| It's a strange thing, sailing shoes should be easy to | | | | of people for whom money is no problem who will |
| define shouldn't they. Surely the name describes | | | | quite willingly fork out for a new set every year. |
| shoes in which one goes sailing? Well no, it appears | | | | There's another big difference that's appeared as |
| it's not quite as simple as that. It seems that the | | | | well. Because these dedicated, hard working, highly |
| generic description 'sailing shoes' covers a wide range | | | | technical ranges of clothing are available for wearing |
| of differing types of footwear and that a surprisingly | | | | on board it means that another, completely different |
| low percentage of them are ever actually worn on | | | | set of clothing is required when going ashore, |
| board any type of floating vessel. It's a fact that | | | | particularly for evenings in the yacht club. One still |
| sailing shoes, since their invention back in the 1930's | | | | needs to be clearly identifiable as a 'Yotty' but it's |
| have in fact always been considered a 'fashion' item, | | | | just not good enough to roll up wearing your sea |
| after all just think back to the type of yachtsman | | | | boots and foul weather gear. This applies to |
| who might have worn sailing shoes back in those | | | | footwear as well. The new ranges of 'deck trainer' or |
| early days.Back then the only people who owned | | | | 'deck sandals' are an almost perfect item of |
| yachts were the super rich, pleasure sailing and motor | | | | footwear for warm weather sailing but you can't |
| boating as we know them today just didn't exist, no | | | | wear them to the bar so every self respecting |
| it was all about rich men showing off their wealth, | | | | 'Yotty' will have a nice pair of Sperry, Sebago, |
| usually by racing some exquisitely designed yacht fully | | | | Dubarry or other top brand sailing shoe in their kit |
| crewed by paid experienced sailors. Image was | | | | bag ready for that run ashore. |
| everything both on and off the water. Matching crew | | | | So there we have it, the old days of wearing similar |
| jumpers with the yacht's name emblazoned on them, | | | | smart items of clothing to identify you whether on |
| and for the owners and VIP's flannels, blazers, | | | | board or ashore have gone, now you must have the |
| peaked caps and, of course, a smart pair of shoes. It | | | | latest technical gear whilst on the water and the |
| was a look that they carried off well both on the | | | | latest season fashion items ashore. It's far more |
| water and in the yacht club, it was an image and all | | | | complicated. There are some cross-over items but |
| important. | | | | they have to be a real compromise and frankly don't |
| Contrast that with the situation we have today. Not | | | | really work. Given the high cost of these items it's |
| only are there far more people on the water and | | | | essential to make sure that you get the latest |
| sailing than ever before, and from all walks of life, but | | | | information and read plenty of reviews before |
| the 'technical' aspects of clothing for sailing have | | | | purchasing. One thing that hasn't changed over the |
| become far more important than style. That said it's | | | | years is the sea. It's a harsh and sometimes |
| still the case that even the most expensive set of | | | | dangerous environment and it's essential that you |
| foul weather clothing put together to a standard that | | | | protect yourself from the elements with the right |
| would provide the purchaser with years and years of | | | | clothing. Your feet are just as important as the rest |
| hard service still appears in a new colour every year | | | | of you so make sure that you choose the right pair |
| as part of the new 'season'. And there are still plenty | | | | of sailing shoes for the job you need them to do. |