This article is part of a charter special. The contents:
- How to enjoy a relaxed charter holiday on a boat
- You can save money with these twelve tips
- The most important tips about the boat and the area
- Crew contract: Legal security when chartering
- What you need to know about the charter licence
- The right insurance for your boating holiday
- Charter checklist - Everything you need to consider
- Provisions plan and stowage tips for your holiday cruise
- Tricks for the berth - relaxed mooring
- Instruction on the catamaran - know what is where
Bring your own: What should you pack?
Pantry
- Tea towels
- Household towel
- Washing-up liquid and sponge
- Bin liners with drawstring (can also be used for other purposes)
- Disposable gloves
- Thermos flask
- Thermo mug (for cool temperatures)
- Suction hook (for towels etc.)
- Scissors
- Shopping bag
Technology
- Work gloves (e.g. for dirty lines and fenders)
- Velcro straps
- Fabric adhesive tape (e.g. for fastening or sealing)
- Cable ties
- Multitool (with screwdriver)
- Combination pliers
- Combination knife
- Socket strip
- USB adapter (for 230 V and 12 V)
- LED torch
- Lighter (or lighter)
- Table lamp (for indoors and outdoors, USB-charged)
Salon
- Blanket (for cooler temperatures)
- DVD or Blu-Ray player (for on-board TV or laptop)
- HDMI cable
Miscellaneous
- Non-slip underlays
- Clothesline (with clothes pegs)
- Binoculars
- Sun protection
- Insect protection
- Camping chairs
- Folding or on-board bike (may also be bookable)
Before packing at home, you should carefully go through the equipment list for the boat provided by the charter company. As with a holiday home on land, the standard charter equipment is rarely listed individually. This is precisely why the check makes sense. While the galley, for example, is always fully equipped, bed linen and towels can be different: Sometimes they are included, sometimes they have to be booked in addition or brought along yourself. However, if you want to be on the safe side, you can easily clarify these open questions about the general equipment in advance.
The numerous "little things" that make life on board easier or more pleasant when chartering are more exciting. For example, you shouldn't rely on there always being enough sockets to charge your mobile devices. A power strip in your luggage can make the difference between a live stream or a flat screen.
Of course, the following list does not claim to be exhaustive; what it contains is based on the experience of our editorial team. Some of it may seem obvious, others more individual. Everyone knows best what they don't want to do without. If you are travelling by car and have enough space, there is hardly any reason not to take an additional small bag or folding box with you. And what you have, you have.
Already available: What can be found where on board?
Inside
- Where can I find life jackets (possibly also for children)?
- Where are the main battery switches located?
- Where are the seacocks located in the WC and shower areas (and how are they operated?)?
- Where is the gas flame lit in the oven (if present)?
- Where are the binoculars?
- Where is the tool located?
- Where are the fire extinguishers located?
- Where is the first aid kit located?
- Where are the heating outlets located?
Exterior
- Where is the cooling water outlet located (important for checking the cooling when the machine is running)?
- Where is the heater exhaust located in the side wall (must not be covered when the heater is in operation)?
- Where are the tank nozzles on deck (for fuel, water, faeces)?
- Where is the key for the nozzle covers?
- Where are additional lines located (important in case of loss or damage)?
- Where is the swim ladder mounted (and how does it work)?
- Where are the remote control and/or manual windlass (if available)?
- Where are the extension cables and/or adapters for the shore power supply (if available)?
- Where is the gas supply located (if available)?
The list of equipment items and details that you are confronted with during the briefing and handover can be correspondingly long and unfamiliar. Especially when it comes to what is to be found where on the boat, it is easy to lose track and quickly forget one or two things, even if you work through the transfer list item by item. Sometimes locations are simply described in order to save time ("An additional long line should be in one of the forecastle boxes, or otherwise in the front of the anchor locker"). To minimise the risk of something being misunderstood or forgotten when chartering, at least one other member of the crew should take part in the briefing on board in addition to the skipper.
The checklist provides an overview of those things that are often forgotten or at least only mentioned in passing, although they can become very important later in the course of the trip. It is also not always applicable point by point, as the individual handover procedure depends on the boat, the area, the charter company and, last but not least, the employees who look after the customers on site. If in doubt, it is always better to ask instead of having to search for yourself later under time pressure.
This article is part of a charter special. The contents:
- How to enjoy a relaxed charter holiday on a boat
- You can save money with these twelve tips
- The most important tips about the boat and the area
- Crew contract: Legal security when chartering
- What you need to know about the charter licence
- The right insurance for your boating holiday
- Charter checklist - Everything you need to consider
- Provisions plan and stowage tips for your holiday cruise
- Tricks for the berth - relaxed mooring
- Instruction on the catamaran - know what is where
