Gear Essentials: Quick Summary
What you’ll need will depend on the type of trip, the trip length as well as your job.
I categorize gear into four types of equipment:
- Clothing
- Crew gear
- Boat gear
- Supplies
It’s important to find a proper boat from the start, one that will have a big enough boat storage so you can pack everything from this list.
Clothing There is a few basic guidelines for dressing, which I’ll explain in the following paragraphs. However, the best way to determine what clothes to wear is to ask whether the captain or other sailors who regularly visit the area. Weather conditions on the water are very different in comparison to the land.
Crew equipment Other personal things like paperwork and toiletries. This only applies to trips with multiple days or international journeys.
Gear for boat Navigation equipment electronic equipment, safety, and navigation equipment. Equipment for boats is always the responsibility of the skipper, and if you’re a part of the crew, you don’t have to be concerned about this.
Materials It is always necessary to have supplies, and with long travels, this could be quite costly. But with one-day trips, it’s not necessary to worry beyond water since there will likely be restaurants and shops around. But, you never think about it: a short trip around the lake can be a night spent the night there. Mechanical breakdowns are commonplace often and you might want to bring at least some food and extra water.
Below, I’ll provide more specifics for each of the different categories of equipment. You’ll also find all of these items on the printable checklist. Before we do that, let’s review the packing checklist for beginners sailors.
What do you need to bring as crew on a 1-day sailing trip:
If you’re taking an excursion of a few minutes with an (beginner) crew it’s not necessary to carry much. You need to wear appropriate clothes and bring an extra bottle of water and sunscreen. Appropriate clothes are:
- multiple base layers of clothing that are comfortable and dry quickly
- non-marking deck shoes , which offer the same grip as shoes for boats or sneakers
- sweatshirt and (sailing) jacket
- sunglasses
- sun protection, such as caps or hats, and long-sleeved shirts
I’ll discuss multiple-day trips in the next paragraph, but before that I need to look at the important things every skipper should consider when making plans for the next trip.
The elements that determine the materials and equipment for the boat and crew.
As the skipper, you’re accountable for the boat’s gear and any necessary supplies. You need to decide what navigation equipment you need, and what amount of fuel, food, and safety equipment to bring. To make planning simpler, I’ve created a system for myself.
Trip type
Three types of trips are available: three kinds of trips that decide what equipment and safety equipment I need to bring:
- trips to the freshwater – not a need other than basic navigation tools
- coastal and offshore trips and offshore trips – additional safety equipment is required by the USCG
- Ocean passages, in addition to safety equipment, it also includes additional tools and supplies are required
Duration of the trip
The other aspect that determines needed gear is the length of your trip. Naturally, the longer your trip, the more you’ll have to carry.
- short excursions (1-2 days)
- Extended trips (2 – 14 days)
- ocean passage (multiple weeks)
I’m bringing up ocean passage this time because it’s the longest kind of trip However, it also requires a special plan. You’ll need far more fuel than when you go on a regular two-week cruise along the coast since the odds are that you won’t find any gas stations in the mid-section of the Atlantic.