Sun protection, what do you use ?

[roguewave]

My latest

 

[FF]

A pilothouse underway, a 10 x 15 awning anchored..

 

[roguewave]

I had some squamous cell carcinoma cut off my lower lip last month and a skin graff done to replace the divot left from the removal. I love the outdoors so the only thing I could find to protect my lower lip was the creepy smile lips. It works fine but some folks are a bit put off by the look, understandably :lol:

Don't mess around with the sun, it's not really our friend later in life.

 

[psneeld]

Hope the fish don't see you coming!!!! .....


Seriously though...I hide as much from the sun as I can so shade is my best defense...like FF's suggestions.


Even standing on the dock I will hide in the shade of a piling. Even with trying to stay out of the sun...I am so tan people comment...just from living aboard and boating lifestyle it is hard to stay in the shade all the time.


How about a T-Top for your boat or at least a bimini? More costly than those lips for sure....but probably a few less stares...

 

[Jetstream]

I like my Tilley hat for boating or anything else in the sun for that matter, great hats.

 

[Diesel Duck]

Blue Lizard sunscreen along with a Conner boat hat and polarized Costa Del Mar Fathom 580's for my eyes.

https://www.bluelizard.net/

Tarpon Springs Floating Supplex Sailing Hat

https://www.costadelmar.com/shop/sunglasses/fathom-1/1138

Note: I have an appointment this coming week with the plastic surgeon to remove four recently discovered skin cancer spots after having six biopsies.

 

[Donsan]

Columbia Bora Bora Booney II with UPF 50 protection.

 

[hmason]

Interesting thread and quite important. I wear a Tilley hat, 30 SPF sunscreen and most often wear a 40 SPF rated light weight long sleeved fishing shirt. I also stay under the bimini top underway and avoid sitting out in the sun. I've had one basal cell carcinoma removed from my chest which is in fact always covered.

What many folks don't realize is that many of the skin cancers are due to sun exposure many years ago---when we were teenagers as an example. Remember the days of tanning oils, sun reflectors, sunlamps and the like? That's the price we pay today. So we do the best we can now but we can't undo the past.

 

[gonesailing13]

Had melanoma twice now. Real wake up call to stay covered up. Try to keep the sunscreen on but sometimes you just forget, same with a hat. Dermatologist every six months.

 

[Hawgwash]

I had some squamous cell carcinoma cut off...Don't mess around with the sun, it's not really our friend later in life.

What many folks don't realize is that many of the skin cancers are due to sun exposure many years ago---when we were teenagers as an example.

The first 40 years of my life were spent on the glaring, windy water with no protection. Coppertone? Yeah right. Even today most sun screens/blocks are a sham but better than nothing.

20 years after the fact, solar keratosis drops by. Now every 4-5 years I do a 6 week session with Efudex twice a day. It burns away layers of skin, turns my head into a pomegranate and scares kids and old ladies. Fun sitting in a mall food court, watching reactions and fielding dumbass questions. I tell them acid rain did it. Goes over real big in these parts.

Seriously, look after yourself in the sun.

A friend, a few years younger, ignored and made endless excuses for a pothole on his nose until...yeah, they whacked half his beak off carved a chunk out of his for'ead and folded it down over his snout. Looked like elephant man for months. even scared the crap out of his Ridgebacks.

On a lighter note.
Walked out on the pier in Santa Barbara a few years ago and before I even opened my gop, fisherman says;
"where in Canada y'all from?"
Me;
"What? Canadians walk funny or something?"
He;
"Nope. Only a Canadian can be THAT pale."

 

[O C Diver]

Pilothouse, just say no to flybridges.


Ted

 

[dhays]

I had a small lesion that biopsies as basal cell, but the path report after its removal said squamous cell. Go figure.

I had a lot of bad burns as a kid and teenager. Now I avoid the sun as much as I can. I use a hat (I also love my Tilly but I use a number of hats) but I am not as diligent with sunscreen as I should be.

