I tried on a Gath helmet today, with safety for some reason entering my mind more and more these days...seems ok BUT

1) won't it give you a sore neck and/or whiplash? - it ain't exactly light

2) I can't wear my new Uranium sunnies at the same time as a helmet! So - possible bump on the head vs likely eye damage from UV rays - which should I protect against? Is it worth it?? I do most of my thinking with my other head, after all...

Advice and opinions please

Helmet Willy, I reckon mine saved my life when I had my accident Dont forget your vest as well

I don't know what Uranium sunnies are (are they the latest thermonuclear bullsh!t from Oakley???) but my $11 safety sunnies from Bunnings fit perfectly underneath my Gath and have never come off even in the heaviest of wipeouts.

Have heard people claim that helmets give you whiplash due to the extra weight and greater surface area when your head hits the water. Could be true if you wear a motorcycle helmet.
I have given myself headaches when my head has hit the water hard from kooked up loops but I reckon that without the helmet it wouldn't have been any better and I might also have popped an eardrum.

Helmet with some of the wrap-around style safety sunnies.

Both are light enough and if you do the near impossible and crash so hard that the sunnies go further than your jump it don't relly matter.....

I wear both...Gath + Oakley water jackets.

No problem.

Oakleys are expensive, but I've got Pterygiums growing on my eyes (which are exacerbated by glare) so for me it was worth it.

Find some sunnies that fit under the Gath...Gath hat and a buoyancy vest I wouldn't sail without these days.

Wear the helmet. An impact to your eyes is going to hurt but is unlikely to give you brain damage or knock you out.

I also wear Protector Polarizing safety glasses with a strap under helmet no worries at all.

I refuse to use ordinary sunnies after having a lens pop out in a prang and thinking to myself that it could have worked like a spoon and taken my eye with it.

Wet Willy said...

OK OK OK I get the picture.

So that covers drowning and getting hit on the head...how do I make myself sharkproof?

Always sail amongst Kiters (the only upside).

Elmo, the safety glasses sound good (+ peri-feral vision etc), where do you get them? From any general safety store or do Bunnings or hardware stores stock them?

I was actually wondering about those electronic sharkie repellers... problem is, they only work in the water. If you strap one to your leg, what happens if you put that leg up on the board to waterstart and a hungry shark notices your other leg dangling?

The solution? Attach it to your butt! The back of a seat harness, to be exact.

Let me see... safety goggles on, life jacket fastened, helmet buckled up tight, electronic shark repeller hanging off my butt, have I forgotten anything? Night vision goggles in case I get stuck out after sunset? Liferaft? Emergency rations? Roll of gaffer tape in a plastic bag? Mittens?

TonyC said...

Elmo, the safety glasses sound good (+ peri-feral vision etc), where do you get them? From any general safety store or do Bunnings or hardware stores stock them?

G'day Tony

I currently use for sailing
Uvex Cybric Polarized
Product no.: 9188-186
Or
Product no.: 9188-186R*

These usually come in a pack which has alternative arms which are essentially a strap which is a bit safer in a stack.
I got mine fro Atom Supply in Welshpool for around $60 (I think)



I also use


Eyres 412 YAGAN (also Polarized)
Part N?:412-M1-PGPX

These are available from Eyres direct
EYRES Safety Optics
33 Kensington Street, East Perth, 6004
Western Australia, Australia
Phone: 1300 663 209
http://www.safetyoptics.com.au/showProduct/Polar-X/Medium/412-M1-PGPX/YAGAN
Cost $110



For the optically challenged
After watching Hardy lose a few lenses from $300 optical glasses I saw that Eyres also do a special safety goggle which incoperates an internal optical Glass frame.

The 707 Goggle is an accredited safety glass, but can be supplied with an Optical glass frame which is fitted internally to the goggles behind the protective lense, all you do is you take this frame to your optometrist get your correct lense fitted then fit the frame into the goggles.
These goggles are also available with a polarized lense.

www.safetyoptics.com.au/showProduct/Goggles/Medium/707-BG-GYAF/GOGGLE

Hardy has just set himself up with these and has used them a couple of times. when he gets back ask him how they go.


For evening sailing in gloomy conditions get some yellow lensed safety glasses from Bunnings, you'll be amazed with hat a difference thy make to the available light.




Hope this helps

I have always worn a Gath helmet but have not found any sunnies that fit comforably under it ( I have an XXL helmet and it is snug). After reading this thread went looking and found UVEX Zero Gravity safety specs. Side arms are very thin and light and are very comfortable. They are cheap too! Got them from a BOC gas n gear store.

I just bought a Gath Jedi helmet yesterday after a copping a slight blow to the head recently. I wear dirtydog sunnies (with arms and strap) which seemed to fit comfortably under the hat yesterday. After an hour or so i started to feel the pressure of the sunnies' arms pushing on my temple, so I loosened the chin strap a bit and voila, no probs. The jedi hat has the flexible ear surrounds which may allow for sunnies a bit better than the hats with the rigid ones.