Boots or Bare feet

I have always tended to sail in boots (wet suit boots/dinghy boots/similar. However, now I live in a more civilised climate. I have noticed a few comments here regarding hiking straps along the lines of "bare feet are better".


I have previously been taught that "there is no place on a boat for bare feet" (though to some extent that may have been with regard to larger 10m+ boats.


Do bare feet work well in a Laser. Decent grip. There does not seem too much to stub one's toes on, to tread on, etc. so I guess it might work well.


Ian

I recently tried bare feet on my Laser and in light winds with little hiking. I forgot my water shoes that I wear in the summer. It was a super hot day and it felt pretty good to be barefoot. I'll continue to wear footwear, though, because with any hiking the strap hurt my arches.

I wear a pair of very beat-up sneakers when sailing because the lake I sail in is pretty shallow (about 15' max depth) and has icky footing on the bottom. I wear shoes in case I wind up standing chin-deep in the water, trying to unrig the boat so's to get the mast out of the mud. (Not, of course, that anything like that has ever happened. No. Not at all.)

I have always worn boots ever since someone i know fractured their their toe in the autobailer on a windy day.... not very nice. It must've hurt so much.....

Most of the time, I sail barefooted. However, I have missed entire regattas and most memorably the second day of a great event in Fairhope Alabama becuase I stepped on something really sharp. ( Thanks again as I remember the day years later to Tackle Shack Andy for pulling my boat from the water while I bandaged my foot!!)

Also, currently I am nusrsing a sore toe from folding a toenail back on something (The toerail? I don't know.)

But sailing with stuff on my feet has always annoyed me. Laser sailing is best in shorts, t shirt, sunglasses, lots of sunscreen, lip balm, and a life jacket.

Hiking pants are an annoying competitive edge that must be worn in big events with long weather legs and gloves are for those who just don't sail enough.

Says me!!

I go barefoot as much as possible, and am currently suffering a very badly sprained toe because of it. I guess I just keep going barefoot because I am steadiest that way.

gouvernail said:

Hiking pants are an annoying competitive edge that must be worn in big events with long weather legs and gloves are for those who just don't sail enough.

Says me!!

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Actually, some people who sail a lot wear gloves to preserve sensitivity in their fingers. I know a champion sailor who starts IVs for a living, and he needs the gloves for that reason.

Say I!

Boots are overrated

When in bare feet you can feel where the mainsheet is tangled so its easier to untie or shake free at the windward.
I never sail in boots unless cold or crazy windy

depends on where your at and launching, and what you are doing, i do both

Always Boots, because in descent winds the mainsheet and other lines get caught in your toes and it is very distracting. the hiking strap will also begin to hurt if you are sailing for a long period of time.

Crazy Sailor

i used to always wear boot for the primary reason that my old hiking starp that was like a peice of seatbelt would hurt my feet but now since i have gotten a new hiking strap and i lost my boots i go barefoot but i might get a new pair of boots for the occasional cold florida regatta and heavy wind days. but i personally like to sail with just a lifejacket and my bathing suit and hiking pants if the wind is strong.

I only wear boots in the winter when it's freezing and when i'm away at events where we have to conform to club kit rules.

Barefoot, I like to wear as less clothes as possible. The only (little) problem is the mainsheet line getting caught in your toes. Unluckily in winter were I live I do need a pair of neoprene boots.

Paolo

Merrily said:

I know a champion sailor who starts IVs for a living, and he needs the gloves for that reason.

Say I!

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If I don't sail enough my sailing callouses peel off and my hands get rough.

If I sail after losing the callouses I get nasty blisters on the fattest sections of my two middle fingers.

My occupation demands that I feel tiny imperfections in what most others consider to be shiny smooth and fair surfaces. It also causes me to regularly come in contact with acetone.

Pain is defined in the sailing dictionary as: 1. something that hurts. 2. sand scratched eyeballs and sea water mixing. 3. any contact by any open wound with acetone 4. In big breeze, the last ten boat lengths to a weather mark

The following will lose the under fifty crowd>>>

If Madge were a Laser sailor she would tell you, sailing is better than Polmolive Dishwashing detergent. It keeps my hands soft and beautiful.

Wheeeeeee!!!

Sailors give the best massages!!

Strong soft hands

says me!!

gouvernail said:

If I don't sail enough my sailing callouses peel off and my hands get rough.

If I sail after losing the callouses I get nasty blisters on the fattest sections of my two middle fingers.

My occupation demands that I feel tiny imperfections in what most others consider to be shiny smooth and fair surfaces. It also causes me to regularly come in contact with acetone.

Pain is defined in the sailing dictionary as: 1. something that hurts. 2. sand scratched eyeballs and sea water mixing. 3. any contact by any open wound with acetone 4. In big breeze, the last ten boat lengths to a weather mark

The following will lose the under fifty crowd>>>

If Madge were a Laser sailor she would tell you, sailing is better than Polmolive Dishwashing detergent. It keeps my hands soft and beautiful.

Wheeeeeee!!!

Sailors give the best massages!!

Strong soft hands

says me!!

Click to expand...

Yeah, but you aren't trying to shove needles in old peoples arms without making them cry. That's way different from imperfections in gel coat or what have you. I'm just saying what the guy told me.

I sail with boots for the main reason of getting my foot cut open on a broken beer bottle on the launch ramp. Shoes get to heavy to wear.

I used to sail with booties for some time, but I find that I have better feel and balance for the boat without, but it's important to remember to apply sunscreen to the tops of your feet if you go barefoot, sunburn and hiking strap rash together make a bad combonation. I also found that in booties, I was much more prone to foot infections like atheletes foot, because water would stay in the botties and sit there and warm up. just something to keep in mind if you sailin in booties all the time, wash them out.

personally I like sailing with my GILL hiking boots
they are super comftorable for me to wear...
yesterday i forgot them and sailed barefoot
and i had alot of trouble holding on to the hiking strap

haha, you have old botties, i have Gull, (Gill but newer, i do belive) and they are awesome. i switch between them sandals and barefoot alot. i Like the botties over sandals and barefoot because of hiking strap rash...but the booties get kinda gross when you have water as hot as you body sitting in them all day in the sunn.

I have to say i tried sailing a 420 in sandals a couple days ago and i liked it alot compared to always goin barefoot. But i haven't tried it in a laser. And Gul is a totally different brand form Gill.

lol ya
i just lift up my foot real high and it pours out
have any of you ever tried tyiing stringsthrough the traveler...one on each side... and attach it to the tiller...
then completely sailed the boat from the front?
its fun!

Or, just sail without a rudder while on the bow...this is a bit off topic though. lol