The moment I first tried on a Zorrel shirt, I was hooked. It feels like silk underwear to the skin, worlds above the run-of-the-mill yacht polo shirt. Our active lifestyle as megayacht crew demands a brand of apparel that athletes wear. That brand is Zorrel, the exclusive suppliers to the Ironman and Xterra triathlon events.

We all know the feeling of having our crew shirts soaked with sweat from hauling heavy fenders and throwing dock lines, then walking into the air-conditioned vessel and having the soaked material cling to our bodies. Zorrel garments have a 3- to 5-second moisture transport rate, so you feel dry in moments. No kidding. Zorrel garments are odor-free for the life of the shirt, and they will not snag.

Zorrel fabrics use cutting-edge moisture wicking microfiber transport technology, Dri-Balance, the most efficient available. The real innovation is that Zorrel's garments are made chiefly from cotton, with Dri-Balance added in the production process.

Zorrel's proprietary advantage is its control over the process. It takes raw cotton and spins it, knits it, dyes it and makes the garments. The market is flooded with companies that dip their fabrics to achieve the quick-wicking quality. But then the fabric loses its silky feel, and its ability to disperse moisture fades with just a few washings.

"Zorrel takes their environmental, ethical and labor standards seriously," said Harold Puchstein, Zorrel's southeast sales manager (+1-954-647-2116). "Each of their factories adheres to the strictest standards in dyeing and manufacturing in order to protect local environments and waterways."

So how do these shirts keep you dry? Zorrel fabric is two layers in one. Both the cotton and microfiber polyester fibers are technically treated. The polyester is stripped of any impurities while the cotton is specially spun and treated to increase absorbency. The skin side is 100 percent polyester microfiber that is plaited to an outside surface layer of 100 percent combined cotton. The microfiber layer is very fine and is hydrophobic while the cotton layer is denser and is hydrophilic.

The inside poly layer dries from body heat, moving moisture to the outer layer in 3 to 5 seconds. Zorrel's engineering research has created elaborate knit structures that optimize the moisture transport and dispersion in the cotton layer with the ability for air to move inward to cool the wearer.

Additionally, engineers discovered that certain types of dyes create varying results in moisture transport rates. Darker colors are denser and contain higher levels of color, and thus hamper transport.

Zorrel's engineers adjust and regulate each color of dye to maximize transport of moisture. Still, there are a variety of colors to choose from, including the traditional yachties colors of navy, white, khaki, and multiple shades of blue, but also colors like sage, pro gold, denim, burnt orange, chocolate, sahara, silver, mango, lime, chai and stone.

Zorrel produces men's and women's polo shirts, T-shirts, training shirts, pullovers, sweaters and jackets, in short or long sleeves. If you have a favorite crew uniform provider, it can buy Zorrel products directly and embroider your yacht name and logo without changing your look. And if you were lucky enough to get a Triton shirt from its 2006 Ft. Lauderdale boat show party, you already have a fine Zorrel product.

For more info, visit www.zorrel.com .

Contact Capt. David Hare at david@hare.com  If you have a product you'd like to see reviewed, contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.