How do you keep sunglasses clean when saltwater sailing?

When sailing in salt water, you will get a salt buildup on your sunglasses even if you don't capsize. Just a small amount of spray is all it takes, and then visibility is impaired. I have expensive prescription sunglasses. If you just wipe them you will scratch the lenses. These glasses cost way too much for that. I could carry a squirt bottle with fresh water to spray the salt off from time to time. It would be difficult to carry a microfiber cloth to wipe them after rinsing the salt off because it would get soaked fairly quickly. How do you salt water sailors keep your sunglasses clear so you can see well?

short answer you don't You just keep sailing thru the fog I take my sun glasses (Hobie Sunglasses of course) and dip them into the cooler with the coors de lights ice and cold water and just shake them off this has worked for many many years and will not hurt the lens
Former Hobie Admiral Gary

Keep the micro-fiber cloth in a Zip-lok bag. Only take it out when you need it and put it right back.

Problem solved.

Has anyone experimented with the various coatings you can put on the lenses that are supposed to keep them from fogging up and also
cause water to drip off better?

Anyone try RainX ? I too have prescription sunglasses and once you get going fast the ocean spray from the hulls creates a nice thick fog as the salt water dries on the gets re coated in water over and over. I like the idea of an occasional dunk in the cooler ice water

_________________
Tim Grover

Memphis, TN fleet 134
Hobie 20! G-Cat5.0 and 2 Hobie 14's
Photobucket now wants $100 to post pics on forums......... pass.

I kitesurf and have used RainX. It's not perfect but a big improvement.

I noticed that they developed a Rain X Plastic that might be better for sunglasses.

At almost 65 years old, and still not needing corrective glasses, I'll give credit to always wearing Polarized full wrap sunglasses when outside since I was a mid-teenager. This includes untold thousands of hours on the water, and more than that working outside.

I have always used glass lenses when possible, and have used RainX since it's been on the market. It helps a lot, but beyond that, they just get dipped when the drops dry, and you get used to it. A wet t-shirt is better than nothing when the drops dry. I never bothered to carry anything to keep dry to wipe them with.

Hobie Sunglasses have always been my first choice since they first came out.