Do you wear one? Why?
Never had one. Never really thought I needed one, but see more quite a few wearing them.
Should I considered wearing one?
I was the same. Finally got one for speed sailing as when I crash its usually kinda horrible.
But the best thing is myself and lots of others use it as a great platform for filming using a Gopro.
But seriously, motor cyclists HAVE to use them so at speed I guess its a great safety aspect.
If it protects just the once then well worthwhile!!!!!!!!
Mine hurts my head and pushes my sunnies up so I stopped using it. Wear a hat instead.
Select to expand quoteikw777 said..
Mine hurts my head and pushes my sunnies up so I stopped using it. Wear a hat instead.
hat for the sun?
Select to expand quoteikw777 said..
Mine hurts my head and pushes my sunnies up so I stopped using it. Wear a hat instead.
Yeah, mine does the same ( hurts) I only wear mine in winter as it keeps me warm for longer. NP do a helmet which seems to fit me much better with adjustment at the back.
Select to expand quoteSputnik11 said..ikw777 said..
Mine hurts my head and pushes my sunnies up so I stopped using it. Wear a hat instead.
hat for the sun?
Yep, this is Queensland after all.
Yes I wear one. Never used to and hated them. Had a good off one day (it happens to us all one day) and came up with all these stars floating around. Bought one and never looked back. It also helped fix my earache that sometimes came after getting some water in there. And the bonus is it keeps your noggin warm on the colder days (not much meat on me so it makes a big difference).
It makes me look like I've escaped from an asylum somewhere but the pluses outweigh the negatives. It's a RADZ brand and soft shell.
That's my 2c worth.
Cheers
Marty
Wear a Gath, and a high hook vest.
Main reason orginally was that some time back mid to late 2000's, when I was starting out, I read here on Seabreeze of a windsurfer loosing his life over on East Coast around Christmas time. Got into trouble on an outgoing tide and heavy rollers at river mouth. Member of public spotted him seperated from his gear, but by time rescue got to him... too late 
My wife read same post. She was devastated by the story unfolding, and impact it had on his mates and family.
That was then I thought, well best I look after myself, cos if a good swimmer and windsurfer can get into trouble like that, then my gumby approach should have some built in safety factors.
Need to wear glasses with helmet, but that's life. Few cracks on the head with a mast and boom, soon had me thinking, yep bloody good idea the Gath Helmet, and keeps the sun of my noggin
Same as Mineral. wear a gath, find it comfortable, but had to cut some channels for my glasses.
Keeps sun off in summer and head warm in winter.
The only downside I see is it increases head surface area, in a serious impact with water, that means more strain on the neck.
But my opinion is that it's more important to protect against a serious impact with something solid, like mast or boom.
You don't even have to be going fast, last month at Lake George, I misjudged a dismount, lost control of the rig, and it whipped round very fast and just missed my head.
Didn't use to wear a helmet but many years ago I was sailing alone in rough surf and copped a hit from the board on the back of my head which split my scalp exposed my skull and left me seeing stars. Now seeing the obvious danger i always wear one in the surf. 
Wear a Gath and has saved my life at once. Can easily wear with glasses. A helmet is so cheap and once you are used to it you don't even notice you are wearing it.
I wear a helmet because swan bay is shallow and i really don't want to hit the bottom with my head. (also my mother worries too much and it keeps her happy).
I didn't used to wear one, then the day i started wearing it i got hit on the head quite hard by the boom, twice. xD
edit: it also keeps my hair out of my face and the sun off my head.
i would guess that reasons FOR wearing a helmet are fairly obvious
some points raised here as to - against wearing a helmet
the same question could asked about impact vests
IF you are doing big jumps - i would guess it is LOGICAL to wear one
a buddy of mine wears an impact vest, knee pads and helmet - when sailing on ice
if going out in light winds - perhaps a helmet is not necessary
for me anything with sails under 7.x , helmet is defintely considered
when cold enough to wear a hood(ie) - why not helmet
"use your head" , but NOT as a bumper nor stopper !!!
97 % of all us Tassie windsurfers wear helmets ,especially good for, stopping brain injuries,keeping head warm, less uv rays, we are all trying to improve at windsurfing, new tricks, bigger better jumps, bigger waves, more speed.
Only makes sense to put a helmet on ya noggin
At speed the helmet can rip your head off,that's why we have two.
never regretted buying a new one after smashing one.
I've had to buy 3 replacement helmets.
Ask yourself this
1. am I worth $100(?)
2. will my wife wipe drool of my face and change my nappy for the next 20+ years
wear an ion one occasionally when racing or conditions a bit challenging. Started wearing for racing as a year or two ago someone crashed upwind of me & mast tip ripped open my ear, 3 inches to the left & i might not have been here.
