All kit should be packed into a collapsible holdall. General limit is 90cm x 45cm x 45cm, or equivalent volume. Please do not bring suitcases. Rucksacks should only be brought if they have a removable frame or are reasonably collapsible. (Lots of people use standard hiking rucksacks and these are ok.) Any problems with this please e-mail Philip Sargent (profile).
All kit should be packed in dry bags/plastic bags or the holdall lined with a waterproof liner (e.g. bin liner) - hatches have been known to leak sometimes (or beginners forget to close them) !
If the boat is full, you will be sharing your bed with your bag - so make sure that it is a soft one.
The following is a recommended kit list. It is not exhaustive, so please feel free to bring additional items if you wish, but do keep valuables to a minimum. You will be sharing a cabin and your bunk-mate may sit on your belongings - so think very carefully before bringing anything delicate.
Bring appropriate quantity of base layer clothes to match the duration of your trip. In addition, include a complete spare set in case you get wet! Do not rely on being able to wash your clothes at all as they do not dry easily at sea.
This is the Med., so it will be much warmer than the N.Sea, but could be wet for a day: either rain or splashy.
Waterproofs do not need to be substantial i.e. not ocean/offshore gear. Essentially they need to keep you dry for up to 4 hours. For this Med. trip in late June, you may need no rain jacket but you should still bring a lightweight one.
For this trip, waterproof trousers are not needed. Even if wet, you won't get too cold; and the Skipper, First Mate and some other crew will have wet-weather gear so you can always hide inside the cabin.
Although not all trips plan to encounter splashy sailing, it may be chilly on the water and might rain, especially if you feel queezy and want to be in the fresh air.
For this trip trainers are fine, if they have a decent grip. You need something that covers your toes (so no sandals on the boat) unless you are extremely experienced.
We are NOT offering waterproof or boots hire for this trip.
As long as you are careful with them it is fine to bring electronic items on the boat, and most people bring phones, cameras and mp3 players etc. (we don't guarantee the safety of these items). Power on the boats will be only 12V car-type sockets: no mains power.
The boat may have a music system that takes MP3 players (bring a lead), USB sticks, MP3 CDs... or it may not. These are hire boats and cannot be relied upon. There may only be a couple of 12V sockets to be used for all crew, and the skipper will need one for safety-related gear. So be prepared to be unable to charge anything except occasionally ashore at a cafe (Greece has Europe-style mains plugs.) Your phone should be switched OFF most of the time we are sailing during the day to save power because of the re-charging problem.
I would think carefully before bringing a laptop along, as you are very unlikely to need it and there is no place to use it usually. It will also be a pain to keep charged. The chart table is reserved for navigation.
While most people are fine, it is a sad fact of sailing that as conditions worsen some people are afflicted by seasickness. If this is you, then seasickness needn't rule out sailing as a hobby, as medication is available. The efficacy of various seasickness medications varies from person to person. The most common remedy is Stugeron, available from most pharmacists. Many people prefer Kwells, which are available at pharmacists over the counter and have the advantage of quicker action (Stugeron has to be taken 2 hours in advance of sailing). Unfortunately it is hard to advise, as it is a matter of what works for you. For further advice contact Philip Sargent (profile).
If you know what works for you, don't forget to bring it along!
Please do not forget to pack your sleeping bag. If you do not have one in Cambridge and cannot borrow one from a friend, please get in touch with Philip Sargent (profile). We don't keep any spares to lend out, but can hopefully advise on where you can get one. We are not hiring bedding or towels on the boat - you must bring your own.
Ideally bring a sheet-sleeting bag or sarong as well as your main bag (which should be a thin, Summer-weight one). It may well be too hot for any kind of bag on some nights.
As with your other kit, a waterproof bag (bin bag is fine) to keep your sleeping bag in during the day is very helpful - getting into a wet sleeping bag at night is not a pleasant experience but this should not be a problem on this trip.