Recommended Sailing Kit

Please bring…

• Enough changes of clothes to last for the number of days you are sailing, plus one extra set (always worth having a spare)

• Select clothes that are comfortable, such as T-shirts and the like

• Casual clothing suitable for shore wear (we sometimes visit a pub for a meal or drinks)

• Warm jumper and fleece

• Soft (non-marking) shoes

• At least 2 pairs of warm socks

• Sleeping bag and pillow—ESSENTIAL

• Towel & wash kit (a bag to carry your wash kit to and from the shower blocks is handy)

• Sun lotion and lip salve (yes, even in England)

• Small torch with fresh batteries (ideally a head torch with a red-light setting, though this is not essential, as there are some on board)

• Woollen hat, scarf or snood

• Warm gloves and a sun hat or a baseball cap (ideally with a hat lanyard - Google it)

• Maybe one pair of shorts (unless you’re a postie)

• Your personal medical items

• Your passport if you are going abroad

• Own waterproofs, if you own them. Otherwise, we have some on board for you to use

Optional Items…

• Sailing gloves; cheap, grippy alternatives are available on board

• Sea boots (don't buy these if you don't already have a pair; a 2nd pair of soft shoes will do)

• Flip-flops or other slip-on shoes for use in the showers and for wet beach landings from the tender

• Earplugs to maintain good relations with those who may snore!

• Eye mask to block out strange LEDs and the early-morning sun

• USB charging leads for phones/tablets; sockets have USB-A/B ports

• Some local money for a café/pub. Also, if you have any small change down the back of the sofa or lurking in the bottom of your luggage, £1 or €1 coins (depending upon the trip itinerary) can also be useful, as some yacht clubs have coin-operated showers

• A tasty tea-time snack to share with your crew is often a welcome addition to any sail

• An evening beverage of your choice, or something to share with the crew at dinner, if desired

• RYA Practical Course Notes (RYA members get 15% off on the rya.org.uk/shop website. Competent Crew Skills / Day Skipper Practical Course Notes, and a range of GO… ! eBooks written for Children. eBook subscriptions are also available, with affordable packages that can be directly accessed through the RYA Books App. Although many of the books are available (new and used) through other bookshops and websites, it’s worth checking the edition, as there are currently three versions of the RYA ‘Day Skipper’ book (‘Shorebased Notes’, ‘Practical Notes’ and the ‘Handbook’) and many revisions of each over the years. New to the RYA are audiobooks, which they are developing; these can be downloaded to apps on both IOS and Android. Some are already available on apps such as Audible, such as the Competent Crew Skills book

The following items are provided as part of the course…

• Approved life jacket and harness

• Use of waterproofs

• Clean fleece under blankets (or sheets) for each course

• RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Syllabus and Logbook (G158) and certificate documents folder

Top tip: packing cubes are also highly recommended—they organise your kit and make it easier to find what you need on board. Cheap sets are readily available online, although you generally get what you pay for.