A cabin on a holiday boat gives you a berth, a hatch and a locker. What it doesn’t have is a well-thought-out, packed suitcase that will sit happily in the corner of your cabin for seven days. A stiff suitcase has nowhere to go, and anyone who has tried wedging one under a bunk knows how the rest of the week feels. So we put together this sailing holiday packing list, covering clothes, footwear, sun protection, luggage and a handful of things worth asking your operator about first. On a sailing vacation you’ll use less than you expect. Boats differ in what they supply, sometimes a lot, so find out what’s already on board before you spend anything.
One day on a skippered catamaran holds several kinds of day. You’ll spend a stretch on deck, an hour or two in the water, and then walk into some harbour town while the light goes orange. Your bag has to survive all of it. Write to the operator before you pack and ask about towels, bedding, snorkelling kit and charging points, since each company does it differently. Whatever they send back counts for more than any blog post, this one included. A soft bag beats a rigid case almost every time, because boat storage is tight and it’s easier to decide that now than at the pontoon. Take what follows as a rough guide. It isn’t a rulebook.
Good sailing clothes dry fast, weigh almost nothing and layer easily. The numbers depend on you. A marina with a laundry changes things, so does a hot destination, and so does how you feel about wearing a shirt twice.
For daytime, shorts, a few tees and a loose shirt or two do the job, ideally in fabrics that don’t mind salt air and are dry by morning. Bring two or three swimsuits so there’s always a dry one. Evenings on the water turn cool quicker than people expect, and wind makes it worse, so one light layer belongs in the bag. A rain jacket should be thin enough to roll into a corner, and the right one depends on where and when you’re going. For underwear and sleepwear, pack a day more than feels necessary. You’ll want two outfits for shore, one of them clean enough for dinner in port, and neither needing an iron. Round it out with quick-dry extras like socks, a sarong or a spare top, anything that stands in for cotton.
Look at the forecast a few days before you fly. Late September is a different week from June. In both cases, pack for 8 p.m., not noon.
Plenty of boats want bare feet or soft, non-marking soles on deck, so ask before buying anything. Whichever sailing shoes you end up with, they need to grip wet surfaces and leave no marks. Add sandals or something sturdier for the walk into town, and water shoes if the route has rocky beaches.
The sun is stronger on the water because it comes at you twice, from above and off the surface. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, apply it before you go outside, and reapply roughly every two hours and after every swim. Pack UV-rated sunglasses, a hat with a chin strap (you’ll lose the one without), and a long-sleeved top for the hours around midday.
Medication stays in its original packaging, with any prescription paperwork beside it. Decant toiletries into small bottles and add some insect repellent for evenings in port. A refillable water bottle is useful if the charter allows it. Passport, booking confirmation and insurance details can share one waterproof pouch, along with your cards and a little cash. If you rely on something for comfort or accessibility, bring it, because the boat won’t have a spare.
Go soft. A duffel bends around lockers and folds flat once it’s empty, and a shell suitcase does neither. Rigid cases can also mark the deck. That makes a sailing duffel bag the usual choice, although the right size comes from your boat’s storage, not from how many pockets the bag has. Ask the operator for rough dimensions. Inside, a few small packing cubes keep wet swimwear away from clean clothes, and a compact day bag handles shore trips so the big one can stay put. Fewer compartments means less rummaging at 7 a.m. A tote that folds into its own pocket makes a decent laundry bag later.
Think of two piles. The first is yours: phone, charging cable, a plug adapter if you need one, a power bank, a waterproof pouch for electronics, a small dry bag for going ashore, a book for slow afternoons, and your own snorkel mask if you like the fit. Put a tissue in the waterproof pouch and dunk it before it goes anywhere near your phone. The second pile belongs to the boat, and you should check it before packing. Ask whether towels, bedding, snorkelling kit and safety gear come with the charter, and what the power sockets and Wi-Fi are like. Operators publish their own sailing equipment inventory, so what you bring only adds to it. Don’t bring a safety kit of your own unless they ask.
Leave the hard shell at home if you can. A third pair of shoes that duplicates the first two isn’t worth the space, and neither are extra outfits that never leave their folds. Decant toiletries wherever the rules let you. Skip whatever the charter already provides, and anything fragile that hates splashes. One exception: if a proper camera or a favourite paperback makes the week for you, wrap it well and take it, whatever anyone says.
This is everything above squeezed down into something you can print, screenshot or paste into a notes app. At 6 a.m. on departure day, a tick box does better than memory. Work through the first six groups as you pack. The last one isn’t packing at all. It’s a set of questions for your operator, since towels, bedding and snorkelling gear change from boat to boat, and none of it should go in the bag until they confirm. Keep your packing essentials together in one pile, the things you’d truly miss if they stayed on the pier.
Clothing and swimwear: ☐ Shorts, tees, loose shirts ☐ Swimwear (2–3 sets) ☐ Light layer ☐ Rain-resistant jacket ☐ Underwear and sleepwear ☐ Two outfits for ashore ☐ Quick-dry extras
Footwear: ☐ Non-marking deck shoes (if the operator allows shoes on deck) ☐ Sandals or sturdy shoes for ashore ☐ Water shoes
Sun protection: ☐ Broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF 30+ ☐ UV-rated sunglasses ☐ Hat with chin strap ☐ Long-sleeved top
Toiletries and medication: ☐ Medication in original packaging ☐ Prescription paperwork ☐ Small-size toiletries ☐ Insect repellent
Documents and travel essentials: ☐ Passport or ID ☐ Booking confirmation ☐ Insurance details ☐ Cards and a little cash
Electronics and personal items: ☐ Phone and charger ☐ Plug adapter ☐ Power bank ☐ Waterproof pouch ☐ Small dry bag ☐ Refillable bottle ☐ Book or e-reader
Confirm with your charter before departure: ☐ Towels ☐ Bedding ☐ Snorkelling gear ☐ Safety equipment ☐ Charging and Wi-Fi ☐ Footwear policy
Five questions clear up most packing arguments. What bedding and towels come with the boat? What equipment is already on board? Is there a preference on footwear or luggage? Which documents or check-in details does the operator need from you? And are there any restrictions at the destination? If you’re still comparing boats, Catamarano Skipper can help you weigh up skippered catamaran options, and any operator should answer all five in a line or two.
The best sailing holiday packing list is the one that suits your boat, your destination and your season, so change this one once the details are settled. From here, you can browse skippered catamaran options or explore our upcoming 7-Day Sailing Itinerary in the Egadi Islands for example for inspiration when planning your time at sea.
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