RIB Wellies

[Tim in Yorkshire]

So for my powerboat course in just over a week I need some wellies. Are boat wellies better than farm wellies? Anything to look out for that's not going to cost the earth? And is welly the correct boating terminology?

[willk]

Wellies? Dubes dood, Dubes!

No seriously, ask 10 boaters about footwear and you'll get 10 different answers.

I messed about with cheap boating boots and hated them, no protection from bumps, cold and had no protection from vibration. My feet would be stinging after a bumpy cruise. I wore leather hiking boots for longer dryer cruises.

However, for messing about launching and on very wet days (in the SIB), I bought a pair of safety wellies that had a steel cap and a raised insulated insert. These have proven to be very comfortable. If you go up a size you can use hiking boot insoles for warmth and comfort and wear thick socks too.

This link is for the specific brand I bought. I was on a treacherous slipway yesterday and I was surprised at how good the grip was.

Linky

[ppenman]

Boat wellies have soles similar to deck shoes for better grip in wet conditions. Why don't you give the boat school a call to ask what they'd recommend. They might not be happy if you tried to wear work wellies.

[Mollers]

I bought a pair of safety wellies that had a steel cap......... [/QUOTE]



You can give 'em a few quid and a nice boat, but they'll soon return to type.

Do you proof the Donkey jacket, or not bother?

[camelgas]

I wear saftey wellies Too, insoles and thick socks as said.
look at what real working boatmen wear, its not expensive designer ones.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Mollers

You can give 'em a few quid and a nice boat, but they'll soon return to type.

Do you proof the Donkey jacket, or not bother?

I can assure you that I am without the few quid, the nice boat and the donkey jacket...

... I'd have thought that a chap in your trade would have appreciated the merits of a decent pair of safety wellies, no?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by willk

No seriously, ask 10 boaters about footwear and you'll get 10 different answers.

Optimist - I'm about to give you three different answers and I'm just one person!

I have a pair of cheapish sailing wellies. They are fine but offer no ankle support like a proper boot, and no toe cap for when you push the trailer over them! They are about 1" too short as I always seem to manage to get water over the top during recovery!

I used to use a pair of "wet feet" (neoprene boots used by windsurfers etc). They are good at keeping wet feet warm; but I find them uncomfortable for walking on roads / paths etc - so if you are "going somewhere for lunch" they are not good.

An old pair of trainers (or walking boots) might be as good as anything, for short trips in sensible weather. The only issue I would have with that is if you were going to use on consecutive days without drying... or if you really want dry feet.

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by Poly

Optimist - I'm about to give you three different answers and I'm just one person!

Excellent .. we expected no less

I have to say.. there is no straight answer in that.. I have never found a one welly fits all solution .. and I'm a regular user at work as well.

Trying to find one that's comfortable warm and still allows good dexterity such as for driving is not easy. In the colder weather, I'm currently using these ..

Seeland Moor Stable 18 Inch Neoprene - Footwear - Gun Shop, Shotguns, Rifles, Pistols, Air Rifles, Airguns, Gun Trader, Rifle Scopes, Accessories, Cabinets, Safes in Dorset and Devon, UK, Sportsman Gun Centre

Although not for boating at the moment

I have tried a huge range of boots over the years .. including proper boaty types, and found their grips in particular to be lacking

It would be very much down to user and what he/she expects I suppose

[m chappelow]

Sailing wellies in general are more comfortable have very little grip though most are non slip and ok if walking about on grp decks ,usually the colour won't scuff off and leave black marks unlike black wellies ,they often have a lace around the top to stop water dropping inside unless you want to wear your trousers over the top .
they also have a continues flat sole with no raised heel unlike standard farmer/ builder type ones though which are probelly safer if climbing about especially on harbour wall ladders as the heel instep stops any slipping off .
Steel toe caps also put extra weight on the boot plus it makes them sink .
Though piece of mind when around trailers tractors ,anchors , propellers .
Also don't forget hightop wellies can start and give the backs of your legs the classic ( wellie rash ) when I had the fishing boat I used to cut them down a few inches .

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by willk

I can assure you that I am without the few quid, the nice boat and the donkey jacket...

... I'd have thought that a chap in your trade would have appreciated the merits of a decent pair of safety wellies, no?

We've moved on Moush, riggers are de rigueur in my trade these days. Jallette Jalaska being my 'chocker' of choice.

