Holiday on a sailboat
Cohabitation on board during your holiday on a sailboat
A holiday on a sailboat is relaxation, sport and adventure to discover enchanting places, but it is above all a new way of vacationing, original and never equal to itself. You live in complete freedom. During the day, in fact, the rhythms are not dictated by the clock, but by nature.
Everything flows slowly and you are immersed in the sounds of the sea and the wind. We dedicate ourselves to scuba diving or snorkeling, exploring the island or sunbathing. While in the evening, when the sun sets, you go to the cockpit to have the classic aperitif with someone playing the guitar in the background or go ashore in one of the many restaurants so as not to give up the worldliness.
However, in order for it to be remembered as a pleasant experience, you need to prepare yourself psychologically and follow a few simple rules.
Those who go to sea know it well, the boat tests even the most close-knit relationships.
Reconciling different personalities and conflicting desires in a small space is not easy but it is possible, with some care:
A holiday on a Sailboat is synonym of flexibility
The watchword of the your holiday on a sailboat should be: Flexibility! The cruise schedule will have to adapt each day based on weather, boat and crew conditions. For example, if fuel or water is running out, it will be necessary to return to the port to refuel. Or in case of bad weather the planned route could be unsafe, in which case the captain could decide to stay in port or change destination.
The captain's decisions, are never discussed.
The captain decisions, especially if they concern safety, are never discussed. He / she is responsible for the boat and the crew therefore it is his precise duty to guarantee their safety. All other decisions should be taken together, democratically.
All duties on board should be equally assigned to each crew member. If you want to be served and revered, no problem, just pay to have a hostess or a sailor available. Otherwise, get used to the idea of carrying out one or more tasks, for example, there will be cooking, cleaning, washing the deck, helping with maneuvers, whether or not there is a hostess service, you are part of a crew. Help keep things tidy, both below deck and above. If you are interested in learning something about navigation, let the captain know because he may needs some help from time to time.
Keeping order on the boat is essential
Maintaining order on the boat is essential for the peace of mind of the people on board and to ensure free space for maneuver. Avoid invading the common areas with your personal items, they could become a reason for quarrel or worse, be a hindrance in critical moments. To simplify this operation, just choose carefully what to pack (as small as possible, a backpack would be perfect) avoiding unnecessary items. Consider that on the boat you are almost always barefoot and in costume!
The amount of freshwater that the boat can carry in the tank is limited
Unless you are dealing with large yachts or boats equipped with a watermaker, the amount of fresh water that the boat can carry in the tank is limited. Each use must be strictly regulated and limited, for example you can take a shower with sea water and rinse only at the end with the sweet one. Those with long hair will have to limit washing as much as possible. Those who wash the dishes will have to do it using a little water …
A few more tips for your holiday on a sailboat
All attitudes or actions that may disturb others, such as making noise during the hours of rest, smoking upwind, sailing naked in a boat, listening to music at too high a volume, using inappropriate language are to be avoided … the everyday living roules are stronger on board.
Bad moods must pass quickly. An angry or unhappy person on board creates a bad mood for everyone and ruins the vacation. It can happen to get nervous about something, in this case the best thing to do is to clarify immediately, apologize if necessary and restore calm.
Use resources sparingly: in navigation water and electricity must be intelligently dosed until the next refueling and everyone must be careful not to waste. Charging mobile phones, cameras, drones, toothbrushes and so on, must be done during the day when the sun through the solar panels helps the batteries, or when the engine is running, for example during navigation or in case the boat is equipped with a power generator. Avoid doing this at night when the batteries are just running out.
Nothing must be monopolized by one person, everyone must be able to learn to maneuver the sails or be at the helm if they wish. In addition to the common areas and on-board equipment, everything must be accessible to all.
There is not a lot of privacy on the boat – you certainly can’t spend many hours alone (unless you lock yourself in the cabin). But if you need some solitude every now and then to recharge your energy, I can give you some advice:
In the morning I don’t like to stay in bed, I take the opportunity to go out on deck and watch the sea in silence or mediate with my eyes closed. If I’m in port, I go for a walk and a first coffee.
I use earplugs to rest even when others are in a chatty mood (no matter how quiet you are, you can hear the noises in the boat).
I wear headphones to listen to music or an audiobook (remember to download the files to the phone as there is not necessarily a field).
I take my ebook, where I can have more books without weighing down the luggage. The brightness of the screen is adjustable so as not to disturb my companion or companion in the cabin.
In navigation I ask – when possible – to be at the helm. I focus on the boat and forget the rest. (Also works for seasickness).
Maintaining serenity on board is one of the duties of a good captain, in this sense I find it very useful to bring everyone together for a briefing before leaving the moorings.
Good wind to all.
You may also be interested in reading...
- Alternative yacht holidays
- Reef Corals
- Whales and krill fundamental for our planet
- Yachting vs Boating
- First Sailing Experience feelings
- Protect our seas
- Treasures you can find during your sailing holiday
- Ograsiano – Sailing Adventures in San Blas (Part 2)
- Ograsiano – Sailing Adventures in San Blas (Part 1)
- Fun things to do on a boat