 

[markpierce]

Pilothouse, just say no to flybridges.


Ted

 

[GFC]

My dermatologist and I are getting to be close friends. I see him every 6 months and he gets to practice his art on me. This was one of many squamous cells he's removed from my forehead on both sides.


The sun is definitely NOT your friend. I always have a baseball hat on when I go out and if we're on the boat I'm under one of two large bimini's.

 

[Hawgwash]

I like my Tilley hat for boating.

Never had a Tilley. Can't justify a hundred bucks for something that's sure to get forgot, blowed away or stole. Thrift store sou' westers are a couple bucks.

Are Tilleys water/rain proof?

 

[Hawgwash]

This was one of many squamous cells he's removed from my forehead on both sides.

There goes lunch.

 

[dhays]

Never had a Tilley. Can't justify a hundred bucks for something that's sure to get forgot, blowed away or stole. Thrift store sou' westers are a couple bucks.

Are Tilleys water/rain proof?

They are not.

I bought my Tilley years ago and I think it was about $30 then. I lost it only once, when I was single handing my Catalina 400 in a brisk wind. I most assuredly went back for it. Good thing they float.

 

[BandB]

What many folks don't realize is that many of the skin cancers are due to sun exposure many years ago---when we were teenagers as an example.

Wifey B: We're super diligent on this. Our bridge has a hard top. When we're out in our small sport boat, we do it with the canvas top up. And sunscreen. We also keep ourselves covered with SPF 50 Broad Spectrum and we require all guests to use sunscreen. We have many bottles handy on board. Sounds extreme? Well, aren't we as Captains and/or Owners responsible for the safety of those aboard? We think so.

Now, we do sometimes have some guests who seem to get into having others cover them with sunscreen. When they arrive they'll immediately ask for help.

Seriously, we just avoid sunburn like the plague because it is the plague. We spend a disproportionate of our time outdoors at home and on the boat. We have to take it seriously. Oh and we require it at home on our patio and by our pool. In fact, we've even considered, but not decided to do it, putting a roof over more of our back area. We do have some cabanas and spend a lot of time in them.

Edit: Getting permitted for a cover for our patio and pool area could also be very difficult.

 

[MurrayM]

Sun protection; north coast BC style

 

[Hawgwash]

Sun protection; north coast BC style

Lol. Love it.
But seriously now, give us the inside scoop; will that shroud lift next spring to reveal a half dozen LNG facilities and a mountain of gold?

 

[MurrayM]

Lol. Love it.
But seriously now, give us the inside scoop; will that shroud lift next spring to reveal a half dozen LNG facilities and a mountain of gold?

Hard to say. Shell has the best shot, and judging by the activity in town by them, their contractors, and speculators building hotels and apartment buildings, it'll probably go.

Shell delayed their final investment decision until after the Enbridge Northern Gateway proposal is supposed to officially die in six months (unless Enbridge gets the three year extension they applied for) because a large coalition of groups has told Christy Clark that if she has any hope of seeing her LNG dreams on the north coast of BC come to fruition, she must deny the Northern Gateway permits first.

Interesting times, indeed.

Murray

 

[Diesel Duck]

Never had a Tilley. Can't justify a hundred bucks for something that's sure to get forgot, blowed away or stole. Thrift store sou' westers are a couple bucks.

Are Tilleys water/rain proof?

FWIW... The Conner Tarpon Springs Floating Supplex Sailing Hat is waterproof and it's half the price of a Tilley.


Conner Tarpon Springs Floating Supplex Sailing Hat View All

 

[Hawgwash]

FWIW... The Conner Tarpon Springs Floating Supplex Sailing Hat is waterproof and it's half the price of a Tilley.
Conner Tarpon Springs Floating Supplex Sailing Hat View All

Arrrrrrr!
Thank ye, matey.

