There will be times when you want all the bells and whistles with your foul weather gear, and there are times when all you really want are the basics. The new Gill Verso Lite Smock falls in the latter category as a well-executed, straightforward, efficient spray top. Nothing more. It’s waterproof, breathable, and has neck, wrist and waist seals, all of which are adjustable. A solid piece of kit for dinghy and small keelboat sailing.

What, you ask? No pockets? Nope. Well, chances are, if you’re in conditions that merit wearing a spray top, or smock as Gill calls it, especially on a dinghy, you’re likely wearing a lifejacket, which makes access to most spray top pockets difficult. Plus, the place where you really need pockets is in the lifejacket, where you can readily access them. So, no pockets? No problem.

Made of Gill’s proprietary two-layer fabric, which is one of the softest materials we’ve yet

seen in spray gear, the Verso Lite smock is quite comfortable–something you can easily wear for an entire day on the water. The fabric weight is light enough you’ll probably forget you’re

even wearing it, as we did, and it packs out very small. Great for stuffing into an inspection port bag. The low price point makes it the perfect entry-level piece of kit as well, while its simplicity will likely appeal to even broader ranges of racers. Available in black, light grey or marine blue. $130.

The post Gill Verso Lite Smock Keeps it Simple appeared first on Sailing World.

We first looked at Velocitek’s Prism compass in 2019 and found a lot to like: big, easy-to-read numbers, cut-acrylic lenses that allow the numbers to be easily seen in any daylight situation and not get wonky when viewed through polarized lenses, and at just under five ounces, probably the lightest small-boat compass out there.  So, when we learned a new version was in the wings, we had to see what could possibly have been improved.  

In appearance, the New Prism is identical to the original except for one detail—a USB port on the back, sealed with a half-inch diameter plug that can be screwed in or out with a coin. Out of juice after a long day on the water?  Plug it into your computer or a wall brick, and in about six hours you can go from zero to full charge. Most times, you don’t even need to be at 100 pecent since a full charge will last more than 48 hours, so you probably won’t even need six hours of charging. No more setting the compass out in the sun for hours after racing, hoping the clouds don’t roll in before it’s recharged. 

“The USB is more of a sure thing,” says Velocitek’s Charles Swanson. “Cloudy days don’t affect it, and it doesn’t matter if the compass is tucked up in the shade under the boom.”  With this setup, the solar panel is now just a battery-extending backup.  

The other big difference is inside. The New Prism now houses the same, patented, solid-state geomagnetic sensor found in Velocitek’s top-of-the-line ProStart instrument. Two big advantages of this upgrade, says Swanson. “This magneto-inductive sensor is not influenced by temperature changes and is inherently free from offset drift. This means that the factory calibration remains valid indefinitely and in all conditions. ”

More importantly, the new sensor, combined with the more powerful charging supplied by the USB connection, allows a dramatically improved refresh rate—the number of times the screen is updated—going from the earlier Prism’s once a second to four times a second. Want to see it in action? Go through a tack and watch the numbers change. Undetectable lag time.  

Ease of use?  One button positioned on top of the compass does everything. That should put a big smile on the faces of those who have struggled with multi-button processes on various other electronic devices. Press the button and the left screen says “BAT” and displays the battery level on the right screen. Shortly after, it automatically switches to compass mode. And that’s all there is to it, unless you want to set the damping mode, done by briefly pressing the button again.  Toggle through one of three damping levels by tilting the compass. This was the trickiest part of the compass to use, as you have to press the button again at the exact moment the desired damping level appears. Miss that moment and you’re probably onto another damping level. Not a big deal though, as this is something few would often adjust. Turn off the power by holding the button down for about three seconds. Easy-peasy.

For some, the one hesitation about the New Prism is the lack of a timer. The folks at Velocitek don’t apologize for that. After all, their goal was to create a straightforward, easy-to-operate, top-level compass—nothing more. Perfection embodied. And that’s just fine with a lot of sailors. For instance, in some classes, it’s impractical to have a timer and compass in one unit, such as Nacra catamarans, which mount the compass on the bowsprit, or 49ers, which carry the compass forward of the mast. That’s a pretty inconvenient reach to change modes. Others gravitate to a single-use instrument because of a reluctance to be without compass readings in the starting sequence. Yes, you can toggle between modes, but how many of us have found ourselves locked out of one mode or the other at that critical time, often because we accidentally pressed the wrong button or we held it down too long?  

This compass doesn’t meet the needs of everyone, but if you’re looking for a fail-safe instrument that will give you quick and precise readings as well as eliminate concerns about staying charged, it’s definitely worth considering. $579.

The post A Better Electronic Compass appeared first on Sailing World.

