Sailing "Glove": Anybody Got One That Works ?

Singular because it seems that I only need it for my right hand - holding the mainsheet..... and quotes for reason described below.

For heavy air, I have taken to not running the 3:1 mainsheet through the cleat - just playing it with my hand all the time and taking a wrap around the dag post occasionally.

Works for me - and reaction to killer gusts is plenty fast/sensitive enough.....

But I suspect I am abusing my hand more than needs be.

But just any old glove seems like it would compromise my grip - at least gloves introduce that problem when windsurfing: grip on the boom is greatly weakened - thicker the glove, the more weakening.

I Googled a few purported "Sailing Gloves" but the images aren't doing anything for me. They just look like a bit of abrasion protection and not much else. Calluses, I can develop.... it's the wear-and-tear on my finger and hand joints that I want to address.

Seems like there ought to be a "Glove" that is not really a glove - more like an appliance worn on the hand to facilitate gripping/controlling a line.

Tight grip, line stays in place. Loosen the grip, line runs free...... but most of the stress on the finger joints is taken by the appliance.

??

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2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

I have a pair of Harken gloves that I really like. However, I was used to wearing gloves for long periods. I was an avid cyclist until a few years ago. Trying to get back into it now though. Try riding 60+ miles with bare hands. Here is a link to the ones I bought.

Harken Sport Men's 3/4 Finger Reflex Gloves, Black, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0063K7DME/re ... 7wb6WV4QGP

Sent from my SPH-L720T using Tapatalk

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2015 Hobie Tandem Island Hibiscus
"Third Normal Form"

• Trampolines
• Hobie cover
• Davis Spar Fly
• Kayakbob's Sprayskirts
• Spine Board Hakas

Gill pro short finger gloves. Mustard and black. Around $46. Snug fit is best. Best sailing gloves I have ever had. Work fantastic when wet. Really worth the price.

I race a H17 at our lake( and own a TI). The best sailing gloves I've found are gardening gloves with the non-slip palm surface. Probably sells for $6-7 at local hardware store. Protects your hands, non-slip, lasts 1-2 seasons, stays soft and pliable--very hard to beat. Sounds crazy, i know!

I typically use mechanics gloves without the fingers. they typically last about a season but they are cheap...

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2015 Outback- dune with sail kit
2015 TI- dune- sold
2015 AI2- Hibiscus- should probably sell...
2018 AI2- Dune

I use the cheap harbor freight mechanics gloves, they're "ok". I'm reluctant to pay $35-45 for a set of gloves. The gardening gloves idea sounds promising!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

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2015-Tandem Island

Fingerless workout gloves are perfect, if they are synthetic or neoprene based- designed to be washed. No leather.

Have an extra pair in your drybag, for a friend.

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The Wind Is Your Friend...

I've always used simple, light-weight "sun protection" gloves, until I got a tandem. Now, I'm using much heavier West Marine sailing gloves:
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--men-s-3-4-finger-sailing-gloves--P011657939

I'm happy with them.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

Warmers Barnacle half glove. They work great for paddling, fishing and wrangling the main sheet.

I've had my current pair for about 5 years with mostly saltwater use. They are still in good shape. You can find them for about 20 - 25 bucks. The Stohlquist Barnacle gloves are the same glove at the same price.

Here's an Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Warmers-Barnacle- ... ing+gloves

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Great topic, uncovering good choices.

But I am a bit puzzled as to why you don't want to use the cleat, and save a lot of stress on your hands. I learned a long time ago in yachts (25 footer size) that often, the fastest way to sail was to cleat the sheet, and concentrate on playing windshifts and the waves. Of course the sheet would get retensioned with larger changes in conditions (as would partial furling as required).

I once had the opportunity to put this theory to the test, with a nine hour spinnaker leg against a sister-ship (with all sails from the same loft). They played the sheets, we cleated ours, and changed helmsmen every second swell.

We overtook them, (gaining just 100 yards in nine hours!), but arrived relaxed and refreshed, after a couple of lovely meals.

Sometimes cleating is not necessarily the lazy solution!

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker

98% of the time I use the cleat.

But on days like this: https://picasaweb.google.com/1081497986 ... 3179481714
the cleat is not fast enough - or, maybe more to the point, Yours Truly is not fast enough.

OTOH, cleat-less, the force of the gust begins the easing process and my own panic reaction of loosening my grip completes it quickly enough.

Also, there is the constant possibility of accidental cleating.

Probably angling the cleat downwards so that a straight pull does not put the line in the jaws would fix that.... but I don't like drilling/tapping more holes in the xbars.... plus I have found that cleat-less does the job for now.

Long-term, I am leaning towards YakAttack rails on both gunwales and an iterative development process for moving the cleat back-and-forth on the gunwales until I find a place where it is most managable.

The other thing I want to pursue is removing the fairlead from the mainsheet cleat - which would enhance the responsiveness in a panic situation to where it might be adequate ..... That, plus YakAss' relocation of the cheek block so as to give a less severe angle (https://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtop ... ck#p257892) just might do the job without any further changes.

But that begs the question of whether the fairlead is a essential structural component in the AI installation. i.e. will the cam screws twist out of the xbar's alu without the load-spreading effect of the fairlead?

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]