Once you have tried a holiday aboard a sailing boat, there’s no going back. This type of vacation, with family or friends, is original and convivial. In a word: addictive. To help you be fully prepared, here are our eight top tips for a successful boat cruise. Find out more!
Are there many of you? Try a catamaran
The catamaran is ideal because it lets big families (or groups of friends) to enjoy a spacious and very stable boat!
Treat yourself to a rechargeable phone battery
It’s something we never think of, but it can really bail you out in case of a problem. What can? The portable phone battery, of course! It will save you from ever being without a phone. What a relief.
Download some essential mobile apps?
Here is a list of mobile sailing apps that could come in very handy.
The first and most basic one is “Meteo Consult”, for an accurate weather forecast.
Add “Maree Info” for complete information about tide times.
Finally, “Navionics” gives you very accurate navigational charts, and is fairly easy to use.
With these three user-friendly apps, you can sail with confidence!
Pack a hot/cold suitcase
Are you going on a cruise to Central Dalmatia or the islands in the Gulf? You will probably have beautiful weather. Even so, at sea or in case of an atmospheric perturbation, you might be very glad you packed a heavy jumper and, above all, a good windbreaker. Also remember to take sunglasses with very high category lenses (4 if possible), because the sun will be just as powerful at sea as on a mountaintop. Finally, remember to include a first-aid kit in your suitcase for those little everyday injuries.
Seasickness
Is this your first cruise in a sailing boat? Are you terrified of falling prey to seasickness? No panic There are some very effective measures to combat seasickness. If you feel that sensation coming on, go out on deck for a big breath of fresh air and try to look at the horizon. Remember to dress warmly and eat properly. When the body is in a weakened condition, it is less able to fight off seasickness. If that’s not enough to help, a few drops of essential oils should quell the nausea.
Happy stop-overs
Planning your stop-overs in advance: that’s the key to success! Find out about places to visit, beaches to discover, restaurants where you can try the best local dishes. Buy a guide book, but also examine blogs and Instagram accounts to find out more about the place you are going to visit. These are excellent sources of information and sometimes contain a lot of useful insider information. Finally, save the maps of your future ports of call offline to make sure you don’t get lost when you go ashore.
Careful of sunburn…
With the wind you won’t be aware of it, but you can become dehydrated very quickly. And the sun is just as harmful when there are clouds. So always remember to wear a hat and good sun protection, and drink a lot of water.
Pack food that is easy to keep
You never know when a refrigeration failure could strike, or you could be the victim of humidity that makes your bread soaking wet. So remember to take tinned foods with you, and other foods that are easy to carry, easy to keep, and easy to eat.
>>> Now you’re ready for a successful sailing trip!
