Boating – May 2018

(Brent) #1

16 | BOATINGMAG.COM | MAY 2018


MAKING WAVES ///FOR COMPARISON’S SAKE

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) COURTESY HELLY HANSEN, COURTESY SOFTSCIENCE INC., COURTESY CROCS RETAIL LLC; SOURCE FOR STATISTIC: BOATU.S.

HELLY HANSEN
HYDROPOWER
SHORELINE F-

THE GRIP: The most
stylish of the three choices,
Helly Hansen shoes sport a
decoupled flexible rubber
tread with a grippy nonslip
pattern and siping to fun-
nel away water. The tread
is also nonmarking. The
lightweight, breathable
mesh body dries quickly
and provides support while
transiting a deck underway.
The insole is anti-
microbial to prevent odor.

THE SLIP: The most expen-
sive of the trio offers only
two color choices.

PRICE: $110;
hellyhansen.com

SOFTSCIENCE
FIN 3.

THE GRIP: Designed for
anglers, these shoes are
reinforced in the toe, ankle
and forefoot areas to help
provide stability. They are
still incredibly light, with a
grooved tread that funnels
away water while providing
traction on-deck. The
bulky, nonmarking tread
also features three slots in
the forefoot to flow water
away from the shoe. The
removable Trileon insole
acts like a shock absorber.

THE SLIP: The tread is
bulkier than the others.

PRICE: $99.95;
softscience.com

CROCS
LITERIDE PACER

THE GRIP: These are a
long way from the original
Crocs, adding style to the
brand’s renowned comfort.
The soles and treads are
made from cushiony
closed-cell foam that is also
extremely lightweight. The
breathable plastic body of
the shoe is also lightweight
and made for wet condi-
tions, like all Crocs, and
is so soft that there is no
break-in period. Put them
on and go.

THE SLIP: While extremely
lightweight, they’re not as
supportive as the others.

PRICE: $59.99; crocs.com

BOATING SNEAKERS
Topsiders and shrimper’s boots aren’t the only options for keeping your feet
connected to a slippery deck. Check out these three pairs of sneakers designed
for marine use. —Pete McDonald

CAPTAIN’S TEST
(Answers from page 14)
1. F. Though they can usually
handle it and are used for this
task often, trailer hitches are not
designed to pull other vehicles
out of ditches. GTW and TW are
terms every trailering enthusiast
should know.

2. E. All statements are true. Gen-
erally, bunk trailers are better for
a boat’s hull because they provide
more support, especially in critical
areas like the transom.


  1. E. Tie-downs secure your boat
    to its trailer and can keep it from
    bouncing off in sudden urgent
    maneuvers.

  2. D. Too little tongue weight,
    be it from poor trailer setup or
    improper load distribution, can
    result in trailer sway at speed and
    possibly a catastrophic accident.

  3. F. Checking trailer tires is
    something that cannot be done
    too often.


Bonus: F. Just like a pilot’s
preflight check, these trailer
checks should become habit at
every stop.

CAPTAIN’S TESTS ONLINE
Test your knowledge of boating with
more Captain’s Tests at boatingmag
.com/captains-test.

FIN 3.
Shock-absorbing tread
is slip-resistant

PACER
Light, airy and super
comfortable

F-
Siped rubber soles
funnel away water

ONLINE THIS MONTH
May is Boating Safety Month, so there’s
no better time to brush up on the U.S.
Coast Guard’s Rules of the Road.

Go to boatingsafetymag
.com/boatingsafety or
scan this tag!

Number of life jackets
loaned out every year by
the BoatU.S. life-jacket
loaner program. Go to
boatus.org to find a
loaner site near you.

140,

Free download pdf