Sailing packing list

For a week or so living on a boat, on a charter or with friends. Space on board is tight and everything gets damp, so the list is short and it all goes in a soft bag.

A soft bag, not a suitcase

A hard suitcase won't go in a boat's lockers, and nobody wants it in the saloon all week. Bring a soft holdall that folds flat, and pack in dry bags inside it.

Ask what the boat supplies before you pack. Some lend waterproofs and lifejackets and include bedding, others don't.

Cold on the water

It's colder on the water than on land, especially at night and when the wind picks up. Bring a warm layer and a hat even when the forecast is hot. Sailing waterproofs last much longer in spray than a walking jacket, and gloves save your hands on the ropes.

Take seasickness tablets before you feel ill. They work much less well after.

What's on the list

A week on a boat, mild weather

Papers and money

Passport: Check how long it has left. Some countries want six months from the day you arrive.
Travel insurance details: The policy number and the emergency phone number, on your phone and on paper. Check it covers what you'll be doing.
Two bank cards, kept apart: If one is lost or blocked you still have the other.
Some cash: Not everywhere takes cards, and a card can be blocked just when you need it.
Tickets and bookings, saved offline: In case there's no signal when you need them.
Emergency contacts on paper: If your phone dies, you'll still have the numbers.
Boat papers and qualifications: If you're the skipper, the registration, the insurance and your certificates. Port officials in some countries ask to see them.

Bags

Rucksack, 20–30 litres
Soft holdall, not a suitcase: A hard case won't fit in a boat's lockers.
Dry bags: For anything that mustn't get wet, like your phone and spare clothes.

Clothes

Underwear × 5
Socks × 5
T-shirts or tops × 5
Trousers × 2
Shorts
Something to sleep in
Fleece or warm jumper
Insulated jacket, down or synthetic: Evenings get cold fast once the sun goes, even after a hot day.
Sun hat
Warm hat
Neck tube: Sun, wind, dust and a thin hat in one.
Sunglasses

Footwear

Deck shoes: Soles that grip a wet deck and don't leave marks.

Sleeping

Sleeping bag: Ask whether the boat has bedding. If it doesn't, bring a bag for the coldest night you expect.
Earplugs: For thin walls and other people's snoring.
Eye mask

Food, water and cooking

Water bottles: Refill it as you go instead of buying bottled water.
Snacks: Something you'll still want to eat when you're tired.
Small knife

Washing and toiletries

Toothbrush and toothpaste
Toiletries
Sun cream: Water reflects the sun, so you burn faster than you'd think.
Lip balm with sun protection
Hand gel
Travel wash and a few pegs: This list assumes you'll wash clothes as you go.
Glasses or contact lenses, and spares: If you wear them. A spare pair saves a trip.
Period products: If you need them. They can be hard to find in remote places.

First aid and medicine

First aid kit: Plasters, a bandage, tape, painkillers and antiseptic wipes cover most things.
Your medicines, plus a few days spare: Keep them where you can reach them, not at the bottom of a bag.
Insect repellent
Seasickness tablets: Take them before you feel ill. They work much less well after.

Phone and electronics

Phone and charging cable
Power bank: Maps and photos drain a phone fast.
Plug adapter: If the sockets are different where you're going.
Phone data for abroad: Check what your plan charges abroad, or get an eSIM or a local SIM before you go. A local SIM needs an unlocked phone.
Head torch with a red light: Red keeps your night vision on watch.

Finding the way and safety

Offline maps on your phone: Download them before you go, while you have wifi.
Your route, left with someone at home: Where you're going, and when they should start to worry.
Tide times and the passage plan
Lifejacket that fits you: Check the boat has one for you with a crotch strap, or bring your own.
Handheld VHF radio: If you hold the licence to use one. A good back-up to the boat's set.

On the boat

Sailing waterproofs: A walking jacket won't last long in spray. Some boats lend them, so ask.
Sailing gloves: Ropes are hard on hands.
Rigging knife: Kept where you can reach it.

Bits and pieces

A few zip bags: For wet things, receipts, and a phone in the rain.
Pen: For forms and the boat's log.
Book or e-reader

Questions people ask

What should I pack for a week of sailing?

A soft holdall, sailing waterproofs if the boat doesn't lend them, deck shoes, a warm layer, a hat for the sun and one for the cold, sun cream, sunglasses, seasickness tablets, a head torch with a red light and a sleeping bag if bedding isn't supplied.

What shoes do you wear on a sailing boat?

Shoes with soft, light soles that grip a wet deck and don't leave marks. In cold or wet weather, sea boots.

Do I need my own lifejacket?

Most boats have them. Check there's one that fits you, with a crotch strap, or bring your own. Children need their own size.

Why not a suitcase?

It won't fit in the lockers, and a boat has nowhere else to put it. A soft bag folds away.

How do I stop being seasick?

Take tablets before you sail, look at the horizon, stay on deck in the fresh air and keep busy. Eat a little and often.

Can I share the list with the crew?

Yes. Press Share and send the link. Everyone can keep their own copy.

Lists for other trips

The other tools

Gear list: Weigh your kit and your pack
GPX tools: Open, fix, join and convert route files
3D film of a route: Turn a GPX into a flyby film with your photos
All tools

We make Pebbls, an app that keeps a map and diary of a trip as it happens. You don't need it to use any of this.