My ribbin' footwear cupboard goes like this-

HL Ocean boots (half price in local HL shop) for kitted up offshore work.

Flip flops for warm weather local work. Kick 'em off if it gets choppy, bare feet grip well.

Wet suit booties for looning about in the SR.

Toying with the idea of a pair of Jetski boots for SR looning, as pebbles and stones play havok with my feet through the thin bootie soles.

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by mollers

my ribbin' footwear cupboard goes like this ...

... and even comes in matching SR4 orange

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by Mollers

We've moved on Moush, riggers are de rigueur in my trade these days. Jallette Jalaska being my 'chocker' of choice.

Not to hijak the thread .. but I was a rigger fan for years, and exactly those jalaska boots .. they are utterly superb and water tight after years of use .. but fek me .. it was the stones that kept getting inside them that made me give them up .. if they made that boot with a longer upper .. I would go back

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

Not to hijak the thread .. but I was a rigger fan for years, and exactly those jalaska boots .. they are utterly superb and water tight after years of use .. but fek me .. it was the stones that kept getting inside them that made me give them up .. if they made that boot with a longer upper .. I would go back

I loved riggers, but alas they're banned on most large construction sites due to elf 'n safety reasons. They don't offer suitable ankle support, allegedly. Back to the op. If I'm in my drysuit, it has wellies built in. In summer it's a pair of shorts & Tevas, anyother time it's a pair of cheap'ish Gill sailing wellies. As others have said, it's horses for courses. I agree with Willk on the footbeds, good insoles go a long way towards shock mitigation & are easier on the knees, heels & back.

[Tim in Yorkshire]

Thanks for all the above advice, I'll see what I can get in time...

[ian parkes]

Originally Posted by Mollers

We've moved on Moush, riggers are de rigueur in my trade these days. Jallette Jalaska being my 'chocker' of choice.

My ribbin' footwear cupboard goes like this-

HL Ocean boots (half price in local HL shop) for kitted up offshore work.

Flip flops for warm weather local work. Kick 'em off if it gets choppy, bare feet grip well.

Wet suit booties for looning about in the SR.

Toying with the idea of a pair of Jetski boots for SR looning, as pebbles and stones play havok with my feet through the thin bootie soles.

Ribbin footwear cupboard posh git . Where ave you been finding warm weather local work flip flops melt on hot tarmac

get down trago an ave a pair of crocks , just drag your foot in the water as you set off an all the stones is gone. Trago green wellies are best for winter with the huge fishermans socks on the outside so you don't slip on the slimy slipway

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Tim in Yorkshire

Thanks for all the above advice, I'll see what I can get in time...

Hi Tim. I have had 2 pairs of these now they are pretty good all rounders and if you go a size large then with 2 pairs of thick socks they are fine for longer trips...

http://www.force4.co.uk/2837/Gill-Sh...sing-Boot.html

[jambo]

I use Dubarrys for long haul dry runs and for jogging about in better weather (ha ha)
I use any perforated boat shoes.

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

[9D280]

In the absense of hot weather & the fact I always forget to lift the trunks before stopping most days I use a pair of yot wellies - one size up with 2 pairs of thermal socks. (provides heat & a bit of cusioning).- I once used "farm" wellies in a moment of madness - might as well have greased the deck for all the grip I got.


For the few days it's actually warm enough to not bother with the full set of waterproofs I have a pair of windsurf / dinghy neporene boots. - thick but flexiblke sole - a halfway house for rocks & stuff. No idea of the make - the printing cme off on the laser toe straps years ago!

If I'm going walkies I take a pair of trainers in the dry bag & change.

[longjohn]

These work for me as I can't justify the expense of a pair of Dubarrys, which I think are the ideal.

Gill Tall Yachting Boots - From £31.50 - Piplers of Poole

[wavelength]

worst wellies I ever had- expensive yottie things with razor cut soles . Absoloutely no grip whatsoever on the slimy wood jetty we were working from at the time. Literally had to crawl off it on m'hands and knees. Best ones-a pair of very yellow safety wellies donated by a commercial client- great grip.
Jalletas-terrific but frowned on for commercial boats these days cos of lack of ankle support (I only wear em when the elf n safety police aint there). When we went on a canal boat course cos the RYA were sending power-trainers on them around here for to qualify them for inspection purposes the first thing the inland waterways guy wanted to know was if we were wearing razor cut soled boots as he wouldn't allow them on his boat for safety reasons-people kept slipping over on t'decks.