Going Aloft DVD
 

Brion,

I watched "Going Aloft" (again) on my iPod while on watch last night and noticed you don't wear gloves even while pulling yourself up. Could you elaborate on your thought process for that decision?

sail fast and eat well, dave
S/V Auspicious

Preference
 

Hi,
I almost never wear gloves. Just don't like them. Occasionally, on a long, fast rappel, they are a must. But I really prefer short, slow rappels.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

People who row, sail, and rig often have very hard hands and really don't need gloves. However, all those manly cowboys we see on the silver screen - Steve McQueen andYule Brenner and, yes, John Wayne - wear gloves for roping and shooting so if you don't make a living putting calluses on your hands, gloves are ok.

Alternativly, you could follow my grandfather's advice. Boston Brahmin that he was, his hands and his crews hands were in danger of going soft over the winter, making handling the sheets in a race problematic. He took to patting his hands on anything - car steering wheel, arms of chairs, his desk - a good deal of the time. Could'a been a good conga man. Anyway, that slapping about kept his hands in shape over that part of the winter when he couldn't even row his scull up the Charles.

G'luck

Thanks for the feedback. I used to race and garden without gloves but time is creeping up on me and I find myself using gloves for more and more things. I'm pleased to hear it is a personal preference and not a functional issue.

P.S. I'm even happier when I can find someone I trust to push the button on the electric winch and tail the halyard.