When we think about sailing we think about the feel of water as it coats our faces, the smell of salt, the rise and fall of the deck under our feet, and the snapping sound of the sail as the wind pushes through it. What we don't think about when we are preparing to go on a sailing vacation, is long welts across our palms, deeply embedded splinters, painful splinters, and fingers that have been worn raw from handling the rigging. In order to keep your hands protected while sailing it is important to protect them by wearing a pair of sailing gloves.

Why You Should Wear Proper Gloves While Sailing

It isn't uncommon for a novice sailor to scoff at the idea of wearing a pair of sailing gloves when they first go sailing. They don't think the sailing gloves look very cool, in come cases they are worried about the tan lines the gloves will create, and they think that since all they are doing is sailing a boat there will be very little use of their hands. It normally doesn't take very long before they regret their decision.

When sailing, the hands are used and abused. Not only does the sailor rely on their hands to steer the sail boat, they also find themselves constantly handling rigging that is wet and slippery. It isn't unusual for a sailor to return to port with hands that are covered in blisters and rope burns after just an hour or two of sailing without the protection of a pair of sailing gloves.

Purchasing The Perfect Pair Of Gloves

Wearing a pair of sailing gloves that don't fit properly or are poor quality is almost as bad as not wearing any sailing gloves at all. There are several things a sailor should consider when they are buying a pair of sailing gloves. They need to make sure that they sailing gloves fit properly, gloves that are too tight will limit the sailors range of motion and gloves that are too big tend to bunch and slip when the sailor is trying to hold onto slippery rigging.

When selecting a pair of sailing gloves the sailor should make sure that gloves have an adequate amount of grip on the palm and the fingers. Once the sailor has found the type of sailing glove they like they should by multiple pairs and keep the spare pairs with their sailing equipment, that way they will always be prepared if on of their sailing gloves tears or is washed overboard.