I once learned a great phrase from a wise old school boat captain, Jim Cannon. Every time we hoisted the mainsail he would say aloud: “Look up before you hook up.”

Cannon was, of course, referring to the proper habit of looking aloft before attaching a halyard, to ensure it’s not twisted or fouled at the top of the rig. Attached to our halyard was the standard-issue Tylaska H8 2:1 shackle, and by nature of it being a simple 2-to-1 purchase, it is easy to find a twist or two in the halyard, so it was always good practice to make sure all was right before the mast man did his thing.

After so many years of hooking up that reliable H8 and countless others, I never realized the Tylaska factory was a mere 45-minute drive from Newport. Over the bridge, down I-95 and through a wooded exit of Mystic, Connecticut, one comes upon an industrial park owned by Dr. Timothy Tylaska, who apparently invented the Tylaska Snap Shackle during his doctoral studies at the University of Connecticut’s School of Engineering. At the back of the sprawling park is building No. 14, which Tylaska recently built to house its expanding operation. The facilities may be new, but inside are relics of the metalworking industry; giant milling machines and presses that lead engineer Thomas Dixon keeps reprogramming and maintaining to crank out a long SKU of metal parts for boats, parachutes and anything else that needs attaching leading: shackles, friction rings, hooks the size of your hand—you name it, Tylaska can likely make it.

Curious to see how the stuff is actually made, we took a recent field trip to visit Tylaska, and while the Doctor himself was off on an errand, Dixon gave us a tour and walked us through, step-by-step (sans the anodizing bath), the birth of an H8 2:1. Now, whenever I look up to hook up, I know where and how it’s made in the US of A.

The post The Making of A Shackle appeared first on Sailing World.

Ask any mark-boat volunteer what irks them most about setting a start pin for a class that allows GPS-based ­starting devices and chances are the response you’ll get is: “The pinging chaos.” What a pain it is to stream or reset tackle while crews swarm like flies, yelling and banging into each other. Pinging is a modern annoyance for everyone, but the engineers at Vakaros, makers of starting devices that contributed to the problem in the first place, have finally rolled out a solution that could put an end to it.

With its new Atlas2 units flying off the shelf and the companion race-management software getting into the hands of PROs, Vakaros says the stresses of ­getting—and delivering—a good and fair start are fast becoming a thing of the past. Race committees and marshmallows rejoice.

“[RaceSense] is something we’ve been talking about for a long time, and we’re now at a place where we have the technology ready and the bandwidth to focus on it,” says Vakaros co-founder Jake Keilman. “We’re going from it being something possible to something that will become very common.”

That something is more effectively orchestrating starts using better GPS technology. That means sharper time-and-distance accuracy for the sailors and more-accurate OCS calls for the race committee. The RaceSense platform isn’t all about starts, though. It can essentially manage an entire race from start to finish.

Keilman says it’s a game-changer, which is hard to dispute. Modern times call for modern technology, and that technology is here.

The Atlas2, a compact (4.5-by-3.5-inch) instrument, has all the essential features and then some—timer, compass, heel angle, etc., with a significantly upgraded hardware and battery package that also has been a long time coming. 

“We held back on the Atlas2 to get the newer technology,” Keilman says. “We’re now at a place where the GPS accuracy will match or exceed the human eye calling the start line in any situation you could imagine.”

Catamarans, foilers and other high-speed craft breaking the line at 20 knots? Absolutely, says Keilman. They’ve proven as much with test events in Miami this winter with both the M32 Catamaran and 69F classes, which use reaching starts.

Racecourse ­management once exclusive to the America’s Cup and SailGP has been scaled for the average sailor with the RaceSense and Atlas2 platform, says Vakaros co-founder Todd Wilson. 

“There were a number of ­challenges we had to really think about to solve. One was position accuracy, but the other was communications, which in a lot of ways was the greater challenge. Then there’s the overall user ­experience—can they interact with the units? Can race committees send messages and other data straight to competitors? Will there be additional ­hardware that has to be added to the boat?”

The answers are all packed into the diminutive Atlas2. The critical internal compass and sensors are the best they could source for the price, and the battery will last the duration of a three-day regatta without requiring a daily charge.

With access to dual-band GPS, they were able to solve the accuracy hurdle. Previous units relied on a single GPS signal, which is subject to anomalies in the atmosphere and can result in errors in the range of 2 meters, Keilman says. “Dual GPS takes us to 50 centimeters of error—or maybe even better under optimal conditions.”

That promise of 50 centimeters of on-the-line accuracy is the tech leap they needed to make it all worthwhile. With the communications challenge sorted, they now have a device that’s a lot more than your old-school starting aid, timer and compass. Race tracking and data logging make post-race debriefs honest discussions.

