Are you preparing your boat to sail with your family, are you organising a long trip and don’t know what to bring on board?

Here we will name some essential and primordial elements to take on board while sailing. We have to assume that each maritime zone requires some elements that can vary according to the zone being sailed, therefore, what we will name here will be generic elements for all the navigation zones.

Let’s start with the elements of Safety and Prevention in navigation. The equipment that we will say in this section is usually obligatory and required by the Maritime Captaincy so most of the elements may already be on board but it is advisable to check and make sure.

• First Aid Kit: Check that all the products contained in the kit have an expiry date and that they comply with the navigation area of the boat. In this first aid kit you will find; Betadine (mudopovidone), Alcohol 98 (skin solution), scar strips, gauze box, cotton wool, elastic bandages…
• Lifebuoys: according to the 1974 SOLAS Convention on minimum standards for equipment and use on ships for safety at sea.
• Life jackets: in accordance with the 1974 SOLAS Convention
• Courtesy lines: important for entry into other ports that do not have lines or for towing the boat.
• Safety flares: in accordance with the 1974 SOLAS Convention
• File: that we will use in the ports to collect lines or to avoid any collision with the ship.
• Fire extinguishers.
• Toolbox: essential for the unexpected repair of any problem on board at once.

Once we have the Safety and Prevention baggage controlled and on board, we can continue to select and plan the supply of our crossing. On these types of trips we have to know how to choose well and not have unnecessary excess material.

We have to select well the clothes we will wear during the trip. Choose comfortable clothes according to the environment in which you will be, have waterproof clothing, a reflective rain jacket, good shoes with appropriate soles for this on board, gloves, hats and sunglasses. This type of personal and essential baggage requires time to check that we carry everything and that we do not leave anything on the ground.

In every trip, whether short or long, it is important to provide food and drinks. Above all, we must give priority to bottled water and preserved food that does not require much processing and contains the calories and carbohydrates necessary to recover the energy spent daily.

Last but not least, the entertainment elements. It is convenient to avoid heavy or complex things in its development, for that reason, it is recommended to take books, card decks, crossword puzzles, fishing rods… not complex entertainments but that make the hours of navigation more pleasant and amusing, either alone or in company.

From Lovit Charter Puerto Banus we recommend that before each crossing, the boat is checked both externally and internally and that it is sailed with all possible safety and prevention measures to avoid any catastrophe during navigation. Remember, first and foremost, safety and logic…

Have a good trip and see you at the next port, Captain!