sailing with glasses

They used to be refered to as "croakies". Basically a tube you wet to slide over the earpiece connected by one or two strings and a device to cinch up to the back of your noggin.

I've sailed with several people who are afraid to wear their "regular" glasses, I personally never sail without mine.

I'm a glasses wearer but I rarely wear mine on the water. I have difficulty wearing contacts but have begun to wear them after once mistaking A mark for the finish line pin earlier this year (and losing a couple of positions!). I have an astigmatism that mostly affects my depth perception. The discomfort from the contacts (My eyes don't make enough tears) is less than the pain of doing something stupid! The contacts are usually glued to my eyeball at the end of a full day on the water.

I've considered several options but the contacts coupled with sun glasses that fit tightly to my face seem to be the best combination for me...I haven't been happy enough with a single pair of sunglasses to consider spending the dough on a prescription. Although I might act like it sometimes, I'm not 10 years old either.

I've played with several different types of eye wear for races and have been pretty impressed with what a ski goggle does for blocking UV and water spray...why not wear the ski goggles over the glasses while on the water?

I got a cheap pair of perscription sunglasses the last time I got new eye glasses.

Some of the bigger chains will include a second pair of glasses or sunglasses for a reduced price. Its not going to be the most stylish set of sunglasses, but they will do the job. Some of the more generic (cheap) frames make great sunglasses. Some of the better goggles have clear, tinted and yellow lens that you can swap out for differient lighting conditions.

I wear perscription sunglasses when I sail with a string style cord and I have never lost a pair. And I have crashed plenty of times. I considered the Barz goggles, but I cant see any improvement, except that you dont get saltwater spots on the inside of the lens.

I wouldnt be able to see the marks without my glasses and having them be sunglasses helps with eyestrain.

My dad wears goggles over his glasses when he ski's with good results.

Bill

Apparently 10 years old is when you start to care what other kids think and the idea of wearing a S-K-I goggle while swimming is "so not happening, Dad". They don't understand the trade off of what works vs. what is fashionable. I saw at Walmart today, (of all places) a ski goggle with soft padding like a ski goggle normally has but not as big and obvious as a ski goggle. (They look like the Barz goggles in the Catsailor on-line store.) I think it would work but they aren't polarized and I really think that makes a difference.
Greg

Its important that the sunglass block UV - A and UV - B. Otherwise you are allowing the eye to open up and let all that UV into the inside of the eye.

I've tried the ski goggles over glasses for skiing and they tend to fog up a lot.

I have the same problem with my contacts getting really dry after a whole day on the water. I found always wearing wrap around polarized sunglasses with contacts to work the best for comfort and vision.

From what I've tried, there is no single best solution, it's mostly personal preference.

I couldn't see the shore from the middle of a small pond without my glasses, so I wear them all the time when sailing. I use a floating "croaky" to keep them attached to my head. It's made of foam and slips over the earpieces. Most stores with sailing stuff have them. I haven't lost a pair of glasses while sailing yet.

The last time I got sunglasses with perscription lens the curve was limited...they wouldnt do the percription on the close fitting wrap around the face style....this was from the mall eyeglass store. Even the high end Maui Jim type sunglasses limit the amount of wrap that you can get as perscription.

In the end I settled for a less aggressive wrap style.

One-day contact lenses are not too expensive and could be worn on sailing days. Of course they do not give protection from the sun.

I just have a sports frame with cheap glasses. Sport frame = same as normal frame but with the little curling springs that wrap around the base of your ear.

The sport frame are flexible in the joints and can be bend back into shape without risking damage. These things are rather inexpensive and will take new glasses when needed.

I never had any troubles with these and I made some crashes in my time.

In the beginning I just used an old pair of glasses with a string that just fitted around my head. Or rather is was as band can of thing. Worked well for about 6 years, then I lost one glass in a major crash, but the frame was rather old be then over 15 years old actually. It was bound to die sometime.

Wouter

The Ray-Ban marketing department makes a big deal about UV protection, but the fact of the matter is that plastic (and glass) that transmits UV light is more expensive than plastic (and glass) that doesn't. All sunglasses, even the cheap ones, do a more than adequate job of blocking UV-A and UV-B light.

I am guessing, if he is greatly concerned about losing his glasses, it is because he has a large correction and is very dependent on his glasses. I feel for him, because I am in the same situation. I an very near-sighted with an Rx correction of -8.00.

