Boaters once put on cork life jackets and canvas shoes when heading out to sea, but six decades of innovation have dramatically changed what we wear. Here, we briefly explore how we dressed then, and what we don today when stepping aboard boats.
AMERICA’S CUP
The Athletes: On Stars & Stripes (top) during the 1987 America’s Cup races off Western Australia, the team’s Henri Lloyd kit drew attention. In true 1990s fashion, the almost exclusively female team aboard America3 (above) wore blue Columbia fleeces and red vests. With their hair pulled back in scrunchies and baseball caps, the women put up serious competition during the 1995 America’s Cup trials, though they ultimately lost to Stars & Stripes by just one minute.
The Spectators: Former President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline, viewed the 1962 America’s Cup races in Newport, Rhode Island, in the elevated nautical fashion of the period. The couple wore navy blue jackets. Mrs. Kennedy sported a head scarf, a trend she popularized.
SAFETY AT SEA
Cork Works: PFDs have morphed over time. Early life vests included the cork life jackets invented in 1854 by an inspector with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. They were made of strips of circular cork that were sewn into a canvas vest. The jackets were cumbersome to wear, much less to swim in.
Mustang Floater Coat: The first PFD/jacket of its kind debuted in 1970. Made with closed-cell foam for flotation and insulation, Floater Coats were worn by mariners of all stripes, including Charles III when he was still Prince of Wales. Renamed the Thermofloat Coat, it became instrumental in the creation of the survival suit.
Spinlock DeckVest Vito: Founded in the 1970s as Offshore Instruments, the PFD producer later rebranded as Spinlock and provided high-performance gear for offshore racers and the USCG. The Deckvest Vito is arguably the brand’s most popular PFD, providing 170N (newtons) of buoyancy with a hydrostatic automatic inflator. This PFD, seen above on 11th Hour Racing crew, was the PFD of choice for every team competing in the 2023 Ocean Race.
TOP HATS
The Bucket: Also known as the fisherman’s hat, the bucket style found an audience in the 1960s when it starred in Gilligan’s Island. The wide brim provides sun protection; the light weight keeps the captain cool.
Oysterman Hat: The Oysterman has been a staple since the 1950s, even with celebrity boaters like Ernest Hemingway (shown at left). Building off the design of canvas longbill hats from WWII, Quaker Marine created the Oysterman, which was at first worn largely by anglers who favored the long brim for its protection from sun and salt.
NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE
Some accessories come and go; others withstand the test of time, sun and water.
Sperry Top-Siders: Many boat shoes have come and gone, but Sperry’s Top-Siders have held their place as popular choices for casual and serious boaters. A ‘razor-siping’ sole provides a nice grip against boat decks, although boaters going offshore nowadays opt for more rugged shoes that dry quickly once wet.
Breton Stripes: You’ve seen these striped shirts on everyone from James Dean to Kurt Cobain, Martha Stewart and Kate Middleton. The style originated in 1858 from French Naval uniforms. Then fishermen began to wear them for their simplicity and eye-catching pattern, an advantage in a man-overboard situation.
Ray-Bans: Ray-Ban’s Wayfarer sunglasses debuted in the 1950s. They were a big hit, not only with The Beatles, but also with boaters, including President John F. Kennedy. Their popularity surged again in the 1980s. They remain a company bestseller today for their iconic shape and sturdy material.
L.L. Bean Boat & Tote: The canvas bag, originally designed to carry ice, was released in 1965 and quickly became synonymous with the New England coast. It’s made with #4 duck canvas, used in conveyor belts, for wear-resistance. L.L. Bean has produced many iterations of the tote for sailing, fishing or the yacht club.
FAVORITE FOULIES
The Newcomer: Zhik was founded in 2003 and boasts many achievements. To wit: In 2017, it was the gear sponsor for Team AzkoNobel when it won the Volvo Ocean Race. The CST500 Coastal Sailing Jacket (at left) is among its most popular pieces.
Time-Honored Protection: Since its founding in 1963, Henri-Lloyd has developed a range of waterproof textiles, including British Nylon. It also put Velcro closures and Gore-Tex in waterproof gear. Its Consort Jacket was worn by Sir Francis Chichester during his historic single-handed circumnavigation in 1967.
Sustainable Sailing: At the turn of the century, Gill Marine released what is now the popular OS2 Offshore Jacket. To ensure the jacket could withstand the rigors of offshore racing, Gill developed a hardcore test of quality: Each piece was scrubbed with grit paper, soaked in a saltwater solution and artificially aged before being approved for use. OS2 also is lauded as the world’s most sustainable sailing jacket, made from 98 percent recycled materials.
This article was originally published in the July 2024 issue.
