What hat do you wear for sailing?

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bobgarrett

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I have a real problem with hats for sailing, both in summer and winter.

Baseball caps make a leap for freedom when I look up at the sail trim and the wind gets under their peak. Having a cord on them means they don't go overboard but then hang down my back where I cannot reach them to put back on without letting go of the wheel. And they don't shade the ears.
Floppy hats I am told make me look like the village (Ocean Village?) idiot?
Tilly style hats look better (I am told) but unless they have a chin strap or cord have the same problem as baseball caps. And the chin strap brings back the village idiot accusation.
Breton caps behave like baseball caps.
Beanie hats slide up my head (shiny top!) and leap off.
Wooly/fleece hats are too hot in summer.

So what do others wear and suggest?
 
What others think of my (Tilley with chin strap deployed as necessary) millinery is of no consequence to me whether their opinion is of a likeness to the village idiot or not.
 
Robih said:
What others think of my (Tilley with chin strap deployed as necessary) millinery is of no consequence to me whether their opinion is of a likeness to the village idiot or not.
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+1
I've had my Tilley for nearly 8 years having bought it in Fox's sale for £28. I haven't ever deployed the straps under the chin, but around the back of my head when it gets over F5, and it's given us MOB practice once. The brim gives superb shade for eyes ears and neck. If it ever does go to the great hat grave, it will be replaced, because at £70 over the time, it's nothing.


The best piece of clothing
 
bobgarrett said:
I have a real problem with hats for sailing, both in summer and winter.

Baseball caps make a leap for freedom when I look up at the sail trim and the wind gets under their peak. Having a cord on them means they don't go overboard but then hang down my back where I cannot reach them to put back on without letting go of the wheel. And they don't shade the ears.
Floppy hats I am told make me look like the village (Ocean Village?) idiot?
Tilly style hats look better (I am told) but unless they have a chin strap or cord have the same problem as baseball caps. And the chin strap brings back the village idiot accusation.
Breton caps behave like baseball caps.
Beanie hats slide up my head (shiny top!) and leap off.
Wooly/fleece hats are too hot in summer.

So what do others wear and suggest?
Click to expand...

Musto 'baseball' style with a built in line and clip that attaches to the collar of my jacket or fleece. Lose about 1 per season - but the outlet is near.
 
Tilley with chin strap or baseball style hat, with lots of sunscreen on top of the ears.
 
Tilley hat. Worn these last 20 odd years, ever since I got my ears severely burned wearing a baseball cap.

That hat is still going strong and I doubt it will ever wear out but in case off loss I bought a back up..
 
Old and tatty, except when I go ashore, when I do like to wear my new one.

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Something like this; made from palm fronds they are sold at around €10 to 'tourists' but are cheaper at fishermen's outlets. If it gets too hot I just dip it into the sea and put it back on.

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Old fashioned? Who cares? So am I probably! ;)

p.s. I don't think that elephants eat them...
 
Move to the Bristol Channel and wear your woolly hat (as well as your complete foulies) year-round in windy comfort.

+1 for the musto waterproof baseball cap with clip. Done me proud for several years and plenty of RORC events etc. Losing one a season reminds me of my Oscar Wilde; to loose one might be misfortune, two begins to look like carelessness. ;P
 
bitbaltic said:
Move to the Bristol Channel and wear your woolly hat (as well as your complete foulies) year-round in windy comfort.

+1 for the musto waterproof baseball cap with clip. Done me proud for several years and plenty of RORC events etc. Losing one a season reminds me of my Oscar Wilde; to loose one might be misfortune, two begins to look like carelessness. ;P
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+1 re foulies for Irish coast also. Where do those photos of t-shirt&shorts sailing come from anyway/:)
 
I have a graduated response:
"Slam" broad-brimmed sunhat when less than 4oktas of cloud cover. (The Slam hat has a clever arrangement whereby the "chin-string" enters the hat abaft the beam, each side, and is then led forward, to emerge forward of the beam and encircle the back of your head, keeping it attached whichever direction it tries to escape)
If rain threatens I wear a baseball cap to keep the rain off my glasses. It's always attached by one of those strings with the clips and has never escaped. I waterproof it each season with Nix spray.
If the rain is heavy I put my hood over it.
If it's particularly cold I put a Thinsulate beanie on over it. (The beanie will not work its way upwards when it's on top of the cap)
Even when completely overcast I use sunscreen on face, neck and ears, as with celtic skin I otherwise manage to return with sunburn even in the complete absence of sunshine!
 
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Lowe Alpine classic mountain hat for 90% of the time. It's magic. Keeps ears out of wind. It's warm. Waterproof and does not tip off with oily collar. 10% of time Tilley hat. Get white Tilley to minimise solar gain
 
pvb said:
I hate hats! If it's really wet, I pull the hood out of my jacket.
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I am the opposite, don't like foulie hoods, in fact I usually cut them off to make the collar fit better. For me its a Tilley when it's sunny, Sou'wester for when it's really wet and a Breton for cold and at night. Sartorial elegance gives way to function. I also have some HH mitts for night sailing, very quick to take off if required.
 
Robih said:
What others think of my (Tilley with chin strap deployed as necessary) millinery is of no consequence to me whether their opinion is of a likeness to the village idiot or not.
Click to expand...

I use a floppy brimmed hat, but detract attention by wearing socks with sandals ;).
 
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