Let’s Talk About Hats! Classic Boat Hats.
Original classic.
In what has become a tradition here at Woody Boater for the 13 years of comment wars. The next day we talk about hats. Why? I don’t recall, except there is little to argue about when it comes to hats. Certainly there is no socialist hat? Or Trumper hat. OH, Crap. Yes there is. Okay.. ya.. can we move on. CLASSIC BOAT HATS!
Just a small part of my obsession
Ya ya, we get emails weekly about our Lancaster hats, and no, we dont do that anymore since Lancaster went out of the hat business. Its all remakes and various versions of them now. You best chance of getting the real deal is on ebay. But even that now is a tad bit of a sketchy trip. There is some group in Indonesia making a rip design and using Woody Boater images to sell them. NOT OURS! They are like a whacka mole trying to stop them. DONT BUY THEM. But people are. So? And trust me there is a HUGE difference.
Woody Boater image, from the Lancaster factory. Original NOS hat never sold
But today, I may have found a real classic boat hat that actually your spouse, partner, family wont make you take off. And it feels the part, and in a subtle believable way. Like the way you see an old geezer.. Like me now, wear and wonder. Is this person in a time warp, instead of look at that nut in a costume. Its a fine line, and this hat may just be the ticket.
LL Bean hat. It’s perfect. If it helps, call it a “LL Cool Bean” hat, makes you a little hipper!
See! It’s classic, and modern all at the same time
Made in the USA!
Oh sure there is always the Baseball cap. But this sucker covers your ears. You know, those things on the side of your face that keep growing and growing, and now have a small bush of hair in them. UGH.. If you will excuse me now I need to go crawl back in bed…. THIS HAT IS ON EBAY HERE! It has the very cool trim which to me makes it work and timeless.
This is my OLD POO hat I love,, too much!
I have been wearing my Tilly hat on the water for many years. Comfortable and good sun and weather protection. If you use the chin strap it’s very hard core lol!
Norman wore it well
I’ll stick with Tilley
They give these sailor hats away with the day tripper hire boats on the Thames .
it’s a useful warning that the ‘captains’ are likely drunk and relying on fenders for steering.
Favorite boating hat is my Stetson Whippet Fedora in cognac.
I remember back in the 60’s that my dad and the other guys in the marina would wear the old “Captains Hat” and I thought it was pretty cool. While that may have been the men’s fashion of the day, along with wearing Bermuda shorts with black socks and dress shoes, I can’t see it now. Definitely baseball caps or Tilley hats now and the older and more ratty the better.
Speaking of fashion my old “Sons of Varnish” hoodie that I got on clearance is now covered in paint, varnish and whatever so it’s getting properly broken in – best ten bucks I ever spent.
If it’s good enough for Hemingway…
GO NAVY !
Beat Army!
Even “girls” wore “captain” hats in the day, this is my mother in 1930 at 15 years old.
Art, your mother must’ve started something. Girl still like wearing Captains hats .
Hats are great but always a little impractical for me when boating – always abandoning ship!
In fact, for all the times I’ve practiced “man overboard” drills with PFDs, beach balls and even real people, it’s only ever been the hats that have been the real and unplanned “emergency”, lol.
Slow news day? actually i really admire the fact that you can continue to churn out interesting stories year after year. You don’t have the old war horses to trout out like the tabloids, who can always dust off the “who killed princess grace” one , etc.
Actually an important part of the wood boat scene hat issue, is what to wear at boat shows. Lots of skin cancer created by standng around in the summer sun admiring the boats. I find a panama hat is good for that activity.
As for news, you can discuss the fact that the chris craft antique boat club is looking for volunteers to help the club, with a couple of open board seats available, too.
👍
Here’s my cruising hat – this one lives on the Tolly, but I have a few of them. To Don’s point, I just had a small pre-cancer spot removed – first time – sorta brings the importance of wearing a hat and using sunscreen home! 🙂👍🏻
Like most woody boaters l also have a favorite hat that goes with me everywhere. In 2019 on a club trip in Muskoka I lost my special hat to the waters of Muskoka. Much to my dismay I came to the realization that I lost my old friend forever. But as luck would have it my fellow chapter member was following us. Greg Lewandowski saw my hat stopped & picked it up. Yes I get what some of you are thinking it’s only a hat! During these dark days my hat is a reminder of all the good times we have enjoyed & help me Iook forward to the future. Thank you Greg
Jerome, it was my pleasure. However, it was Marianne that saw it in the water, so we better give due credit to her!
So just a side story…scooting across the the bay about 15 years ago my pin hat went flying off my head, never 3 cockpits and 2 kids!!! Stopped the boat quit..made note of where i thought i was checked the depth with the boat hook and jumped in…walked around for at least an hour trying to find it pulling the boat and kids…not overly happy.. and on the very last step i found it!!! That was a fun experience on an early fall day!!!!!
What everyone needs these days.
Linda’s “Flying Nun” hat tends to blow off in a fast boat.
So far, that has not happened to her bikini……
There is always hope!
I’m so sorry Greg. Thanks for clearing this up. Thank you Marianne for finding my hat. What a great trip???
I had a baseball hat “ Detroit Diesel “ that I wore for 20 years and when pulling a shrimp trawl or fishing off my father in laws charter boat at Chandelier island off Louisiana. It would blow off behind the boat. Use to piss him off when he had to turn around and get the gaff to get my hat. I think I wore it out. Had a Cat hat also. I think my wife threw them both out. Said they stunk. Oh well we will all wear out one day.
Our delta cabin in the early ’50’s. Lots of Captains hats!
Still missing the Lancaster Hat Co. They did it right!
I never liked wearing hats in my younger days, but around 20 yrs ago, I started to get a bald spot and get sunburn on the top of my head!
This is one of my favorite Greek Fisherman’s cap I wore for several years. This candid picture was taken by Matt by the way at the Skineeapolis Internal Show,
I still collect Yachting or Captain…or Skippers Caps.
I have 75 of them in every era and too many manufacturers to imagine.
These are my three generations of Lancasters. One is made along the run used by Alan Hale in Gilligan’s Island, one in the center is made in the 1990’s and I’ve worn for most of that time, and the other is 1960’s new-old-stock made by Lancaster for Joe Harris Co.
Yes I wear the, in the boat. Actually I wear them with regularity. Lots of folks wear sport team hats and never played a game in their life. At least I’ve owned 11 or 12 boats. Lol!