If you are out on the water going fishing or just to relax, you are vulnerable to the harsh rays of the sun. Not only you need to protect yourself from direct sunlight that can hit you while on the water, but the heat reflection from the water and the boat surface can do damage as well. We always need to consider how to protect ourselves from the sun whenever we go out boating. With that in mind, I started to do some research to protect me and my family from the sun better the next time we go boating.
Before you take your boat out, consider what the best sun protection for boaters is?
Because it can’t be helped for regular boaters to stay entirely out where the sun rays can directly hit you. Remember to wear clothing items that can help protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun, like wide-brim hats or sun visors. Also shirts and pants made of materials with a good ultraviolet protection factor rating (UPF).
It is very important to wear sunglasses with UV protection. Since water and sand can intensify the effects of the sun rays. It is also a good idea to apply sunblocks or sunscreens with a good SPF rating to the exposed parts of our skin.
If your vessel does not have a roofed deck to retreat from when you need to take a break from the sun, it may be ideal to consider installing a sun-shade so you can be protected from direct sunlight while you relax on your boat.
It is not an uncommon knowledge just what harsh effect too much exposure to sunlight has on our skin, so it is essential to know how to best protect yourself from it. Remember, we are not only at risk of having a nasty sunburn, but we are also in danger of getting skin cancer because of it. When you are out to the sea in your boat, it can’t be helped, you will not be able to escape the sun, but you can arm yourself with the right protection to avoid any possible ramifications to your health.
Wear Hats
Throughout the years, boaters began to better protect themselves from the threat the sun rays brings by including better sun protection gears to their gears. Nowadays, we can see many boaters sporting various kinds of hats like sun visors, baseball caps, bucket hats, Tilley hats, with some even opting for good old cowboy hats. Hats do not only protect our head from the heat of the sunlight but also shade our ears and eyes from direct sunlight.
Wear Sun-protective Clothes
While doing this research, I found a fascinating thing that I was not aware of until now. Did you know that there already are special pieces of clothing designed to not only protect you from direct sunlight but also protect you from higher UV radiation? These are garments made out of materials with UPF or Ultraviolet Protection Factor.
According to an article on the Skin Cancer Foundation, UPF ratings on the garment indicates how much UV radiation it lets penetrate to reach our skin, just like the SPF ratings in our lotions, sunblocks, or sunscreen. So if you will be spending the majority of your time on the boat in direct sunlight, it is highly recommended to invest in such items of clothing with a high UPF rating.
Sunglasses With UV Protection
One of the most sensitive parts of our face is our eyes, so it needs protection, especially to the harsh glare from the sunlight and the light reflection from the water. It is highly recommended to acquire sunglasses with 100 percent protection from UV rays. It is not enough just to wear a dark shade sunglasses, yes it may be enough to shield your eyes from the harsh sunlight, but it does not offer enough protection for ultraviolet radiation.
The best kind of sunglasses for boaters are made of lightweight, flexible, and durable materials that are coated with full-spectrum UV for maximum protection. Refrain from choosing frames made up of metals that are prone to corrosion due to water and sun exposure. You can opt for a wraparound type of sunglasses with dark UV coated lenses.
Apply Sunblock or Sunscreen
Severe sunburn isn’t the only thing we need to worry about whenever we subject ourselves to be assaulted by harsh sun rays. Overexposure to UV rays can cause skin cancer, and sometimes it will not be enough to just stay under the shade to shield you from it. This is especially true to the boaters since the sun’s power is on full effect without anything to shield you from it in the open water. Add to that the fact that the same UV rays you think you can avoid by staying inside the deck is being reflected by the water.
You have nowhere to hide from the sun when you go boating, so the only thing we can do it to make sure that we are protected by applying sunblocks, lotions, and sunscreens with a high SPF rating for better protection from the UV rays. Make sure to apply it to any exposed skin and to reapply them frequently to make sure that we stay protected. Look for sunblocks or sunscreens that protect you from both UVA and UVB. You can also buy waterproof sunscreen if you are going sometime in the water while you are out boating.
Install Sun-Shade
It is essential to have somewhere you can retreat to and hide from the sunlight from time to time, especially if you are going to spend long hours out on the sea. For some boats, they have the luxury to shield you from the sun inside their decks. Other small boat does not have that option. Often you will be sitting on a boat without any kind of shading to block the sun.
You can install a sun-shade on your boat so you can still be protected from being directly assaulted by the sunlight while you enjoy the wind and the scenery. Boat umbrellas are also available, which are explicitly designed to protect the boaters from the harsh UV rays.
Related Topics
Understanding the Difference Between Sunblock and Sunscreen
Based on the article posted by Dermatology Center for Skin Health, both sunblock and sunscreen are capable of protecting our skin from UV rays with the only main difference in how they do it. Sunscreen is a chemical product that acts like a sponge that absorbs most of the UV rays from the sun before it reaches our skin. While sunblock, on the other hand, creates a physical protective barrier on our skin to defend us from UV rays.
Choosing which one is right for you may be best done with the help of a dermatologist because what works for others might not work for you and viceversa. Remember that we have different types of skin that may be more sensitive to chemicals than most of our colleagues. Some brands combine both sunblock and sunscreen in one product to utilize both properties in one. Be sure also to pick one that offers broad-spectrum protection to be protected from both UVB that affects the surface layer of our skin and UVA that penetrates our skin that may cause skin cancer.
Boat Shades Available in the Market
There are various available boat shades you can acquire in the market. But before you purchase one, make sure that it is what is right for your needs and your boat. Consider the type of boat you have, what you use the boat for, where do you often use it, and what kind of material the shade is made of. Other materials will not be ideal when exposed to saltwater. Make sure that it can also withstand prolonged exposure to the sun while effectively protecting you from the UV rays.
There are camper enclosures that create a large shaded area on your boat. This is ideal if you want a permanent or removable large shade. It is mostly made up of thick, durable materials that protect you from various harmful elements out in the water. These are typically custom made but are ideal for pontoon boats.
If you need a shade with transparent sides to be installed above the steering wheel so you can be protected from the sun and still be able to navigate, polycarbonate or acrylic panels are one of the most affordable options for you. With the latter being the cheaper option. Be mindful though, acrylics are a lot easier to crack than polycarbonate. It can easily be installed on the driver’s side of the boat.
Bimini tops are the type of shade that mostly just protects you from the sun. These are ideal for boaters who still want to be able to enjoy the breeze and maximize the space they have on the boat. It’s usually just roofing made out of canvas and supported by metal frames on the side, which can easily be removed and reinstalled. These, just like the campers, can also be customized for the type of boat you have.
Gazebo shades are a dome-like shading that provides much of the same type of protection as the other and can also be custom made for the kind of boat that you have. Though this type of shading is not advised to keep up on a moving boat, it provides good protection from the sun. This is a great choice as well if you have a pontoon type of boat.
If you are on a tight budget or do not want to bother with the installation of boat shades and to have to deal with the hassle of removing them when you need to move, umbrellas are an excellent choice as well. Just pop the umbrella open when you are anchored somewhere and shut them close when you need to sail. It can provide you with more or less the same protection without breaking the bank.
Conclusion
Whether you plan to stay out on the water for a long time or just want a quick trip in the open water, it is best to keep yourself protected from the elements that can harm you when you sail. Be especially cautious of the harmful UV rays that you will be intensively exposed to when you go boating. Never take any chances when it comes to your health, remember it is better safe than sorry. Often the consequences that we will have to live are permanent and irrevocable.