Should a Wooden Boat Hat Float?

[Garret]

A couple of times on Dalia we went back to fetch a hat that blew off. Once we were going wing-and-wing in a 25 knot breeze, but the hat floated so it was retrieved. To me they were great opportunities to practice MOB drill. We would toss the doughnut and flag and everything.

It is a good MOB test. Most of my time on the water has been in sailboats & this little boat with an I/O has taught me that I'm spoiled. With an outdrive, low speed maneuvering is much tougher - as no prop spinning = no steering. Add a good breeze & no keel & it's tough to get close to an object & stay close to it Something that's always been simple & straightforward for me suddenly became surprisingly more difficult.

[Jack Loudon]

It is a good MOB test. Most of my time on the water has been in sailboats & this little boat with an I/O has taught me that I'm spoiled. With an outdrive, low speed maneuvering is much tougher - as no prop spinning = no steering. Add a good breeze & no keel & it's tough to get close to an object & stay close to it Something that's always been simple & straightforward for me suddenly became surprisingly more difficult.

I agree. After nothing but sailboats my kids wanted a power boat, and I thought with twin outdrives that maneuvering would be a piece of cake. Boy was I wrong. It could turn in its own length which was handy at times but no more gliding into the berth dead slow and in good control. Docking the thing, especially at unfamiliar docks, was always tense, especially by myself.

[rbgarr]

The clip-to-hat-to-shirt collar item is the one i like. There are times I need to flip the hat off to look way up. The bill of a hat gets in the way. And if the wind blows the hat off it's right there to be retrieved when convenient.

[Figment]

A guy on the raceboat last week had a Gill hat with that shirt-collar-clip lanyard built in. It probably floats too.

[Peerie Maa]

Actually, I think what makes a ball cap sink is the plastic bill stiffener. Change that to one made of polypropylene and it might just float.

Wrap your head in cling film, squirt some closed cell foam into the hat and jam it on whilst the foam is still soft.
Bob is the relative of your choice.
It will also cushion your scalp from dings from the boom.

[Garret]

Wrap your head in cling film, squirt some closed cell foam into the hat and jam it on whilst the foam is still soft.
Bob is the relative of your choice.
It will also cushion your scalp from dings from the boom.

The boom on a powerboat is of a different sort and - if one happens - will likely affect other parts of the body as well as the head...

[Joe (SoCal)]

Haven’t lost a hat overboard in a long long time.

Although I’ve lost many things to Posidens will, from cell phones, glasses, wallets, VHF radios, and many many many prop sheer pins

My two favorite lost stuff overboard stories is one time I was sailing an Amesbury sailing skiff with Lucky Dog. We were sailing north with he wind and tide. When I went to head back home the wind died and I pulled out the ores and started to row hard against the tide. It was a long hard wet slog back home. My ex called me and while we were talking a big wake from a passing motorboat jostled the cell phone out of my hand and into the mighty Hudson mid conversation. After that I just settled into the arduous 3 hr row back home, Lucky dog sighed and fell asleep LOL. Unbeknownst to me my ex panicked and called the Coast Guard thinking that the phone drop off was me capsizing. I arrive at the ramp and used the public phone to call her and let her know I was ok. She was a wreck thinking I was lost to the deep like my cellphone. I told her to immediately call the Coasties and let them know I’m Ok so they don’t waste time looking for me while others may truly need their help.

2nd time was my first date with Renee. We met up at a local cafe then down to the marina to go for a sail on Tidbit. As I set everything up I put my Persol’s atop my bald pate in the hot summer sun. As I attempted to pull the little 5hp Honda outboard to life my Persol’s decided to fly off and go for a swim at the dock. Without thinking I dove in after them. Feeling them descend in the murky Hudson I can feel them and they just pass my grasp. Dejected as they descend into Davy Jones locker I emerge and climb back aboard. It was at that moment I realized that my iPhone and wallet decided to join my Persol’s. Being that it was a first date I had to play it off as if nothing was wrong and enjoy the sail. FWIW it was a well over $1,000 loss and I had to play it off like it was nothing…….. it was not easy when a $1,000 was a big time at that time in my life.

[Garret]

African or European?

I won't get into swallow jokes - I like being here!

[Garret]

Haven’t lost a hat overboard in a long long time.

Although I’ve lost many things to Posiden will, from cell phones, glasses, wallets, VJF radios, and many many many prop sheer pins

My two favorite lost stuff overboard stories is one time I was sailing an Amesbury sailing skiff with Lucky Dog. We were sailing north with he wind and tide. When I went to head back home the wind died and I pulled out the ores and started to row hard against the tide. It was a long hard wet slog back home. My ex called me and while we were talking a big wake from a passing motorboat jostled the cell phone out of my hand and into the mighty Hudson mid conversation. After that I just settled into the arduous 3 hr row back home, Lucky dog sighed and fell asleep LOL. Unbeknownst to me my ex panicked and called the Coast Guard thinking that the phone drop off was me capsizing. I arrive at the ramp and used the public phone to call her and let her know I was ok. She was a wreck thinking I was lost to the deep like my cellphone. I told her to immediately call the Coasties and let them know I’m Ok so they don’t waste time looking for me while others may truly need their help.

2nd time was my first date with Renee. We met up at a local cafe then down to the marina to go for a sail on Tidbit. As I set everything up I put my Persol’s atop my bald pate in the hot summer sun. As I attempted to pull the little 5hp Honda outboard to life my Persol’s decided to fly off and go for a swim at the dock. Without thinking I dove in after them. Feeling them descend in the murky Hudson I can feel them and they just pass my grasp. Dejected as the descend into Davy Jones locker I emerge and climb back aboard. It was at that moment I realized that my iPhone and wallet decided to join my Persol’s. Being that it was a first date I had to play it off as if nothing was wrong and enjoy the sail. FWIW it was a well over $1,000 loss and I had to play it off like it was nothing…….. it was not easy when a $1,000 a big time at that time in my life.

So - I bet Renee laughed her you know what off when you told her. Definitely a bummer though.

I went out for a sail with the FO of my boat (on the one he kept) & he got a phone call. He looked at the phone, said "F&*@ him" & tossed it overboard. Knowing what I know now, it was most likely a creditor... It was a fancy Motorola too - pre-smartphone era.

[George.]

It is a good MOB test. Most of my time on the water has been in sailboats & this little boat with an I/O has taught me that I'm spoiled. With an outdrive, low speed maneuvering is much tougher - as no prop spinning = no steering. Add a good breeze & no keel & it's tough to get close to an object & stay close to it Something that's always been simple & straightforward for me suddenly became surprisingly more difficult.

Our MOB drills were always under sail only. We figured that's what we needed to practice, with the engine as plan B. But Dalia always maneuvered better under sail than under power in a fresh breeze and chop.