What gloves for sailing ?

I have a right mixture. Fishing stores do a neoprene lined pair that have fold back fingers which are good. I have thick rubber gloves for the anchor. I have posh helmsmans gloves for a cold night if I think they havn't got to do hard work. I have leather gardening gloves which are useless in the cold once wet but grip well. It's not one suits all I reckon. Go to a garden centre for a start and see what they offer is my advice.
 
I have an almost implausibly large collection of gloves, as I keep forgetting them when travelling to regattas and having to buy more.
When racing (trimming) I wear short or long fingered sailing gloves, depending on the temperature, as dumping sheets and actively trimming for hours does take a toll on the hands.
When cruising I normally don't bother, but I'm a little slower and more careful working with the ropes when not racing.

More recently I've been mainly helming when racing, which has at least put a halt on the expansion of my glove collection! To this end I bought a pair of specialist "helmsman's gloves" a few years back.
What a waste of money, hugely inferior to my ski gloves in terms of waterproofness and breathability.
I now have a pair of hikers waterproof mittens that are just a shell for when it's raining and a pair of thinsulate "wool" gloves to go underneath when it's cold. Total cost less than half of the "helmsman's gloves" and less bulky to boot.
 
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good pair of leather gardening gloves with reasonable long wrist cuffs for use with Flares.

[/ QUOTE ] Even better perhaps a pair of welders gauntlets. (I left mine on the deck of someones boat /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif )
 
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good pair of leather gardening gloves with reasonable long wrist cuffs for use with Flares.

[/ QUOTE ] Even better perhaps a pair of welders gauntlets. (I left mine on the deck of someones boat /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif )

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Oh dear - bet you don't do that again.

Trouble for me - I need a glove that allows me to feel / not disguise what I'm trying to hold or use. Gardening glove is about maximum thickness for me. It also needs to be able to be thrown of the hand easily - so tight fitting gloves are not good idea. If you have a burning bit of flare on that glove - you want to get rid of glove quick !!
 
I have a pair of cheap tough nitrile gloves for anchoring type jobs and various warm gloves for the helm but all the warm ones are a pig to get on when the hands are wet.

Can you put sealskinz onto wet hands?
 
Ive bought some knitted "wool" ones with thinsulate from my newsagents, only £2ish, excellent for helming, warm as toast even when wet, just squeeze the water out and they seem to work like wetsuit gloves, the layer of water keeps warm.
Stu
 
We use those "ugly gloves" too. The silicone blobs give a good grip and excellent wear resistance and the loosely woven orange yarn keeps us warm even when wet. They are easy to get on and off if necessary in a hurry. They are very cheap from our local hardware store.
 
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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!!

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Join the club ... all thge years I've worked with fuels, chemicals etc. - I now suffer exactly that. Moment my hands hit saltwater - cracks and bleeding starts. I've tried barrier creams and allsorts. But nothing seems to stop it. And boy does it sting !
Funny thing is as soon as you plaster over so air is excluded it heals quickly.

My RNLI gloves at least help me !
 
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So have I! Keep them in the cove locker for when the anchor windlass decides not to work! Still fine, and they're on their second boat! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

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Mine are on 3rd boat so that spans a good 15 - 18 yrs !! I give them a wash in warm water and hair-shampoo occasionally to get them looking reasonable again.
 
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