How does it all work in practicality? The racecourse mesh network would be set up with units marking each end of the starting line. The ­tablet-based RaceSense app in the race committee’s hands gives the PRO a controlling view of the racecourse. They can verify the course is set, control timing, and send messages to the competitors’ units.

Before the race, each competitor with an Atlas2 automatically checks in with the race committee once in range. (Although the unit does need to be registered with the race committee beforehand.) It’s the equivalent of coming within hail, shouting your sail number, and waving to the committee secretary. A green light on the unit will indicate they’ve joined the race, and then they will receive any messages from the race committee (e.g., start time, course length, mark bearings).

Once connected, the sailor can carry on with pre-race drills. When the race committee initiates a starting sequence, a notice overrides timers and updates previous mark pings. “All the boats get a live sense of where the line is as it moves around during the sequence,” Wilson says. “The competitor does not need to ping or interact with the unit at all; they just get notifications—sounds, lights, messages onscreen to keep everyone in sync.”

With time, distance, boatspeed and angle displayed prominently in big black digits, there should be no reason to be over early. But it happens, and when it does, it’s impossible to miss the red flashing light atop the unit and the big bold OCS on the display.

The RaceSense app shows the race committee which boats are over early (and whether they’ve exonerated their penalty), which theoretically eliminates the practice of ducking for cover behind an exposed boat and getting away with it. The spotter doesn’t need to see you to ding you.

For classes that currently do not allow distance-to-the-line functionality, the units can be configured to be class-­compliant, but the race committee can still communicate and alert OCS boats. “We’re adaptable to class rules,” Wilson says.

With real-world winter trials underway and an expanding list of classes and events adopting the RaceSense experiment, it’s in the early days yet in terms of realizing the full potential of the device and software. But the immediate focus for Vakaros is demonstrating to rank-and-file racers the wonders of the starting application. There’s functionality built into the Atlas2 that will enable a fleet to essentially run races without any race committee at all. We’re talking virtual racecourses with boundaries, mark zones and recorded finish orders. “We want it to basically orchestrate the entire race,” he says, “and maybe down the road, we’ll be able to provide advanced tools for umpiring.”

One hurdle for RaceSense implementation across a local fleet or one-­design class is the universal buy-in for the Atlas2 units, which retail for $1,100. Resistance within ranks of some classes is to be expected, Wilson says. But he sees another benefit for small fleets where competitors have to occasionally sit out to run the race. “I think this can really make a difference for fleets that don’t have big budgets or aren’t able to bring in a big race committee team. The dream is to be able to push a button on shore, with mark bots running on RaceSense. That way, everyone who wants to sail gets to sail.”

That also means the decline of pinging chaos, he adds. The only ones who will lose out will be those in the gelcoat repair business.

The post RaceSense Aims to Automate Races appeared first on Sailing World.

Precise and active sail trim is the final-percentage difference in maximizing your boatspeed advantage on the racecourse. Harken’s new Zircon range of blocks use a ceramic race and ceramic ball bearings to achieve a better feel for a light-air trim and heavy-air efficiency. This is a true trimmer’s block, says Matt Schmidt, of Harken Inc., the global leader in performance sailboat hardware. After months of R&D, world champion sailor Ravi Parent confirms his Zircons make him faster and shares how he integrates Zircon blocks into the precision sail-trim systems of his high-performance crafts. For more information about the Zircon blocks, visit harken.com/zircon.

About Harken

The real fuel behind a company’s success is its people.

Peter and Olaf Harken recognized this basic business principle over 50 years ago when starting Harken/Vanguard in the snow and corn country of southeastern Wisconsin. Since those early days, Harken has grown from a backyard dream of two brothers to a global reality with offices and distributors around the world. Harken gear dominates events like the America’s Cup, the Ocean Race, the Maxi Worlds, Super Yacht events worldwide, the Olympics and one-design championships everywhere, with blocks, travelers, deck hardware, winches, and hydraulics.

The Harken story has been full of twists, turns, successes, and reinventions, but through it all the goal of challenging the status quo and commitment to excellence has always remained the same.

The post Harken Zircon Block Range appeared first on Sailing World.

Sailboat racing, and the sailing industry at large, is anything but green despite being a sport powered by wind. Hulls, sails, cordage and most components are largely derived from fossil fuels, and sailors, as end users, ultimately consume a lot of petroleum. Industry resources, however, are now being devoted to reducing the sport’s footprint. One area that is seeing a shift toward sustainability is sail manufacturing. Typically built from petroleum-based fibers and film, these consumable items are an obvious place to start pushing for innovation.

