Since you don't have any hand issues right now, you'd be wearing them for the same reason as most 'bent riders: get a better grip on the bars in hot humid weather and crash protection. That being the case, you might try looking at weight lifting gloves, which won't have a lot of padding and may be cheaper than bike-specific gloves. You could get gloves for rowing, too; but knowing how boating tends to be, rowing gloves will be *really* expensive.