Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

Chapter 7: People Management and Safety Aboard
The leather laces that come on most boat shoes are constantly coming untied, and the
knots in them look like the knots you tied in your laces when you were in second grade.
Here’s a tip: After your shoes are broken in so that they slip on easily with the tie secured,
get rid of the shoestring tie and replace it with a neat, tight square knot. Then cut off the
ends about one-half inch from the knot. This makes the shoe look a lot better, and they’ll
never again come untied.
It’s a good idea to avoid rubber thongs or “flip-flops.” On a rolling deck—they can slip off
and cause you to lose your footing. And if you have to wade ashore in sticky bottom, the
thongs will disappear into the muck instantly.
Dressing for Cold-Weather Boating
The best way to experience cold weather boating is via video as you sit in front of your
fireplace sipping hot Earl Grey tea. A 20-knot north wind with temperatures in the 30s
takes most of the pleasure out of pleasure boating.
However, for those who like to extend the season
a bit, dressing appropriately can make it
downright comfortable, even on those chilly
November dawns. Warn your crew before they
leave home if you suspect it may be a bit nippy
on the water. If it’s chilly ashore, it will be twice
as chilly when you get on the water and are
exposed to wind and humidity. And, even though
that brisk air may feel fine in shorts and a sweatshirt
when you go for your morning jog, it won’t
feel so good as you sit still in the boat for a few
hours.
As with so much in life, underwear is the answer.
(The secret of happiness, my father used to say, is
to buy your BVDs two sizes too large.) Long
underwear, in this case. Polypropylene will wick
away the moisture while keeping you warm.
Add a pair of warm pants and a sweater; polyester
fleece like that made by Polartec and
other companies is the modern replacement for
wool, much lighter, less bulky, quick to dry, and
very warm. If it’s really cold, add several layers of
garments; the air space between them adds greatly
to their insulation, and you can take them off, a
layer at a time, as the day warms up.
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Suspenders may make you
look like an escapee from
a Norman Rockwell painting,
but their big advantage
is that they don’t
reduce blood flow to your legs
and feet like wearing a tight belt
does. Go for nautical versions,
red and green, if you must be
stylish, but try them—you’ll be
amazed at how much warmer
your feet will feel.
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Just as wearing white colors
is best when it’s hot,
wearing dark colors is best
when it’s cold. If there’s any
sun, dull, dark gray, dark
green, or black material will
soak up lots more heat. You’ll be
amazed at the difference it can
make on a chilly but bright day.