 

[gaston]

I use the hard top on the fly bridge to protect me from the evil sun it has the same 100% shielding properties as a pilot house roof with the advantage of free conditioning

 

[Diesel Duck]

I use the hard top on the fly bridge to protect me from the evil sun it has the same 100% shielding properties as a pilot house roof with the advantage of free conditioning

Don't be fooled... Just because you're in the shade of your hard top or bimini doesn't mean you're protected from the suns damaging rays. As most here already know, the glare coming off the water is one of the worst sources for getting a sunburn, same goes for the reflection off of snow on a sunny day.

Use a high quality sunscreen like the Blue Lizard brand, originally from Australia now manufactured in the U.S.

 

[BruceK]

Australia has the unfortunate role of melanoma capital of the world. Mostly European skin types exposed to strong sun, olive complexions fare better. We banned tanning beds several years ago. For years we`ve had a "slip slop slap" (shirt/suncream/hat) campaign. I`ve been relatively fortunate but a mate who sailed with me years ago(part Spanish ancestry) recently had surgery on half of his nose.
Protection and regular skin checks help but as said above, much of the damage happened long ago, when a tan was seen as healthy, rather than as burnt damaged skin.

 

[BandB]

Australia has the unfortunate role of melanoma capital of the world. Mostly European skin types exposed to strong sun, olive complexions fare better. We banned tanning beds several years ago. For years we`ve had a "slip slop slap" (shirt/suncream/hat) campaign. I`ve been relatively fortunate but a mate who sailed with me years ago(part Spanish ancestry) recently had surgery on half of his nose.
Protection and regular skin checks help but as said above, much of the damage happened long ago, when a tan was seen as healthy, rather than as burnt damaged skin.

While we can't change the world, we're very proud to have influenced our family and friends and closest acquaintances to respect the sun and protect their skin. Much of it is lack of knowledge at the ages they're most susceptible. Fortunately with some education plus some photos they've responded well. Not surprisingly, tanning is huge in South Florida and it's easy to feel like an outcast without a good tan between those who have tanned and the large number of Hispanic and Mixed Race girls who have beautiful natural tans.

Now, there are some other things that need to be done. Part of a "complete physical" should include checking your skin over every inch of your body. Annual physicals by many doctors leave much to be desired. I've had them where I didn't remove any clothes. They should include skin checks, 6 minute walks to check for respiratory issues, checking vocal cords and throat and I'm sure they're more. However, those three things require no labs, no expensive equipment, just observation, a watch and a $200 oximeter, and a good mirror.

I don't think I'm a health fanatic today but I have over the years become much more conscious of health and of a healthy lifestyle. I really enjoy my life and I want to continue living as well as possible so I'm willing to work some toward those goals. People are amazed we don't gain weight. Well, we walk, swim, play basketball, play tennis and when those aren't available use the treadmill. We don't eat the ideal diet but we eat reasonably well. We don't smoke. We drink only occasionally. And we weigh every day. We also limit sun exposure. Even with SPF 50 and hardtop over us and cabana's and all the rest we still get enough sun that we aren't pale white. We do that just from our normal activities. Our minimum sun exposure is all we want, not more added to it.

 

[BruceK]

Even so,I understand we need some level of sun exposure to access or activate Vitamin D, necessary for bone growth and maintenance. No idea how it works but I`ve read about and accept the connection. There was concern here recently that sun protection might have been too well accepted, leading to a Vitamin D deficiency.

 

[BandB]

Even so,I understand we need some level of sun exposure to access or activate Vitamin D, necessary for bone growth and maintenance. No idea how it works but I`ve read about and accept the connection. There was concern here recently that sun protection might have been too well accepted, leading to a Vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D is something that not enough doctors check. A lot of people have a deficiency and it seems many do who get plenty of sun. We get more than enough sun even with protection. Diet is also a factor. Those with milk allergies, vegans, lack of fish and eggs and grain. People with darker skin seem to be more at risk. Definitely something that should be checked at least annually because often there are no symptoms.

 

[hmason]

As liveaboards we get plenty of sun despite our efforts at protection. My last physical and blood work indicated a vitamin D deficiency. I take a vitamin D supplement now as recommended by my physician.