As the world’s premier offshore racing environment, the IMOCA 60 Class, which is used in both the Vendée Globe and The Ocean Race—has taken charge by mandating sustainability into the sail inventories of these well-funded teams. Beginning in 2023 and 2024, each IMOCA team will be required by class rules to carry at least one “green sail.” With these 60-foot ocean foilers limited to carrying eight sails in a race, the new green sail rule is seen as a small but necessary step in the right direction. To qualify as a green sail, sailmakers must prove a reduction in waste consumed as well as deriving at least 25 percent of energy used in sail production from renewable sources and avoiding aviation travel in the sail’s production and implementation.

“The green sail rule came about because it was an ambition from the class members to start to reduce the impact of the sails for the IMOCA boats,” says Imogen Dunham-Price, Sustainability Manager for the class. “We didn’t know how to define a green sail, so we contacted the sailmakers and then followed with a life-cycle assessment of an IMOCA sail. The key areas we identified were waste, energy and transport in the sail manufacturing process. So, we said let’s go and tackle improvements in those areas first.”

11th Hour Racing’s IMOCA design and build report from 2021 revealed a staggering figure that underscores just how wasteful and dirty sail making and boatbuilding really is: for every kilogram of sail produced, there are at least 6 kilograms of raw and secondary materials consumed. Between fibers and resins used in creating a sail and consumable materials such as gloves, tape, paper, etc., there is significant waste that results from the manufacture of each new racing sail. Extrapolating these figures out for an entire sail inventory, with sails weighing somewhere around 1,100 to 1,300 pounds, there is approximately two to three tons of waste—in sails alone—for each and every boat in the IMOCA fleet. While this figure is a considerable amount of waste and byproduct, it also represents an opportunity to achieve a meaningful reduction in waste.

“As the awareness has grown around sustainability, we were five years ago talking about compromise and additional cost, but more and more the solutions out there provide not just better business practice but financial and operational gains as well,” says Damian Foxall, 11th Hour Racing’s Sustainability Manager. “Things begin to snowball and accelerate in the right direction. We’ve had some fun wins in regards to sustainability, some small, some big. We did an audit on everything and just one small way we improved was by stockpiling and sending cardboard and other supplies back to suppliers. Not only was there financial gain for both parties but there was a huge reduction in waste. When you get sustainability and finance doing the same thing, it’s a win-win.”

Another way is to get used carbon fiber out to recyclers, Foxall says. “In some ways, carbon is becoming harder and harder to get, so we need to get that carbon out to the right recyclers and for them to feed that carbon back to us in the right form.”

Transforming one product to another product, however, demands additional raw energy, Foxall says. “In our study, which was backed up to a previous life-cycle assessment, the first question to ask suppliers is where does your energy come from? It’s maybe not something you immediately think about for a green sail, but energy is the first thing you should be looking at. There are big gains to be had, and it’s oftentimes a cheaper and/or similar cost. One of the sail lofts which is doing quite good work and being leaders on alternative materials is OneSails. They have a nominally circular material process which is theoretically recyclable. Kudos to them. It’s important for the IMOCA class to get to a circular space in terms of materials. The complication when you go too quickly down that route, however, is you end up with issues of durability. So, what the green sail rule is…on one hand it’s intended to be pragmatic but also to incentivize teams to improve.”

Top-level racing yachts can go through sails very quickly, so anything that can significantly increase durability is a victory in terms of sustainability. If a mainsail that used to get replaced every two years or perhaps every four-year Vendée Globe cycle manages to go twice as long as before, then that is a measurable reduction in waste and energy consumed. With that in mind, 11th Hour Racing and other racing programs swear by the longevity of North Sails 3Di.

“The most sustainable sail is 3Di,” Foxall says. “They don’t change shape and they last forever, so we’re trying to beat something that is pretty good in terms of durability. The next step is to clean up the construction process.”

Part of the green sail rule is to incentivize teams to create a life-cycle assessment for each new sail, with the goal being sails that stay on the racetrack longer. Striking a balance between real sustainability gains and the unimpeded pursuit of performance at all costs is no trivial challenge. Alternative materials now exist to make a real and tangible impact in terms of sustainability, and they’re evolving rapidly. In the most recent Vendée Globe, Pip Hare and Ari Huusela each raced around the world with working sails that were ISO 14040 certified to be fully recyclable. With both sailors using sails built using OneSails’ “4T Forte” technology, they have proven that a recyclable, more sustainable sail can be built, one that offers good performance and enough reliability to make it around the world.

“We began using thermoplastic as a bonding agent rather than adhesives,” says Mark Washeim of OneSails. “There were a lot of advantages to this; the main one being that the bond was molecular rather than chemical. The sails weren’t glued together, they were unified. The thermoplastic would encapsulate the fibers, and the bundle of fibers would remain soft. It’s kind of like an extension cord where you have metal cables encapsulated in plastic, so that the bundles would not fracture. This allowed the use of lightweight, low-stretch membranes. An additional advantage of this method of sail construction was that the sail could be made to be recyclable.”

