Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

Chapter 7: People Management and Safety Aboard
that keep wind-driven spray from penetrating. You’ll also want a hood, probably with a
visor to keep rain from running down into your eyes.
Ocean-going rain gear is not available at your local discount store—check with marine
specialists like West Marine or BOAT U.S. for good prices on quality stuff.
Keep your rain gear washed clean; it will feel a lot better next time you put it on if it’s not
clammy with salt-drawn dampness or crusts of dried salt. Stow it out of direct sun and
excessive heat; don’t leave it in the back of your SUV between trips or it won’t last long.
Don’t forget rain gear for your feet, particularly if you do your boating on cold water.
Sperry and others make boots with cushioned insoles and razor-cut soles that are both dry
and sticky when it comes to walking on a wet deck. And they kick off easily should you
ever take an unscheduled trip overboard. Prices range from $35 to $60.
What’s Bugging You?
Insects love the water as much as boaters do, and there are some unpleasant specimens
out there in considerable numbers. If you run into lots of bugs and your crew is unprepared,
they’ll want to go home, pronto.
Mosquitoes are the most common problem and the easiest to deal with. They hate DEET,
the basic ingredient of most commercial insect repellants, and if you use a spray containing
plenty of it, they will leave you alone.
No-see-ums are biting gnats found throughout mangrove country, roughly from Georgia
southward along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. They are, true to their name, almost too
small to see, but seem to have jaws as large as alligators. They crawl into your hair, inside
your ears and nose, and every place else they
can reach.
An easy solution is to cover up, because they’re
not much for getting inside your clothes and
they can’t bite through even a thin shirt, as mosquitoes
can. But it’s often too hot in no-see-um
country for a lot of clothing. So opt for Avon’s
Skin So Soft, a product which the company categorically
denies is insect repellent, but which is
known to be the only effective no-see-um stopper
by all who live in their range. In recent years,
another product that stops these gnats has become
available, Johnson’s Skintastic, and Johnson sells
this oil as bug repellent. It smells suspiciously
like—guess what?
Boater-ese
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DEET is short for a
chemical compound that repels
mosquitoes and many other kinds
of biting insects. It’s safe in concentrations
up to 25 percent of
the solution, but some doctors
recommend stronger solutions not
be used. (Some 100-percent
DEET repellents are available,
and they’re good for use on
clothes but not on your skin.)