Packing list for a sailing trip
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For a week on a charter yacht in summer, Mediterranean or Baltic. First what everyone packs for themselves, then what one person brings for the whole crew.
Bag and papers
- A soft holdall, not a suitcase. A hard-shell case won't fit in any cabin locker.
- ID card or passport, plus your health insurance card
- For the skipper: sailing licence and radio certificate, originals. The charter base will want to see them.
- Some cash for harbour fees, mooring buoys and the taverna in the bay
Clothes
- Sailing jacket or rain jacket. Even in summer it gets cold in the evening and when beating upwind.
- Fleece or a warm jumper
- Shorts and one pair of long trousers
- T-shirts and one long-sleeved shirt against the sun
- Two swimsuits. Wet ones dry slowly on board.
- Cap or hat with a strap, or the first gust takes it
- Deck shoes or trainers with light-coloured soles. Black soles leave marks on deck.
- Flip-flops for the marina showers
- Sailing gloves if you'll be pulling sheets and lines
Sleeping and washing
- Not every charter company provides bed linen and towels. Ask first, otherwise bring a sleeping bag and your own towel.
- A beach towel on top of the shower towel
- A small wash bag. The heads on board are tight.
- Earplugs. In the marina the halyards on the next mast slap all night.
Sun and health
- High-factor sun cream. On the water the sun hits you from above and below.
- Lip balm with SPF
- Sunglasses with a strap
- Seasickness tablets, best taken before casting off
- Your own medication, plasters, painkillers
Tech
- Waterproof phone case
- Power bank and charging cables
- USB adapter for the 12-volt socket. Shore power is only available in the marina.
- Head torch with a red light. White light dazzles on deck at night.
For the crew: one person brings it
The crew needs these once, not six times. So agree beforehand who packs what.
- Bluetooth speaker. One is enough, otherwise three turn up.
- Extension lead for shore power
- Clothes pegs for the towels on the guardrail
- Gaffer tape and cable ties
- A sharp kitchen knife. The ones on board rarely are.
- Moka pot or French press, if the crew wants more than instant coffee
- Cards and dice for evenings at anchor
- Snorkel and mask, if not everyone has their own
- Pilot book or cruising guide for the area
What's already on board
Gas for the stove, crockery, pots, life jackets, VHF radio and dinghy come with a charter yacht. Children's life jackets not always. Exactly what is on board is in the charter company's inventory list. Read it before you pack and you won't haul a saucepan along.
Questions before you pack
How much luggage fits on board?
Do I need deck shoes?
How does the crew sort out who brings what?
What do I add for the North Sea and the Baltic?
What does the skipper pack on top?
Is the packing list available as a PDF?
A reminder 14 days before your trip
Two weeks before departure is the right time for provisions, packing and the check-in list. Enter when you cast off. 14 days before, an email arrives with the lists. One email, then the address is deleted.
The packing list in Crewsy
In Crewsy every trip has two packing lists: “Personal” for your own bag and “Shared” for what the crew shares. On “Shared” each person commits: “I'll bring 2”. Next to every item you see whether it's covered, missing or coming twice. The packing list costs nothing, even after the trip. The skipper can pass their personal list on to the crew as a template.