Eye protection

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Brian

Thats because Geckos are made especially with special "breaking" neck straps.
When the helmet is pulled backwards by the force of the water, the strain on the neck strap breaks and the helmet clears the body. Might give you a bit of a headache, but wont jerk your neck backwards and snap it.

interesting i read all the info and no mention of the strap just motorcycle helmets absorb water and are not buoyant & risk neck injury it should be included me thinks.

to prevent misting spit on your visor or use soap you can buy some stuff from scuba stores too gecko mention soap too

[The Gurnard]

Hi Brian.

Both Kaman and myself find a visor seldom steams up even in colder climates. We both go boating when there is ice on the sea. Treat the visor with a coating of Rain x if you have condensation issues.

I wear glasses to see normally. They sometimes tend to steam up but more often than not they get spray on the inside as well as the outside. Its not easy to clear when this happens so I tend to remove them which makes it very difficult to see. I need glasses to focus on longer distances. I used to wear ski goggles or safety glasses but found them uncomfortable as the tended to push the glasses into my nose. That is the reason I gave them up.

Then I started wearing a M/C crash helmet and that problem was solved. If the visors tended to steam up as you suggest .I doubt they would be used on motorcycles as they also go at speed and in very wet weather.

You make a good point about a Gecko strap breaking easy. I was not aware of that. However I have never found the need to fasten my chin strap on the M/C helmet..its a good fit on my head so would be very difficult to come off unless in a crash. It makes it very easy to remove if I end up in the water too.

My cheap M/C one floats very well..that was my first test before wearing it at sea.

The only negative I can see with it is it may float me face down if Im unconscious on the water. However my risk assessment tells me that is not too much of a problem because normally I travel alone and in very remote areas.

My thoughts in my risk assessment are if I end up unconscious in the water... I wont be worried to much as my chance of survival will be very slim regardless of what I wear or do...as there is no one else to assist

Just my two cents based on my personal experience.

[Brian]

Or, perhaps the Sports Utility Mask range, as recommended by John, our esteemed leader, would suit some? You might look like Darth Vader though.
Save Phace | WORLDS Sickest Tactical Mask and ONLY Sports Utility Mask and Extreme Protection Mask
Discussion here:
http://www.rib.net/forum/f8/save-pha...cko-17364.html

Wont stop rain falling on top of your bonce though. A beanie? But it solves most other issues.

[Bushrider]

Originally Posted by Brian

A long visor causes your breath to fog the inside making visibility difficult..

Never had this issue - not even when going fishing at the Baltic Sea in winter .
But I never close the visor completely .
I always open one or two clicks from fully closed and that's enough to let air circulate to prevent fogging .
The length of the visor still protects the entire face from wind , cold and spray water .

[mickter]

Started at the cheap end,bought safety goggles from B&Q only £5.70. hope to go out Friday so we will see.
thanks for all info.Mick.

[kerfoo]

+1 for ski goggles. They're great and don't take up much storage room. I've tried clear biking glasses in heavy rain and didn't find them useful at all, maybe too small but the rain just found it's way around edges and was hard on the eyes.

[boristhebold]

I know exactly what you mean, normal sungllases allow the wind to wip into your eyes at speed, the best ive found which I still wear are 'Gill pro racing goggles', they are light, have interchangable lenses, a good strap that goes round your head, soft cusioning for eye sockets and dont tend to mist up, come with yellow tinted or dark tinted lenses, stops all issues with wind or hard rain/sleet etc. Also come in a handy case, pic below

[Xk59D]

yellow lenses are great on those muggy days when light is a bit meh.

hard to explain until you try them, at night they "extend" the daylight maybe 30 mins for spotting things, well worth keeping a set on the boat.

[neil.mccrirrick]

All about choice, rarely is there A perfect solution. I use a motorcycle helmet. Half face helmet with a full visor. I went that route after giggles etc as goggles don’t help with hail. I’ve ridden motorbikes for years in all conditions never had one get wet inside yet. Tried one on the boat initially as they are cheap as chips and figured if it didn’t work no loss. Plus side is they keep your head warm hat or no hat, cheap? Come on many colours, if it’s super windy or your at speed they are designed for that. Downside if they go in the drink they will be wet and don’t dry quickly. They are bulky so don’t stay on the boat. But you can clip then to a grab rail as the strap won’t break. I guess if you do go in and it’s fast and it drags that may cause a neck risk but tbh that’s the same if you fell off a motorbike and it dragged. Hope that helps

[neil.mccrirrick]

Yellow lenses in the dark are amazing. If you have never tried them it’s an open mouth moment [emoji106]

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by neil.mccrirrick

Yellow lenses in the dark are amazing. If you have never tried them it’s an open mouth moment [emoji106]

Yep!...
.....Linda Lovelace wore em for years I'm told!

[HDAV]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

interesting i read all the info and no mention of the strap just motorcycle helmets absorb water and are not buoyant

Indeed plastic and polystyrene sinks like ermmmmmmm it’s true the thin cotton lining on the foam does absorb water ask any biker what it’s like on a hot day under a lid.......

Would a big plastic glass fibre box with some sort of polycarbonate viewing port not be the answer that you can get your entire body in not be the answer???

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by kerfoo

+1 for ski goggles.

+2. Couldn't agree more. Tried Oakley sunglasses, but after a day's sea spray I'm not convinced. My brother turned his head into the wind and the next minute his sunglasses were gone!

