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Iain C View Drop Down
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Joined: 16 Mar 04
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Posts: 1113 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Iain C Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: The Dark Side...
    Posted: 12 Aug 07 at 9:17pm
Whilst there are a few personal safety threads about, here's a thought.  Over the last year I have renewed or added to all of my dinghy kit.  New Musto drysuit, Magic Marine Energy wetsuit, Gill Championship gloves, P&B nappy harness, MM Skiff bouyancy aid.  Every single bit of it black.  That was not by choice, the drysuit was at a factory outlet and was actually a swap for another manufacturer's red one which had started to leak, the MM suit was on offer, in fact the only deliberate choice was the harness so it does not get dirty like the white version.
 
Now many sailors seem to be turning to the dark side, in fact the only thing that could get nearer than most of us to a lifeboat without being spotted is an F117 Nighthawk.  As a RIB driver myself this trend is a bit worrying.
 
Funnily enough, although dinghy sailors think we look "cool" in dark greys and blacks, if you sail a big boat you are obvously not hardcore unless your foul weather top has a dayglo yellow hood suitable for Southern Ocean use, which seems to be the norm regardless of the colour of your jacket.
 
What do people think?  Should teh colours be getting a bit brighter and safer?
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Fireball GBR14474 "Eleven Parsecs"
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Bavaria 32 GBR4755L "Adastra"
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Aug 07 at 9:39pm
Originally posted by Iain C

although dinghy sailors think we look "cool" in dark greys
and blacks,
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Webmuppet View Drop Down
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Posts: 534 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Webmuppet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Aug 07 at 9:43pm
My little'un aged seven is just about to grow out of her current buoyancy aid, a very bright dayglo orange one made by Baltic, she can easily be spotted (AKA 'the dayglo dot') wherever she is on the lake. We're trying to find her a replacement however the best fit so far has been a Musto which is only available in charcoal/grey from our local dealer. We know that this item is also available in light grey and red but surely these darker colours should only be worn in conjunction with something bright. i.e bright red spray-top + grey buoyancy aid ? I'm sure that I would rather ensure that I could be easily spotted on the water than appease the 'fashion police'

Nigel

Vareo 212 "The Shed"
I am the milkman of human kindness, I will leave an extra pint (Billy Bragg)

Graduate 2530 'Galaxy'
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olly_love View Drop Down
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Posts: 1145 		Post Options Post Options   Quote olly_love Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Aug 07 at 9:47pm
i tryed to buy some new gill offshore stuff and the only colour they could do was grey. it is a bit crap our bowman wears totally black even a black bouyancy aid. all u can see at night is the reflectors glinting and his headtorch
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laser4000 View Drop Down
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Posts: 589 		Post Options Post Options   Quote laser4000 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Aug 07 at 9:47am
probably one of the biggest reasons that puts me off buying rooster kit - it's all black (ok so I have a blue aqua fleece but that's the exception) - why I don't like black

a) It absorbs heat more than other colours, thus making spraytops/wetties etc hotter on a sunny day - and as a big lad I don't need any more insulation

b) the issue outlined above - it's bloody difficult to see dark kit if its' floating in the water, away from a boat or board..

mutso/gill/crewsaver/henri-lloyd/rooset - can we have some non-black colours please


Edited by laser4000
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GarethT View Drop Down
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Posts: 714 		Post Options Post Options   Quote GarethT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Aug 07 at 9:53am

But when you are floating in the water, it is only really your head that is visible anyway, at the most the tops of your shoulders are.

On a rough day my son always wears a day-glo yellow hat. Easy to spot in the water, and it also helps me to spot which of the near identical optimists he is sailing.
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Posts: 0 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Guest Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Aug 07 at 11:15am
Originally posted by Post

The Dark Side ...

a.k.a. Essex

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Contender 541 View Drop Down
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Posts: 1402 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Contender 541 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Aug 07 at 11:58am
Originally posted by Guest#260

Originally posted by Post

The Dark Side ...

a.k.a. Essex

Nah, not Essex

Liking a Laser rather than just sailing one

When you find a big kettle of crazy it's probably best not to stir it - Pointy Haired Boss

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Posts: 128 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Fin. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Aug 07 at 12:42pm

Hi Iain

actually, fashion for  big-boats  is also for  really clever  colours like .... black at the moment.  least several  manufacturers of expensive off-shore waterproofs have  several lines available in black.

I have  red musto for yachting... I might  get spotted  if I fall over.... certainly would in black on a  stormy  night !

I guess it depends what you want to do with your  sailing (yachting or dinghy) gear.... actually use it, or pose about on the slip way/beach/Cowes High Street/ regatta beer-tent.

/fin

-  my  dinghy  gear is  all black - but there wasn't much choice in colours when I bought my gear ... ie  black. or  black.  ....very handy for  saving your life !
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Posts: 128 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Fin. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Aug 07 at 12:43pm

oops typo  ..

.... certainly would NOT in black on a  stormy  night !

aah better
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