2 min read · Updated 26 June 2026
Sailing sunglasses do three jobs: cut glare, block wind and spray, and stay on your head. Out on the water the sun is fierce, the surface throws back blinding glare, and a moving, windy deck is a good place to lose an expensive pair overboard. Purpose-made sailing shades solve all three.
Polarised lenses cut glare
The headline feature is polarised lenses. Sunlight reflecting off the water's surface is strongly glaring and tiring on the eyes; a polarising filter blocks much of that reflected light. The result is:
- Less glare and eye strain over a long day squinting at bright water.
- Better contrast, which makes it easier to read the water — spotting the darker patches of a gust or wind coming across the surface, and seeing shallows.
For a racing sailor, reading the water is a real advantage, and clear, comfortable vision is part of it.
Wraparound frames
Sailing shades tend to have wraparound frames for a reason: they block wind, spray and side-glare that flat frames let in. Keeping wind out of your eyes stops them watering, and cutting side-glare keeps the polarising benefit working from every angle.
Keeping them aboard
Because a boat is wet, windy and moving, sunglasses are easily knocked or blown off — so two features matter:
- A retainer strap (a keeper or "croakies") holds them around your neck when they come off.
- A floating frame or strap keeps them at the surface if they do go in, instead of sinking.
Many sailors choose frames that float or fit a floating strap as standard — a small thing that saves losing a good pair to the bottom of the harbour.
What to look for
In short: polarised lenses, a wraparound frame, a secure (ideally floating) retainer, proper UV protection, and durable, non-slip, comfortable frames that survive a salty, high-glare life. They round out the personal sailing kit alongside gloves and the layering system. For the vocabulary, see the sailing terms glossary.
Frequently asked questions
- Why do sailors wear polarised sunglasses?
- Because polarised lenses cut the harsh glare that reflects off the water's surface. Sunlight bouncing off water is strongly glaring and tiring on the eyes, and a polarising filter blocks much of that reflected light, so sailors see more comfortably, with less eye strain and better contrast. Reduced glare also makes it easier to read the water — spotting gusts, wind patches and shallows on the surface.
- What makes a good pair of sailing sunglasses?
- Good sailing sunglasses have polarised lenses to cut glare, a wraparound frame to block wind, spray and side-glare, a secure retainer strap or floating frame so they survive going overboard, and proper UV protection. Durability and a comfortable, non-slip grip matter too, because they live in a wet, salty, high-glare environment. Many sailors choose frames that float or come with a floating strap.
- Do sailing sunglasses float?
- Some do — certain sailing sunglasses are made with buoyant frames designed to float if they fall in the water, and many more are worn with a floating retainer strap that keeps them from sinking. Because sunglasses are easily knocked off on a moving, spray-swept boat, a floating frame or strap is a genuinely useful feature that has saved many pairs from the bottom of the harbour.
- Why use a retainer strap on sunglasses when sailing?
- Because a boat is a wet, moving, windy place and it is very easy to have sunglasses knocked or blown off your face, over the side and gone. A retainer strap (sometimes called a keeper or croakies) holds them around your neck when they come off, and a floating one keeps them at the surface if they do go in the water. It is a small thing that saves losing an expensive pair overboard.