What to Pack for a Sailing Holiday: The Complete List

The Golden Rule: Soft Bags Only

A standard yacht cabin has roughly 0.5 m³ of storage, split between a hanging locker the width of your shoulders and a few cubbyholes tucked under the berth. A rigid suitcase, even a carry-on sized one, will not fit. It won't fold, it won't compress, and it will block the companionway (the stairway leading below deck) for the entire trip. Bring a soft duffel bag or a large backpack instead, something you can flatten and stow once you've unpacked.

Aim for a bag no larger than 70 litres. Once aboard, you'll transfer clothes into the cabin's cubbies and roll the empty bag into a corner. If you're joining a charter with shared costs, storage space is shared too. Overpacking penalises everyone. A good benchmark: if you can't carry your bag comfortably for 10 minutes, you've packed too much.

Clothing: Less Than You Think

You'll wear far fewer outfits than on a land holiday. Most days follow the same pattern: swimwear in the morning, a cover-up for lunch, a dry set for the evening. Quick-dry synthetic or merino fabrics are worth the investment. They dry in 2-3 hours on a lifeline, versus 8 or more hours for cotton in humid conditions.

Item	Quantity	Why
Quick-dry T-shirts / tops	3-4	Rotate daily; dry on lifelines between wears
Swimwear	2-3	You'll live in these; having a dry spare prevents chafing
Shorts (quick-dry)	2	One for sailing, one for going ashore
Light long-sleeved shirt (UPF 50+)	1	Sun protection on passage days; doubles as evening layer
Light trousers or long skirt	1	Restaurants ashore; some Greek tavernas expect covered legs
Evening outfit	1	One nice set for harbour dinners , linen or cotton works
Lightweight waterproof jacket	1	Spray and squalls happen even in July; a packable shell (€30-80) is enough
Mid-layer fleece or hoodie	1	Night watches or cool evenings , cockpit temps drop 5-8 °C after sunset
Underwear	5-7	Quick-dry sport styles preferred; cotton stays damp
Sun hat with chin strap	1	Wide brim protects ears and neck; chin strap stops it blowing overboard in Force 4+ (11-16 kn) winds

For a 7-day charter, this list totals roughly 3-4 kg of clothing. That leaves room in your 70-litre duffel for toiletries, gear, and the bottle of local wine you'll inevitably buy on day three. If you're unsure what daily life actually looks like aboard, read our honest account of what it feels like to be on a yacht.

Footwear: White Soles Are Non-Negotiable

Dark-soled shoes leave black scuff marks on fibreglass decks. Charter companies will charge you for cleaning, or deduct from the security deposit, typically €1,500-3,000. Every pair of shoes you bring aboard must have white or light-coloured, non-marking soles. Check before you leave home by rubbing the sole on a white tile.

The 3 pairs you need

• Reef shoes or sailing sandals (€20-50): Worn 80% of the time. They grip wet decks, protect your toes from cleats (the metal fittings used to secure ropes), and dry in minutes. Brands like Cressi, Tribord, or Gill all make suitable options.
• Flip-flops with white soles: For the dinghy ride ashore and beach walks. Keep a pair specifically for going below deck to avoid tracking sand everywhere.
• Light trainers or canvas shoes (white soles): For evening walks in harbour towns. Leave your leather shoes at home. Salt spray will ruin them in 48 hours.

Going barefoot on deck is common but risky. Stainless steel fittings heat to 60 °C or more under direct Mediterranean sun, and stubbed toes are the number-one minor injury on charter boats. Reef shoes solve both problems.

Sun Protection: Water Reflects 2-3× More UV

The sea acts as a mirror. WHO studies show that water reflects 10-30% of UV radiation back upward, meaning you're hit from above and below simultaneously. Add wind cooling your skin so you don't feel the burn building, and you have the recipe for the worst sunburn of your life, often on day one.

Your sun protection kit

• SPF 50 sunscreen, reef-safe formula (€12-20): Apply every 2 hours. Bring at least 200 ml per person for a week. Reef-safe matters. In marine parks across Croatia and Greece, chemical sunscreens damage the ecosystems you're sailing through.
• SPF lip balm (SPF 30+): Lips burn fast and painfully. A small tube costs €3-5 and saves real discomfort.
• UV-rated sunglasses with a retainer strap (€15-80): Polarised lenses cut glare off the water, helping you spot shallow reefs and submerged rocks. Without a retainer strap, they'll be at the bottom of the Adriatic by lunchtime.
• UPF 50+ long-sleeved top: Already in your clothing list. Wear it during midday passages. It's far more effective than sunscreen alone.
• Buff or neck gaiter: Protects the back of your neck, the area most people forget until it's bright red.

If you're sailing the Greek islands or the Dalmatian coast between June and September, the UV index regularly hits 9-11. Unprotected fair skin can burn in under 15 minutes.

Electronics and Gadgets

Yachts typically have 12V power, with one or two USB outlets in each cabin. Charging 6-8 devices at once is not realistic. A power bank rated at 20,000 mAh (€20-35) gives you 4-5 full phone charges independent of the boat's supply. Bring one per person or per couple.

