What people take with the when they go sailing varies by the kind of sailing they are doing, where they are sailing, their experience and personal preferences, but here we try and give those uncertain what to bring some guidelines on useful items to have with you during a sailing holiday with Catamaran Charter BVI.
If your holiday falls between mid-May and the end of September, you won’t need much in the way of clothes! A couple of swimsuits, towels, some T-shirts and shorts and something casual for the evenings are all you need. It’s a good idea to include a windproof jacket in case of stronger winds. It is also good to have sailing gloves to protect your hands and office calluses.
Closed non-slip shoes (deck shoes/sports shoes) are a must for safety on board and don’t forget to bring a sun hat, sunglasses and include plenty of sunscreen for protection from the sun. Reflection from the water means you soak up a lot of sun while sailing.
It is preferable to pack in soft bags rather than hard suitcases as hard cases are more difficult to stow away in lockers onboard. It’s a good idea to chose soft bags with wheels or have a collapsible trolley for ease of transport. What we guarantee you won’t need is a stepladder!
For early and late season sailing; before mid-May and after September, a fleece/sweater and some warm trousers may be necessary and it’s wise to include wet weather gear too – just in case!
Most brands of soap, shower gel, shampoo, sunscreen etc. are sold in Greece although they tend to be more expensive from the small harbour-side shops. If you take prescribed medicine, it is advisable to bring enough with you for the duration of your holiday. Although all our yachts have a basic first aid kit, it is a good idea to carry one of your own which should includes travel sickness pills, antiseptic cream, insect repellent, antihistamine cream/gel for insect bites and anything else you personally may need.
Although you will probably find everything you need in the supermarkets in British Virgin Islands, if you have food allergies (milk, wheat gluten, etc.) it is advisable to bring the substitutes you use at home as they may not be readily available in the small shops you will be using in the BVI.
You will of course need your passport or ID card. You should bring your sailing certificates as they are sometimes requested by the Port Police. If you intend to hire a car, motorbike or other vehicle whilst on holiday you should also bring your driving license.
We recommend that you bring a combination of cash and traveller’s cheques together with your credit cards. Most of the time it is better to buy your Dollars in British Virgin Islands. You can use bank ATM cash machines in most places to obtain Dollars so long as your bank card operates while abroad; not all do.
You can use credit cards in shops and restaurants and the larger ports you may visit.
Remember that the smaller and more remote ports may have no banks; no ATMs and that in small tavernas credit cards may not be accepted. It’s therefore a good idea to carry enough cash to buy daily supplies and pay for dinner, especially if you are bareboat chartering and going further afield.
You will need a continental 2 pin plug adapter for use on shore (charging cameras, phones, etc. in tavernas & cafes). As all our yachts have 12v sockets it would convenient to bring the appropriate 12v charger (car plug) for your laptop, mobile phone, digital camera, etc.
To make things easy, here’s a checklist!