Another sustainability gain, Washeim says, is a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of other systems, including Dacron. “It does it without the use of pollutants such as glues, resins and solvents. It’s very clean and has all kinds of certifications and documentation for being green. And it is. Our technology was the first racing sail to be certified as being fully recyclable, but it’s not like you can take a sail and throw it into a recycling bin and turn it into another lower-grade plastic. The membrane has to be stripped of its additional components like Dacron edge tapes, batten pocket components, luff slides, corner rings, etc.”

While OneSails may be the first company to build a recyclable racing sail to go around the world in the Vendée Globe, their core goal of more sustainable sail production is shared by many industry leaders and is already trickling down. Challenge Sailcloth has recently introduced their “Palma” line of sailcloth which uses their new UPE material that is made entirely from recycled polyester fiber and films. UPE is Challenge’s acronym for their recycled variant of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), which is the same material as Spectra or Dyneema. From a sail-making perspective, it’s darn good stuff. It’s relatively light weight, super strong and resists chafe, tearing and stretching. In other words, it’s nearly bullet proof and holds its shape well. By making a UHMWPE cloth from recycled materials and then gluing it together with a proprietary adhesive that includes no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) nor harmful solvents, Challenge has innovated a new means of building sails that uses 100-percent recycled materials, reduces greenhouse gas emissions during construction and can be recycled. By supplying this cloth to a lot of the industry, consumers can now purchase sails built from sustainable cloth from sailmakers such as Quantum, OneSails, Elvstrøm and others.

The net gains of the IMOCA class’ new ‘Green Sail’ rule remains to be seen. But with IMOCA teams now forced to consider the carbon footprint, usable life cycle and waste generated from what will likely be the next sail purchased in their inventory, it is a start, and it does move the needle and the conversation in the right direction. With new materials and construction processes constantly being innovated and tested on what is the most demanding race track on earth, these sustainable practices should do more than just clean up IMOCA class’ sail programs. They stand to push an industry-wide shift that will spread to other racing classes and club racers. 

The post The Push to Sustainable Sailmaking appeared first on Sailing World.

When it comes to foul weather gear, coastal and around-the-buoys keelboat sailors are sometimes stuck between a rock and hard place. You can go for the full-on offshore outfit, but that’s a little bit like owning a Ferrari just to get to and from the local Walmart.  Or you can opt for more dinghy-oriented gear—spray tops and lightweight salopettes—and keep your fingers crossed that you’re not going to get hosing. Enter Gill’s Verso system, no-frills jacket and trousers that bridge the gap between offshore and dinghy gear.  

         Both are made of Gill Marine‘s trademarked XPLORE+ fabric, which can be machine washed. Yes, like all other foul weather gear on the market today, it’s breathable, but what we immediately noticed is that this stuff feels rugged. Not around-the-world rugged, but something you’d be fine with on a weekend race where the weather suddenly goes south or around the buoys on a blustery fall or spring day. It doesn’t have anywhere near the bulk or stiffness of true offshore gear, nor is it so light that after a long afternoon you’ll be running for a hot shower once you get off the water. 

         The jacket: no lining, three pockets, a tuck-away high-viz hood and Velcro wrist closures.  Basic. But spend a little more time with it, and you’ll discover some cool details.  Inside each cuff are inner seals that can be secured snuggly around each wrist with a Velcro tab for a true watertight fit. The back lower hem is extended just over five inches to avoid “ride-up” when sitting. That’s supplemented with an elastic draw string that runs around the bottom of the jacket.

Up top, there’s a comfortable fleece collar liner. When fully zipped, the collar tops out just around chin level, which is about perfect for keeping spray out. With the tuck-away hood, we expected some uncomfortable bulk on the back of the collar, but we hardly knew it was there. Nice surprise. Add in three-way adjustments for hood and collar, and you’re set to stay dry and warm in just about any position on deck. Available in black or light grey. $385.

         The trousers continue the basic theme, but with a few variations. Most obvious is the touch-screen pocket, located on the upper right thigh. It’s big enough to hold just about any size phone or GPS and behind it is a pocket large enough for a pair of sailing gloves.  A sturdy Velcro-sealed flap keeps contents of both pockets secure. Inside the main pocket is a loop for keys, a knife or anything of similar ilk. We love the attention to detail.

OK, enough with the pocket already. Gill calls these trousers, but a more specific name—salopettes—seems to fit them better.  In height, they come up just under the neck, and there are wide, comfortable shoulder straps that can be set in one of two positions, along with Gill’s SuperStretch back panel that not only stretches but allows air to easily pass through—great for one of those days that suddenly heats up, leaving you with no opportunity to doff the foul-weather gear. As you’d expect, knees and seat are heavily reinforced. Inside the waterproof zipper is a large gusset to double down on keeping water out. Available in black only. $385.