Tried a Gecko helmet (second hand), had it a day out of the box, not for me. Far too cumbersome, but can see the attraction in rescue or response situations.

Currently using Bolle ski goggles on top of my favourite winter hat. Think of Donald Sutherland as Oddball in Kelly's Heroes and you get the general idea. Good for cutting down glare, no watering eyes and the wide head band is comfortable.

[The Gurnard]

Originally Posted by HDAV

Indeed plastic and polystyrene sinks like ermmmmmmm it’s true the thin cotton lining on the foam does absorb water ask any biker what it’s like on a hot day under a lid.......

Would a big plastic glass fibre box with some sort of polycarbonate viewing port not be the answer that you can get your entire body in not be the answer???

In all due respect..that is absolute nonsense in relation to M/C helmets. I can see you have absolutely no experience of them

As I mentioned earlier my Halfords £40 MC helmet floats exceptionally well. This photo shows just how well. Im only touching the side of the helmet to stop it turning upside down as then you may say there was air trapped in the dome. I have held it half submerged in the water for a few moments to expel all air. The water is free to flow into the helmet but its that buoyant only one third is under water



As also mentioned..Im very interrested in ALL the reason given not to wear a M/C helmet in a boat. Not one has convinced me Im wrong .. yet
My replies are based on experience of wearing M/C helmets for 25+ years on a motorcycly and two year in a boat.

Hey Mickster ..I would still use safety goggles or whatever if it wasn’t for the fact I need my glasses under them. I only wear the M/C helmet in a really snotty day.

[treerat]

When it's grim the Gath helmet with a retractable visor is the best thing out there - in my eyes.

When it's windy clear or yellow safety specs are superb as they wrap around further then normal sunglasses.

MC helmets used to be acceptable as people knew no different, but were often worn without the chin strap. Gecko and Gath make versions that look like mc designs but, as other have said, be wary of the bucket effect.

[The Gurnard]

Interesting Treerat .. and I didn’t realise Geckos and Garths had weaker chin straps to combat the “Bucket Effect” . Thanks for that info.

I guess the RYA should update their helmet wearing rules for powerboat racing .. AFAIK their recommendation is for go cart helmets and MC type helmets ? Perhaps Im reading their recommendations wrong though as Im not an expert ..I just use what works for me

Also Im not saying a £40 MC helmet is as good as an Expensive Marine Helmet. As with everything ..You get what you pay for

https://www.rya.org.uk/SiteCollectio...02018%20V1.pdf

D42.2 minimum of the following standards: Helmets will be checked by scrutineers for compliance. Snell K2005 / K2010 Snell M2005 / SA2005 Snell M2010 / SA2010 / SAH2010/ SK2010 Snell M2015 / SA2015 / K2015 / EA2016 Snell CMR2007 /CMS2007 / CMR2016 / CMS 2016 (under 18yrs only) EU ECE22-05 (UK Racing only) FIA8860-2010 / FIA88660-2015

Helmets must have the boats race number provided on the top and to be easily read from D42.3 behind. Minimum height of 7.5cm (75mm). This can either be painted in black or with the use of adhesive tape. This does not apply to P750 classes

Helmets must have temple protection and must be coloured Fluorescent D42.4 Orange, Fluorescent Red, Fluorescent Yellow or International Orange Colour. These helmet colours must be bright enough to be clearly visible in the water.

[treerat]

Knowledge changes, rules, regs and old farts don't!!

Used to use mc helmets when first trained on lifeboats and never worried about wearing me fire helmet near water, but 30 years as a water safety instructor and numerous incidents reports never again.

That said is a mc helmet safer then no helmet depending on the risk of water entry v head impact??

[The Gurnard]

Originally Posted by treerat

That said is a mc helmet safer then no helmet depending on the risk of water entry v head impact??

A true incident come to mind for my reply .. last summer a RIB hit a submerged rock off my Brother's caravan site. The occupants were thrown in the water at high speed. Im very sorry to say the lady passenger damaged her neck and spent the entire summer in hospital and in traction.

I hope she is OK now but I wont know until the caravan season starts again, as I dont know her personally.

She was not wearing anything on her head. I doubt a helmet would have helped as it was the water she hit..not rock.

There are only so many things we can cover for as each incident is different and unique. Its down to risk assessment of your own circumstances and journey.

For myself I would be a bigger risk not wearing the MC helmet when the spray is up.. my eyesight is very poor and could easily hit a visible rock if it was small.

[Orwell boy]

i find eye coverage important to me ,i have had a corneal graft in my left eye ,and ware prescription hybred soft and hard (combined) contact lenses in both eyes, (glasses dont work for the condition i have keratoconus as its a reshaping of the cornea i need ,not just glasses ) .A grain of salt in the eye for me feels like a house ,however i have never failed yet with a pair of yellow arco or uvex safety glasses (which i had to wear all the time after my op ) on dull days or i tend to buy cheap wrap around sunglasses for bright days ......the only reason i would go for a helmut would be to be able to get my phone bluetoothed to a headset as glare on phone screen completely screws phone ability and i cant hear it in the wind
think i may start a new post later asking for help with phone use while ribbing !

[jeffstevens763@g]

well at the end of the day if you cant see where you're going the shit will hit the fan dont matter what your wearing. i ve still to see something tell me the chin strap on a gecko is special. my gath isn't and it's a rescue hat but same as gurnard i only wear it when its dangerous not too.