Being on the water’s all about sun and fun, isn’t it? As they say, you can have too much of a good thing—and it’s all too easy to soak up more sun than you should’ve.

Those bright boat interiors that make the inside of a boat look so big also act as monster-sized reflectors. When the sun’s rays hit water’s surface, your skin’s in for some serious baking. After a few hours in the sun, some surfaces can get extremely hot.

You’ve got to go on the offensive to protect yourself from the long-term damage that the ultraviolet sunshine can inflict upon you before you realize you’ve been cooked.

Clothing

Yeah, we know that running around in a skimpy bathing suit is part of the boating experience, but you ought to consider wearing a lightweight, long-sleeve shirt and long pants while you’re on deck.

Bring a ball cap and polarized sunglasses to protect your eyes; and wearing flip-flops or sandals will minimize the effects of the hot, non-skid deck on your feet.

Sunblock

Slather a high SPF sunblock on every part of your skin that’ll be exposed to the sun. Use a sunblocking lip balm on your lips, and smear that white sunblock goo on your nose. You may feel like a dork, but your skin will thank you for it.

Shade

Stay under the shade of the boat’s canvas top, if possible. On a little boat with no canvas, it’s perfectly acceptable to bring a beach umbrella for shade while you fish. Just don’t try to use the umbrella while the boat’s moving, an awkward situation may result.

Original article posted on Discover Boating: Sun Protection