Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

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Part 2: The Basics of Operation
Wear Sunglasses
You and your crew must have sunglasses to go boating, and they should be polarized.
Polarized glasses have a film built into them that acts like Venetian blinds, letting in light
horizontally but not vertically. This gets rid of much of the blinding glare that’s common
when sun strikes water, making it much more comfortable afloat. Just as important, the
polarizing effect allows the skipper to see through the surface of the water to any hazards
that might be below. Anglers love polarized sunglasses because they allow easy sighting of
fish and bait several feet below the surface. But check your navigational instruments or
engine gauges that have LCD displays. Some displays become invisible through polarized
glasses, especially if you turn your head sideways to read them.
The best boating glasses have side panels to keep out glare. They should have ear pieces
that fit snugly and stay put even when you tip your head forward.
However, even with good ear pieces, sunglasses can be blown off your face by the wind
blasts of high-speed boating. Don’t even consider taking your $100 shades aboard until
you equip them with a strap of some sort—a simple piece of surgical tubing of the sort
used by anglers to lure barracuda is all that’s needed, but there are many good commercial
versions, available for $2 to $4 as well.
Coping with Seasickness
Seasickness is no joke if you are the one who is seasick. Although some old salts don’t like
to admit it, even the most seasoned captain can be touched by Big Ralph at times.
There are ways to ease the discomfort, however. Here’s some advice you can give new
crew members:
1. Eat and drink moderately the night before a voyage and try to get your usual
amount of sleep. Don’t start at a disadvantage. If you wake up with a cold-sweats
hangover, you don’t have a chance.
2. Eat a light breakfast—cereal and fruit, nothing greasy.
3. Make use of preventatives early. Pills, acupressure wrist bands, or ear stick-on
patches work for some people, but it takes several hours for these things to take full
effect. If you wait until you start to feel queasy to make use of them, it’s too late. It’s
not a bad idea to start the medications the night before, other remedies a couple of
hours before you leave the dock. If at all possible, avoid experimenting with a new
drug when you are already out on the water. It is much safer to do a trial run with
the medication on land, well before the boat trip.
Scopolamine is among the more effective medications at present; it’s applied via a
skin patch that sticks behind the ear, and the medication lasts up to 72 hours. Many
familiar with the product suggest putting on the patch the night before to get the