Far from the epinal image of sailing under clear skies and favourable winds, the tropical croisière requires a complete equipment adapted to the conditions particulières.
Facing the sun
To protect oneself from the sun and its rays on the sea, one will wear a hat and glasses, but this is far from being enough. Some people will choose to cover their body with crème solar every two hours, which seems to guarantee some protection, but others may find that it still puts a lot of oil on the body. And then for hairy sailors, getting the damn crème in every two hours becomes a challenge.
Apart from the excessive sweating and possible side effects, très is not environmentally friendly when swimming, because crème spreads on the surface like oil.
So to avoid the overabundant use of crème solar, one can advantageously turn to the technical anti-UV clothing. Sports equipment brands offer T-shirts that are perfectly suited for use on the water.
The same goes for the legs, when you have to spend several hours at the helm, pants are difficult to wear and the shorts will let your thighs burn quietly in the sun. The solution is anti UV leggings, the fibre is breathable and prevents dangerous rays, and in case of sea spray, the sèchera fibre in a few moments.
Finally, to protect your face from the sun, you can take inspiration from local fishermen who cover their face with a necklace that they put over their nose. It may be aesthetic for Instagram, but it is really effective against sunburn.
As for the feet, I know nothing better than the fangs, which can hold on the feet as well as on the deck, their open structure drains the water and lets a little air pass through.
And in the face of bad weather
But the reality of tropical navigation is sometimes far from the image of Ãpinal. Often, you have to deal with humid air, sea spray and heavy rains under the squalls. And at night, the wind can greatly reduce temperatures.
However, an off-shore watch jacket will often be too warm and bulky. This is why manufacturers have developed ranges of technical clothing that meet the constraints encountered in these latitudes. Indeed, it is necessary to be able to resist rain of a rare intensity, strong gusts under the squalls and increased sweating.
To face this environment, nothing better than Gore-Tex type breathable membranes. They make it possible to have thin and light clothing, breathable to avoid the oven, and perfectly waterproof.
Because even in the tropics, when you're wet you're cold. So for those who sail gulièrement in these latitudes, the investment will be profitable and the comfort incomparable. Finally, we must not forget the little fleece which will often find its usefulness at nightfall.