The post Gill Verso Gear Makes the Grade appeared first on Sailing World.

With my cursor hovering over “Complete Transaction,” I am unable to click. I’m undecided. Do I want brown, or gray lenses for my sunglasses?  How about silver, black, or blue mirror? Just then, thankfully, my editor Dave Reed calls about something else and when I explain my dilemma, he suggests I reach out to Steve Rosenberg. Steve, he says, has legit lens technology credibility. So, I defer my purchase, close my browser and reach out to the Master of Shades.

I have known Rosenberg for a long time, from sailing 505s and when we were both on the US Sailing Team. He was in the Flying Dutchman, I in the Tornado. Back then, he was winning national championships in high-profile boats like the 505, Laser and Snipe, but he’s best known in sailing circles as the guy that knows everything about sunglasses, with a specialty in lens technology. Rosenberg’s career started when he was sponsored as a pro sailor by Oakley in the mid 80s. By the early 1990s, he was snapped up by Oakley where he quickly rose through the ranks to senior executive. There, he helped usher their transition from a “Niche Cool Guy” brand as he calls it, into the mass-market sports sunglass behemoth they are known as today.

 Eventually, he saw a need for lens technology improvement, so he followed his passion and founded Kaenon to work on developing better polarized lens technology. Amongst us sailors and beyond, Kaenon became well known for its quality sunglasses. He eventually sold out and took a break. More recently, he and his son Jacob founded Tajima-Direct.com, a high-tech online polarized sunglasses and prescription lens company that brings his industry-leading polarized and prescription lens technology directly to the consumer. You can read all about it here. https://www.sailingworld.com/story/gear/how-to-save-your-sunglasses/

 But enough about them. What about me? I still needed to choose my sunglasses, so I got to work picking Rosenberg’s brain. From him, I was naively looking for a few key selection tips. But like all those that know their craft well, he tactfully led me down a more thoughtful path. “Everyone is different, sees things differently, and has different needs and tolerances, so there really is not one right answer, but with knowledge, you will be able to make the right decision that fits your unique needs,” he tells me.

 The knowledge path he brought me down started with lens material. Plastics like polycarbonate, CR-39, Nylon, and glass each has its own set of challenges, such as being too easily scratched, heavy, have polarization efficiency issues, and/or shatter and so on. He told me that no materials or manufacturing process at that time checked all the boxes, so he decided to base his lens businesses on Urethane.

“When fabricated correctly, it’s the first non-comprising polarized lens material featuring the superior optical clarity of glass, combined with hi-mass impact resistance and extremely light weight,” he says. Lens material is a brand choice, not typically a model choice within a brand, so you may have to dig deep to find which lens material a sunglass manufacturer uses, but it’s worth the search. It’s not the whole picture because manufacturing any lens is not easy, so it’s more than just the material that counts, but it’s a start.

Even before talking to Rosenberg, one of the few things I knew for sure was that I wanted my lenses polarized. Light waves are naturally oriented in many directions, but the reflected light waves we see as glare off the water are horizontal.  Good polarization blocks those horizontal waves removing the glare. I can read the water and surface texture so much better without the glare and I find glare tiring on my eyes and brain. “Even on a cloudy day where you would not think there would be much glare,” Steve assured me, “you will be able to see more contrast with polarized lenses on flat light days.” Check that box and move on.

Another thing I am sure of is that I want wrap-around frames and lenses.  The wrap-around style protects the side of my eyes from direct light yet allows for peripheral vision. Rosenberg added that we want an anti-reflective coating on the inside of the lenses to knock down indirect light bouncing off your skin reflecting onto the lenses then back into your eyes.  I had not thought of that one.

At the heart of my inability to complete my order, however, was lens color and finish selection.  It turns out that my difficulty in choosing was because these choices are personal. For help here, Rosenberg sent me to the Blog section of his Tajima-Direct.com website where I found case studies with top sailors. This was super helpful, here are some excerpts:

 ● America’s Cup champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Peter Burling wants one set of glasses, he wants to put them on when he is ready to go sailing without making any further choices.  For this all-around color, he likes gray polarized lenses. His eyes are not overly sensitive, so he can get away with a slightly lighter tint allowing him to use one pair in a wide range of light conditions. 

 ● Olympic Silver Medalist and multiple world champion Steve Benjamin could not be more the opposite, he wants a quiver of lenses. “My eyes have always been sensitive to sunlight, so I prefer a dark polarized lens most of the time, so I don’t squint and stay as relaxed as possible,” says Benjamin on the Blog.  “On cloudy days I tend to prefer your Copper lenses that are dark with added contrast for when changing light goes flat, and in fog there is nothing better than the Yellow-Green low light lenses.”