It is very worth while to see well when you are sailing for every reason I can think of. For safety; for recreational enjoyment of seeing the boat, sails, and foam in action; for seeing the scenery; and for seeing the girls! It is worth the risk of loss to see well. With that said, you still don't want to loose them. If you have a high correction, it takes WEEKS to get use to a new glasses, even if its the same prescription.-So I understand the fear of losing them. Glass straps of various kinds will reduce the risk. Or, wear an older pair that are currently sitting in a drawer. Losing an old pair will not be tramatic. Or take advantage of those two for one deals the next time he gets glasses and use the 2nd for sailing.

It is worth it to see when sailing!

I wouldn't dream of sailing without specs. For one thing i wouldn't be able to find my boat on the beach even with the sails up!
I find that they protect my eyes from driving spray at speed and i can keep looking at the telltales/bows when 'two-eyed' folks have to shut them!
I just tie a very thin piece of shock cord across the back of the glasses and they have only ever had them come off once, that was when i mannaged to jam my head through the purchases of my main sheet on a gybe! even then they were safe around my neck.
I do always have a spare set taped to the boom just in case a lense falls out or something.
FOR GODS SAKE DON'T LET GLASSES PUT YOUR SON OFF OF THE SPORT.

Paul 4-eyes

But I have a question to all regarding spray. I've tried wearing glasses while sailing, but the spray coats them in no time on a decent sailing day. I sail in salt water, and it seems like after a few minutes I'm having more trouble seeing through the glasses than without them. (Fortunately, I'm not that terribly nearsighted and can make do without them.) Am I missing some well-known sailing trick to keep them clear, or what?

Kevin
Prindle 18

I have exactly the same problem- don't absolutely need them but they are nice to have but all it takes is one good spray and they are worthless. Any suggestions?

In Australia they are known as fitover sunglasses,are available from optometrists and sunglass outlets, are a wraparound and sit comfortably in front of your glasses on your nose. They come in small and larger sizes, have two main eye lenses plus a smaller one at each side and give good glare protection. They also have a rubber strip along the top of the frame which is comfortable against your forehead and gives a good spalsh seal. I tie them on with a thin tube of wetsuit material.

the only way you are going to remain completely salt free is to go to diving goggles and they cost plenty for those needing prescription lenses. i used cheap safety goggles closing the air holes with tape but they didn't have the standard eye protection factor and your eyes really felt it at the end of a day on the water.

Fitovers are about $60Au, come with a velcro sealable softcase with a clip to go on a belt. I wish I had thought of them years ago.

OK, I follow the idea, but don't the goggles get salt water on them and thus become hard to see through as well? (In other words, what good is it to keep your glasses clear via a protective covering if the covering gets covered with salt?)

Not trying to be difficult here, but just curious how it works for you guys.

Thanks!
Kevin
Prindle 18

Croakie used to make a floatie that was just like the original croakie, but was wider in back to keep the glasses floating if they fell off. They may still make it but I haven't looked for it. Over the years I've lost three or four pair, a small price for the enjoyment of sailing. I always wear a croakie, if I can't find one then I use a string or small bungie to make one.

To clean the glasses while sailing a friend of mine showed me what he came up with, and that's a chammy cloth tied to a string. The other end of the string is tied to the shoulder of the his life jacket. The chammy is always there and ready. You need to wet the chammy before sailing with fresh water.

The goggles over glasses may be ok for some, but I don't like looking thru two lenses.

Scott

Greg, I always wear prescription polarized sunglasses, unless it's really overcast, when I just wear regular glasses. I find the salt spray is an issue both on the lenses, and sometimes in my eyes.Could've used sealed goggles on a few occasions! I carry an extra water bottle of fresh water just to rinse the lenses. I try to remember my Croakies, and haven't lost my glasses yet(even during pitch poles)! Sunglasses have always been cool.

Ok, it has come the time for me to wear glasses, it's tough getting old, but it beats the alternative. I can see distance well, especially on a sunny day, but it's has become almost impossible to read the countdown timer on my watch and forget trying to see the sticker on the front beam with the flag designations. Not to mention the GPS. Anyway, being a "water" family, I came across these prescription sunglasses in my daughters' surf magazine. They look pretty good to me - made to be worn surfing. It's the end of the year, and I have money left on my pre-tax medical - use or lose. So, I'm going to give these a try. Check them out.

http://www.silverfish.com/

If you wax your glasses before you go out it helps the spray roll off the lens and not turn into a salty spot.

