If you haven't noticed Rick has a sale on rash guards right here right now! I'd just purchased two somewhere else in May, but may get another at this price!

Funny thing about that. When Rick told me he has a great deal on rash guards, I had no idea what he was talking about, since I have never gotten a rash from sailing. He got a "rash guard" for me, and it is beautiful and I am grateful, and I am going to wear it. But I still can't figure out what it has to do with rash.

Have other people gotten rashes? How do you get a rash? What causes it? What does it look like? How do you know if you HAVE a rash? If I were going to get a rash, it seems to me it would be somewhat lower on my torso, more like diaper rash.

Just curious.

Mary, I suspect the rash guard came from the surfing community. You don't get a rash but the skin on your chest gets a little raw from the wax if you don't wear a rash guard.

Rash guards are great!

What wax? Why do surfers have wax on their chests? To remove chest hair?

I'm determined to get to the bottom of this rash thing.

If rash is not a problem for catamaran sailors, why can't these things have some other name?

P.S. I just figured out that surfers put wax on their boards, but cat sailors don't put wax all over their decks, and most of us don't lie on our decks with bare chests, so why do we need rash guards?

If nobody can justify rashes, can somebody come up with a better name? I think "skins" is probably copyrighted. So maybe "catpelts" or "catapelts"?

Mary wax is applied to the surfboards or bodyboards so the surfer does not slip off.

If you surf and you dont use a rash guard your skin will get messed up pretty good. Ive been there done that too many times. Rash guards are Gods given gift to surfers. They are used in catsailing to avoid snags, usually worn over the harness and life vest.

Mary,

I wear rash guards becuase I want the sun protection it provides. I also like them becuase I sweat a LOT and the shirt helps keep my body tempature regulated, I don't get chilled like I tend to do with a cotton shirt. It also dries quickly adding to the comfort of the shirt. Plus they look very nice on the ladies... being very form fitting and all

Now I have an excuse to be sitting here (hurricanes suck)! Why are you at your computer on what appears to be a very pretty OH day!?

Put on your new skin and go sailing Mary!

Well, Dave, I just got back from "sailing." We have a midweek series and a Saturday series on our Waves. We did our best to have some races today. We drifted out to the course area, we set the marks, then we pulled the marks and drifted back to the club. At least I took a paddle with me so I was able to motor-sail through the anchorage.

We're hoping what is left of Dennis will bring us some wind for the Wednesday night races this week.

By the way, I didn't wear my rash guard -- I'm trying to get some tan.

Thanks Brian, I bought two!
Would have missed the sale if you hadn't mentioned it.

If you wear a wetsuit AND you grow heavy facial hair, you can get a very bad rash at the neck closure. A rash guard alleviates this problem for me.