In challenging days it dulls your senses so it doesnt seem quite so wild, plus added safety benefit.
Over 25 knots it comes on.
I've concussed myself once and its a horrible two weeks of feeling like your head is a fish bowl........
But under 25 knots, nice sunny day, nice to go head naked.
I never even considered one when I was younger but I seem to have become more safety conscious now that I have a family. I don't wear a life vest so if I knock myself out, I will sink to the bottom and drown. The helmet provides some piece of mind. I'm not going for loops or anything like that but there's been a few occassions where I've been going flat out and been tripped by a piece of chop and almost gone over the front. Eventually it will happen and I'm sure I'll be glad I've got some head protection.
I wear a NP helmet, and like haggar said I forget I'm wearing it. Cheap, and its comfy, keeps the sun off my ears and forehead, why wouldn't you wear one. I also wear the NP bouancy vest. Great for carrying my gps, phone, and rope. Keeps me warm too and helps with water starts.
I guess the scenario I was worried about was a crash banging my head on the mast, boom, or board and unconscious in the water and drown.
Helmet and vest also good for being spotted bobbing in the water.
Always wear a Gath full visor helmet when in the surf just because I have been hit in the head too many times. Done so for 20 years.
Flat water, usually wear a Balin hat to keep sun off the solar panel on top of the noggin'. But when it gets over 25 knots the helmet comes out. As KA43 said, it is also a good place to mount the Go Pro, use the helmet strap to help tether camera to a thin piece of occy strap as well.
A worthwhile investment.
I don't wear a helmet.
I only sail in flat water.
I am fairly careful and I don't crash very often.
When I do crash my major problem is whiplash type injury.
I have a very long slim neck (making me more susceptible to whiplash) and extra mass in the form of a helmet on my head is going to magnify the whiplash and also the concussive forces which result.
I have been hit on the head by the mast a few times and half of those would be on the nose/chin which is not going to be protected by the helmet.
So whilst I am not against wearing of helmets, and whilst I acknowledge that concussion/ head injury is more life threatening than whiplash, I think for me I would be better off not to wear one. Perhaps some kind of neck brace would be more useful?
Wear a Gath. I also wear prescription sunnies with it no hassles.Good for keeping your head warm ( and therefore your core temperature up) in winter too.
I should start wearing earplugs in strong winds as the wind noise is horrendous..I already have hearing loss and tinnitus so it's probably not a good idea to aggravate it with unnecessary noise.
Mine is an old helmet so the new ones are probably better.
I've found it's saved me quite a few times. Usually when I'm a bit blase and standing handling the gear in the shallows in strong winds .A few times the mast has come down and given me a good crack on the head ( helmet.) It doesn't need strong wind to get a crack though - just not paying enough attention or a wind change.
its only worth wearing a helmet if your heads worth protecting.
I don't wear a helmet..
Select to expand quoteboardboy said..
its only worth wearing a helmet if your heads worth protecting.
I don't wear a helmet..
i wear a cup.
Select to expand quoteKitepro said..boardboy said..
its only worth wearing a helmet if your heads worth protecting.
I don't wear a helmet..
i wear a cup.
+1
Over the top of my boardies that are over the top of my wettie
survived my first 5 years on a board without until one day I watched my board's nose fly past my face during a jump induced catapult.
Went out and bought a Protec TwoFace the next day. (designed for white water)
I was the first to buy a helmet at my local spot, since then most of the other sailors have gone and bought one too.
Even the snow culture has adopted helmets in recent years....perhaps we should catch up.
I wear a garth not because I jump or go fast in fact I am only doing just over 20ktns. But one day sailing in very gusty weather one minute 30knots the next 0knots, and at 0knots fell back into the water and mast hit me in the middle of the head. So wear helmet now.
Broken several helmets instead of my head - and stops my bald scalp getting burned - and keeps my prescription sunnies on - and holds the go pro - and I can poo in it if I get desperate...
I said if...
Wear a NP. Improved the comfort by adding a bit of foam at the top moving the helmet slightly higher. It only takes one head to boom/mast/board event to have you face down in water. I chose white 'cos then I may be seen in the water if I am in trouble. A helmetless head is pretty invisible to an approaching sailor particularly if their eyesight is not perfect.
Interesting, I thought there would be a few advocates. But this is pretty resounding.
My takes aways, need to consider getting one.
In terms of GoPro, I have a head mount which does just fine.
Have had a few injuries over the years, most recently broken rib, broken toe, and re-broken toe last weekend. Never anything head related, can't even think of when I went close. But perhaps better safe than sorry.