Essential electronics

• Dry bag (5-10 litre, €8-15): Your phone, passport, and wallet go in here whenever you're in the dinghy or on deck in spray. A ziplock bag works in a pinch, but a proper roll-top dry bag rated IPX8 is far more reliable.
• Power bank (20,000 mAh): Charge it fully the night before departure.
• Head torch with red-light mode (€10-25): Below deck at night, a white torch blinds everyone. Red mode preserves night vision and lets you find the heads (toilet) at 3 a.m. without waking your cabinmate.
• Waterproof phone case (€10-20): Allows photos and video without risking a €1,000 device. Look for cases rated IPX8 to 10 metres depth.
• Apps to download before departure: Windy (wind forecasting, free), Navily (anchorage reviews, free), and your charter company's check-in app. Download offline maps for your sailing area in Google Maps. Cellular coverage drops to zero between islands.

Skip the Bluetooth speaker unless the skipper specifically invites one. Sound carries enormously over water, and playing music at anchor after 22:00 in a quiet bay is a fast way to annoy every neighbouring boat.

Toiletries and Health

Yacht plumbing is fragile. The holding tank on a typical 40-foot charter boat holds just 60-80 litres, and the pipes are 38 mm wide, about a third of household plumbing. Anything other than toilet paper designed to dissolve in marine systems will cause a blockage. No wet wipes, no cotton buds, no sanitary products down the heads.

What to pack

• Biodegradable soap and shampoo (€5-10): You'll shower on deck using the cockpit shower or swim-platform hose. Standard products pollute the water you're swimming in. Brands like Sea to Summit or Dr. Bronner's work well.
• Seasickness tablets: Even experienced sailors get queasy in a beam sea (waves hitting the side of the boat). Stugeron (cinnarizine, around €6 for 15 tablets) is the go-to for sailors, less drowsy than dramamine. Take it 2 hours before departure, not after symptoms start. Acupressure wristbands (€8-12) work for some people as a drug-free alternative.
• Insect repellent: Mosquitoes in Mediterranean marinas are aggressive from June through September. A DEET-based spray (30-50%) or picaridin-based alternative keeps them at bay.
• Personal first-aid additions: The boat carries a basic kit, but add your own prescription medications (enough for the trip plus 3 extra days in case of delays), blister plasters, antihistamines, and rehydration sachets.
• Microfibre towel (€10-15): Some charters include towels; many don't, or charge €10-15 per set. Check your charter inclusions before you leave. A microfibre towel packs to the size of a paperback and dries in 30 minutes.

Fresh water aboard is limited. Tanks on a 40-foot yacht hold 300-500 litres for all crew, all week. Two-minute showers are expected, not optional. Biodegradable dry shampoo is a practical way to stretch between washes.

What NOT to Bring

Overpacking is the single most common mistake first-time charter guests make. Here's what to leave behind and why.

Item	Why Not
Hard-shell suitcase	Won't fit through the companionway hatch (typically 55 × 50 cm). No exceptions.
More than 7 days of clothes	You'll wear 60% of what you pack. Harbours have launderettes (€4-8 per load) if needed.
Laptop	Salt spray, limited power, no reliable Wi-Fi. If you must work, a tablet in a waterproof case is far safer.
Hair dryer / hair straighteners	Inverter power aboard is 1,000-2,000W max and shared. High-draw appliances trip the system, killing power for everyone including navigation instruments.
Jewellery or valuables	No safe aboard. Salt water tarnishes silver in hours. Rings slip off sunscreened fingers into the sea, lost forever at 15 metres depth.
Hardback books	Heavy, swell with humidity. A Kindle or paperback is ideal.
Towels (if included in charter)	They take up 20% of your bag volume for no reason. Verify your charter inventory first.

A note on alcohol

Provisioning at a supermarket near the marina on arrival day is standard practice. A bottle of local wine in Greece costs €4-8, versus €15-25 at a harbour restaurant. Buy it there, not at the airport. A case of 6 bottles weighs 9 kg and takes up bag space you'll wish you had for gear.

The Pre-Departure Checklist

Print this or screenshot it the night before you leave. Everything fits in a 70-litre soft bag with room to spare.

• ☐ Soft duffel or backpack (70 L max)
• ☐ 3-4 quick-dry tops
• ☐ 2-3 swimwear
• ☐ 2 shorts, 1 light trousers
• ☐ 1 evening outfit
• ☐ 1 waterproof jacket, 1 fleece/hoodie
• ☐ Reef shoes, flip-flops, white-soled trainers
• ☐ SPF 50 sunscreen (200 ml+), SPF lip balm
• ☐ Polarised sunglasses with strap
• ☐ Sun hat with chin strap, buff
• ☐ Dry bag (5-10 L)
• ☐ Power bank (20,000 mAh), head torch
• ☐ Waterproof phone case
• ☐ Biodegradable soap and shampoo
• ☐ Seasickness tablets (cinnarizine)
• ☐ Insect repellent
• ☐ Microfibre towel
• ☐ Prescriptions + personal first-aid extras
• ☐ Passport, booking confirmation, travel insurance docs (in dry bag)

Total packed weight should sit between 8-12 kg. That's light enough to carry from the taxi to the pontoon without breaking a sweat, and compact enough to disappear into a cabin the size of a wardrobe. For more on what to expect from the experience itself, read our guide to why sailing is worth trying this year.

Also read: packing for kids on a yacht.