[sarabande]

hard-shell mountaineering or rock-climbing helmet. I would trust a cycling helmet to be robust enough - having had a metal radar reflector fall on me once !

 

[alec]

Good idea .

I would suggest a helmet that will protect your ears i.e. the side of the bonce.

Have seen many bleeding ears over the years. You often get clobbered with sticking out bits on the boom which often are worse that the full broadside.

Let us know when you find the best one.

 

[Superflid]

Re: Protective headwear Ineffective

[ QUOTE ]
Not much use here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Where is that??!!!

Looks like a great spot for a picnic... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Slow_boat]

Re: Protective headwear Ineffective

Those photos are evidence natural selection.

Either people with a head for heights and a sense of balance are a boon for the race or the damned fools will fall off the edge and out of the gene pool.

 

[Moonshining]

Re: Protective headwear Ineffective

I believe it's the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland.

If it's the same incident that I think that it is, those dingbats had been pissing it up in the pub until a few hours before trying that stunt.

 

[Rabbie]

Why not - http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;jsessi...search=hard+hat

 

[Dipper]

Re: Protective headwear Ineffective

One of the web sites I found says that "....every now and then a piece of the cliff falls off and disappears in the ocean down below". It's probably precipitated by a heavy person riding a bike!

These cliffs seem very mystical. They are inhabited by strange beings whose heads have been fixed on back to front. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[BlueSkyNick]

thanks for that link Dinghyman, we will pop over there tomorrow as its not far.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

More blogging to come as of next week Danny, when we set off on the next leg - weather permitting.

 

[Danny_Labrador]

Ta, baited breath and all that /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[snowleopard]

Builder's hard hats are no use on a boat. They don't protect the side of the head from a swipe by the boom and they fall off if you tilt your head too far. They also blow off in a strong wind.

Come to think of it they aren't much use on a building site. All they really protect you from is the H&S inspectors.

 

[DinghyMan]

I get most of my Kayaking gear from them - they even bubble wrapped a 15ft6in kayak and couriered it to me up here in Yorkshire for £25, even after giving 10% off for a large order and being the cheapest in the UK.

 

[Oen]

I carry my normal mountaineering helmet to use when going up the mast - from about £20 from reputable places, it's designed to protect the head in a fall.