● Olympian and world champ Dave Hughes prefers gray with blue mirror—an all-purpose lens. But he wants a low-light option too. “The ‘Brown 15 Green Mirror’ works really well for me in foggy and low-light conditionswhere I’m looking for heightened contrast and detail in flat light.  I find I’ve been rotating in those lenses more and more lately.”

Intrigued by these case studies, I peppered Rosenberg for one more level of lens color understanding. “Our gray is neutral and natural. If you are going to get just one set, this is it,” he suggests. “Copper is great for those that want the most contrast,” he continues, “but some find that too much, that’s where brown comes in, and yellow-green is great for low light, like in fog, or overcast.”

In case you were wondering about the numbers in some of those case studies. Like the ‘15’ in ‘Brown 15’, it is the measured percentage of visible light transmission (VLT) that passes through the lens. For example, ‘Brown 15’ is 15-percent transmitted (85 percent of visible light blocked).  For sailors, the sweet spot, says Rosenberg, is 10 to 15 percent VLT.  Eight-percent VLT and under is “what you need on Mount Everest.”  You may prefer 10 percent VLT if your eyes are very light sensitive. Anything higher than 15 may be too bright except in lower light conditions.

 Any mirrors reflect light, this is why you see mirrors used on the snow in bluebird conditions. “It’s my opinion that mirrors are beneficial to sailors on the water where light reflection can be intense off the water’s surface,” says Rosenberg. “The two work very well together on the water by reflecting light (mirror) and removing glare (polarization), creating a more comfortable view with less strain for the user.”  A mirror coating will darken the lens. Black and blue mirror darkens by 2 percent, and the silver mirror by 4 percent. Black and silver are similar in that they won’t alter the base lens tint’s intention. Blue mirror “warms up the gray and adds a bit of contrast.”

That sounds good to me.

In the “no brainer” decision category, Rosenberg says to make sure the sunglasses lens you choose block harmful UVA, UVB and UVC rays. With technology today, any quality pair of sunglasses you get should do so, but it is important to your eye health, so it’s worth double checking. Wearing sunglasses first should be about overall eye protection and preserving long term eye health. The performance features we are talking about are all a bonus.

On the inside and outside of my sunglasses I want a hydrophobic (sheds water), oleophobic (sheds oil) and anti-scratch coatings. But even with all that, they won’t be indestructible. The best way to clean them is to give them a spray of fresh water after sailing.  I like to wash them before sailing again with a mild non-abrasive soap and warm water to get body oils and sunscreen out of the surface’s tiny pores.  On the water, I like to carry a few packets of lens wipes, but Rosenberg warns me that I better squirt my lens with my water bottle before wiping clean or I will just be grinding in salt and sand, the enemies of lens scratching.  Besides longevity, the coatings should help make it so I can see well again with just fresh water, that’s convenient.

My original mission was to select sunglasses and now I feel armed to make that choice. First, I chose a manufacturer that uses Urethane for their lens material. I confirm they have the basics: UVA, UVB, and UVC protection, hydro(phobic)/oleophobic treatments, scratch-resistant coatings and rear-side anti-reflection.  I do some reading to make sure they have a good reputation for a quality polarization and overall manufacturing process.  I chose a wraparound frame that is light, allows for air flow, and grips my head well.

Now for the hardest part. I need to decide on how many pairs, what colors, and what finish.  After some thought, I think my style will support two pairs, one all around and one for low light.  The first and primary pair I expect to use most of the time, and even though I will have a second pair for low light, I still want them to support a wide range of light conditions. With that, I figured I can’t go wrong with a lighter gray lens and a blue mirror tint. The second I expect to use infrequently for low-light conditions, so I choose a yellow-green. The second pair I expect to use infrequently for low-light conditions, so I choose the Yellow-Green. Since I am nearsighted, I upload my prescription, then click. Done. Shades on the way.

The post How to Buy Your Next Pair of Sunglasses appeared first on Sailing World.

When it’s really cold and wet, we have two options—and we’re not talking about going sailing or staying home. Well, of course we’re going…that’s what our gear is for. For dinghy sailing, our choice is either wetsuit or drysuit. For small keelboats—and even big boats—it’s pretty much all drysuits, unless you’re going with traditional foul-weather gear. While wetsuit development has evolved around materials and linings, there’s a lot happening with drysuits these days. Gill’s new Pursuit wetsuit and Verso drysuit are two good cases in point.