A couple times a year I polish my sunglasses with carnuba wax, dont use more that a spec of it or you wont be able to get them clear. I also carry a small lens cloth in a zip lock bag that I can clean and polish my sunglasses between races. I usually just use spit to polish the lens. For some reason spit also helps with fogging - especially if you do it before you go out when the lens are dry and you let the lens dry after you spit polish the inside.

Dirty Dog makes a series of "wet glasses" that are designed for spray and such. They fit pretty close to my face and water beads up and rolls off them very easily. While they do eventually start to spot, they stay clean for quite a while.

I think the prescription glasses that BARZ offers is the way I'm going to go OR the prescription swimming goggles. I hadn't thought of using the end of year Section 125 money (use it or lose it) I'm embarassed to say. I wondered when you guys starting discussing the residue problem with the salt water if something like RAINEX would work? Seems to keep my windshield very clear in the winter salty roads of New England.
At any rate, I'm comitted to not letting a fear of losing glasses or the discomfort of not being able to see to be the thing that puts my son off sailing. The only question is which option he will find the least objectionable. Which will he wear.
Thanks for all your advice....
Greg

I sail with contacts- it took me a while to get used to contacts- but wearing them over 10 hours a week can help keep your eye from changing prescription according to my eye-MD. I have the new ones that have built in bifocals so I can see small things like the watch. I wear cheap polarized glasses over them- my local boating store (maybe west) had great ones -2 for $20. I wear the contacts swimming too- the cheaper daily wear ones- you can't see up close as well but it beats not seeing at all- especially those of us who sail in salt water.

John R.

The best thing I have seen is some sport glasses/goggles made for kids at my optometrist.They looks like what some of the NBA players wear. They can make any lens you want for it (polarized, non-fog, light sensitive, etc).
Check with your optometrist, they have at least what they think, kids will think is cool.

I had my eyes corrected about 10 years and am now getting to the point it is tough to read the numbers on a timer. I am going to talk to my doctor about attaching a small corrective lens to the inside of a set of Oakley lens. They make a "stick" on lens for safety glasses, if you want to try it. I bought a package of about 20 through a woodworkers supply.

Simply put, I rarely see anyone sailing without glasses down here. So if the sunglasses they wear don't get lost/broken, it is likely that once he gets used to sailing with them, he won't lose them, either (unless they don't fit right).

I use a "croakie" style strap and tuck it under my hat. Some tie the croakie (via a small line) to their hat or PFD. Unless the glasses are very heavy, the things will float, and usually be near you after a crash.

I have astigmatism, and have perscription shades. Not wrap around, either.

A water bottle to wash them off helps, and I'm considering RAIN-X, but don't know what it would do to the plastic lenses...

Let him see!

I have a pair of Ray-Ban “Daddy-O”s (model W2581), the lens were replaced with polarized prescription lenses. Great side coverage, but not so much curve as to affect the prescription. I also sail in salt water, Rain-X works great. When they salt up you can rinse them in the salt water and shake off the excess.

What a great question, I always wondered but never thought to ask.
I wear prescription sunglasses and once they get wet or salty they're almost useless, but better than no glasses.
Years ago I had contacts but they also have issues. And you still need sun glasses.
If you are near a SAMS or Costco you can get a dup set made from your current glasses, I had a spare pair made for about $80. They are now my primary set.
Never tried wax but this reminds me of stuff we used to put on our dive masks, maybe that will work, I'll be checking that out soon.
We could also find out who makes those tear away windshields for NASCAR and have them make some little ones for our glasses.

Being severely myopic since age 7 and wearing thick plexiglass lenses since 1950...I am a dang expert. I lost regular glasses only one time, surfing at Makaha when I failed to tie my safety string around my neck before attaching it to the other side. The locals laughed and gave me the stink eye, but did I care? Nah, Brah!

If glasses get salty, first wash them off in (salt) water.
Then to remove water spots- lick them off with a dry tongue. (It's usually most convenient to use your own). THE PLASTIC LENSES NEVER GET SCRATCHED. Croakies are almost always the best, but can wash off over your head if you pearl your board, windsurfer or cat: so loop another breakable string over the Croakie & loosely around your neck.
ALSO- big plastic goggles- BlueBlockers- like the old people wear! Keep the splashes running off your head with a billed baseball cap, and the BlueBlockers will do most of the rest- by keeping most spray off your glasses. You do have 4 surfaces to clean + lick between races on a breezy day, but very rarely get your eyeballs washed out by spray. After racing, hang them off your rear view mirror by the string and they will last for YEARS.
Signed, Lick-M Cowboy. (Demos given at Tradewinds!)