What gloves for sailing ?

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alec

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Would be interested to know what others find useful.

I have had whole/fingerless gloves in the past to good effect. They do seem to make sheeting easier.

However, they all seem to takes ages to dry out when wet. Apart from the weather, inevitably, jib sheets do find their way in the water sometimes.

Thanks in advance.
 
I've not found ones to stay dry yet, although I have high hopes for my new "seal skins" this year. I always take several pairs - the luxury of putting on a dry pair is delicious.
 
Sealkins are terrific.
Warm and dry, but if you get water inside they work like wetsuits and warm up!
Don't get them too tight though.

They also do some padded waterproof gloves (which I have) which are MEGA warm.
http://www.sealskinz.com/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/KJ581||~@c~@b|0|user|1,0,0,1|44|

KJ581.jpg
 
'I have had whole/fingerless gloves in the past to good effect. They do seem to make sheeting easier.'
I don't think so, but I have found it better to take my trousers off rather than having them tying up my ankles /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
I have a pair of the fingerless gloves which I seldom use. But in cold wet weather I wear a pair of neoprene windsurfing gloves. Even when wet they stay warm.
 
I do not sail much in winter, as the boat is laid up, but I am obliged to wear gloves at all times now due to psoriasis causing my fingers to crack and bleed whenever I sail.

So warmth and keeping dry are less important than comfort and preventing moisture evaporation.

I have used Helly Hansen full fingered gloves with Amara palms (or something like it). They would be comfortable for most folk but not for me they abrade my thin, damaged skin.

I now use Gill deckhand full-fingered gloves, also with Amara and they work better for me.

Whatever I use, I feel a bit conspicuous in shorts and wearing gloves, I can just imagine the comments!!
 
I've got both fingertip less and full neoprene gloves. The former are of little use for warmth but protect the palms. The neoprene are good for warmth, but I have to keep taking them off for various tasks. Then I have a pair of heavy gardening gloves to handle the anchor and chain, plus some heavy ski-mittens for those cold night watches. I haven't found an ideal "all can do" pair.
 
At one time the advice was always that gloves were dangerous and could become caught in winches etc. The invention of modern close fitting sailing gloves have certainly reduced this danger but not eliminated it. However there is also a valid argument that cold hands are a danger too. Personally I suffer from Raynauds (white finger) and need to wear gloves in the cold. On passage I do. If I need to do any rope work or even adjust sheets though I still remove them for safety's sake.
 
One of my best buys was 2 years ago at LIBS.There was a guy who had a stand with skiing gloves as he had been at the Ski show the week before & had a lot left over.I bought a pair for £5 which were breathable & they are excellent.Wish I had bought 2 pairs.Musto/Helly were £35 for the same thing.Some of the camping shops have them at good prices.
 
My current pair are Harken with the tips missing for the Thumb and forefinger only. The palms are some form of Synthetic rather than leather so dry quickly.
I don't use them for warmth but to stop my soft office workers hands getting ripped to shreds by the sheets. I found that fingerless gloves would not cover enough of my fingers to stop them getting blistered.
I did once have smoke coming off my gloves while trimming main on a race boat one windy gybe. They do not tend to last long but the Harkens are the bast I have tried so far.
 
If you buy full gloves that are warm & insulated make sure you can put them on with damp hand.

Amazing how many pairs I have bought/been given as presents that fir in a warnm dry environment but can't slip them on when hands are cold and damp.

Generally buy them a size too big!
 
The other side to that argument is that when it hurts you let go! I once had crew who did exactly the same thing when racing with gloves on. They were NOT leather palms but some form of synthetic that welded to the sheet.... He went for a ride in the oggin on the end of it which caused a great deal of drag till we got him back on board and lost us the race. He insists to this day that he has one arm longer than the other still. Pillock! Personally I never wear gloves when handling sheets but if I did I would insist on leather palms I think! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
Cotswold Camping do a range of good climbing gloves- I've had two pair of the sticky palm black fingerless mitts for two seasons now- wear them on and off the boat- the full thumb can get caught in letterboxes! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
On subject of gloves .... It is good policy to have a good pair of leather gardening gloves with reasonable long wrist cuffs for use with Flares. The gloves should be placed in the flare container.
 
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