First, the wetsuit. The Pursuit is a variation of what Gill has offered in the past, with a couple of twists. It’s a traditional, full-body wetsuit, with 4mm of neoprene in the torso area and 3mm in the arms and legs. With that, you get great core warmth and about as much flexibility as possible with this level of wetsuit. The chest and back areas include a thermal mesh lining for even more warmth—and it’s soft to the touch. We especially liked the feel of the soft “Glideskin” collar, something you’ll appreciate if you spend more than a few hours on the water. There’s a vertical back zipper with a long pull cord to make this a do-it-yourself unit. Gill wisely put reinforcement on the knees, but there is none on the seat. Not great for sitting on decks with a lot of non-skid, but if you’re using a wetsuit for sailing, chances are you’re wearing sailing shorts over it anyway to make it easier to slide in and out of hiking positions. Other than that, the only feature not granted on our wish list is a fly. Enough said there. In addition to men’s sizes, the Pursuit is available in women’s and junior sizes. $195 for women’s and men’s; $130 for junior’s suit. 

The Verso drysuit takes Gill’s drysuit line in a more versatile direction than their traditional models, which are still available. At first glance, the Verso looks like a drysuit with a spray top over it, which in a way it is, although the “top” is an integral and permanent part of the suit. What’s especially cool is how the “spray top” part holds the suit against your torso with Velcro tabs on each side, eliminating the need for internal suspenders, which are prone to slide off your shoulders if not set correctly. Coupled with the rear-entry zipper, this suit minimizes the bulkiness associated with traditional front-zip units. Wrists also have Velcro closures, which also cut down on bulkiness at the wrist. Then, there’s the hood. The first time we tried this, we thought, “Man, this would be perfect for doing foredeck in gnarly conditions. Or hanging out on the weather rail on a long upwind slog. Or standing at the helm when water is coming over the bow. Or . . .” You get the idea—if it’s cold and wet, this suit is in its element. 

With cincher cords to hold the hood close to your face and a breathable chin guard that can be zipped into place, you’ll probably stay about as comfortable as is humanly possible. The hood can be rolled up and secured when not used. The jury is still out about how comfortable this would be on the back of your neck long-term, but our guess is most people will simply let the hood fall back when not in use. If you’re using this for dinghy sailing, you’ll probably want the hood rolled, especially if you sail a boat with a low boom. A couple of other features we really liked: an easily accessible pocket on the upper left arm for small items and—wait for it—a relief zip. This alone is probably worth the price of admission. There’s no women’s version with a rear zip, however.

On the technical side, the suit has the requisite neoprene seals at the neck and wrist, all of which can be easily trimmed using Gill’s built-in trim lines as guides if a slightly looser fit is desired. The body of the suit is made of three-layer waterproof, breathable laminate fabric. The integral booties are also made of the same laminate for durability and ease of sliding into footwear. Rear-entry and relief zippers are German-made TIZIP, which do require occasional lubrication. Available in gray or a special edition “blue jay” blue. $850.

The post Gill’s Winter Suits Leave No Excuses appeared first on Sailing World.

       With a 30-liter volume, this big boy will hold a lot of gear. For that reason, it’s good they added the backpack feature instead of relying on a single over-the-shoulder strap. The backpack harness is constructed with breathable, padded airmesh, and includes a cross strap to keep the harness from sliding off your shoulders. Airmesh is also incorporated where the pack contacts your back. This is key, as the pack itself is a full-on waterproof, non-breathable bag, and without the Airmesh, it wouldn’t take more than a short walk down the dock on a hot day before the back of your shirt was soaked. Comfortable pads, one in the lumbar area and two in the scapula areas, round out the backpack aspects of the Voyager.

       The cavernous interior includes three pockets along the front of the pack (adjacent to your back), which are probably most useful for objects not too bulky, as they are closer to sleeves than actual pockets. The smallest of the three has a zipper top—a super-secure place for anything you really don’t want getting lost.  Even when the pack is full, it’s not difficult to slide your hand down the inside wall and find that pocket, although I’d probably attach a small lanyard on the zipper pull to make it even easier to find. 

       Outside, there’s a roll down top to keep water out and the pack more compact.  It’s secured with a strap along the top and one on each side.  We really liked the large external pocket on the back, complete with clear window and side zipper access—another great, easily accessible but secure place to stash a cellphone, sailing instructions, etc. Plus, you can see what you’re looking for. No more groping around in the dark. Endless possibilities there.

       The only niggle we have with the Voyager is with the advertised water bottle pockets, located on either side. Great idea, but they’re simply not big enough for the average water bottle. We even tried a Gill water bottle—no dice. Not a deal breaker, but worth noting. Still, a lot of good things going on with the Voyager backpack. And you’ll likely find that carrying a full offshore load was never easier. $115.

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