Top Tips for a Sailing Holiday

January 6, 2018 • Travel Tips • Views: 2096

If you love being on the water, then a sailing holiday may be the perfect type of holiday for you. It’s a special way to travel with friends or family members as you’ll get to explore new places while spending a lot of quality time together. Packing a few games along on your sailing holiday is an excellent way to keep everyone entertained at night. While heading away on vacation don’t forget to keep your health in mind, sunscreen and sunglasses are absolutely essential for a sailing holiday and a cute hat wouldn’t go astray. If you’re planning a sailing holiday, then there are many things you need to be aware of before you knuckle down and book your trip. Here are my top tips for planning a sailing holiday:

1. Choose a Great Company

Unless you have your own boat, you’ll have to work with a company in order to have access to their boat. There are a range of different styles of packages available depending on your skill and experience levels. The first step is finding a good company with solid reviews as choosing right from the beginning will make everything else so much easier. Click here to find out more information about the range of products available. Don’t be shy to spend a little time searching for reviews of whatever company you choose, ensuring that previous customers were happy and got what they expected when they booked. I personally like to use Google and Tripadvisor to check for reviews, depending on the company and how much information there is online. There are heaps of fun things you can do on a sailing trip, such as day trips to beautiful nearby islands, snorkeling or even scuba diving. If you’re into fishing, then that’s a great way to spend your sailing trip too and if you’re lucky you might even catch some dinner.

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2. Take Care of Your Health

Being on a sailing holiday likely means hours and hours spent in the sun. It can be tempting to sunbathe and to get a little color, but you have to be careful as too much sun exposure can affect your health, potentially result in cancer and even a nasty burn. It’s a good idea to pack a strong sunscreen to ensure you don’t end up burned to a crisp – being in the water all day can magnify the sun’s power and put you even more at risk. Don’t forget to find a strong SPF for your facial skin, you’ll want something at least Sun Factor Protection 50 to help keep your skin healthy and minimise fine lines. This is the most sensitive part of your body, so any sun exposure will quickly show up. Ensure you pack plenty of water too, it’s very easy to get dehydrated when out on the water for days on end. Another essential when you’re on a boat is a pair of sunglasses, they will help protect your eyes and help you feel more comfortable. The glare of the water can be quite intense, especially in the heat of the day and you don’t want to do any irreversible sun damage to your eyes.

Boats can also get pretty windy and cold, so it’s a good idea to pack some warmer clothing even if you’re hoping for a ton of sunshine. A windbreaker can be good when you’re heading out on the water to stop you from catching a cold.

3. Be Realistic About Your Skill Level

When choosing a sailing holiday you’re able to choose a holiday based on your sailing experience and skill level. It can be tempting to round up your skill level, but the water can be a dangerous place so it’s very important you’re realistic about your ability and limitations. It’s also a really good idea before heading out on the water to get a refresher first aid course. As you’ll be isolated on the water, if anything goes wrong being able to provide basic first aid care can really be a lifesaver! This is an important rule to follow if you’re trying some new water sports as well. Be realistic about your swimming level, how far out you want to snorkel and just be careful when you’re exploring new beaches that may have hidden rips. Use a lot of common sense and just remember that alcohol and water sports do not mix well!

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4. Take Your Camera

In this day and age, smartphones have become our computers, cameras, and daily organizers. But the truth is the quality of even the best smartphones isn’t quite as good as a camera. If you’re heading out on a special sailing holiday, then you’re going to want plenty of pictures in order to remember your special vacation. Taking a camera is a great way to ensure you’ll have great quality photos you can print out and treasure for years to come. If you have an instant camera, this can also be a fun thing to take along with you on a sailing trip. Another suggestion is to take a GoPro and a selfie stick along with you. This will be perfect if you decide to do any water sports as they’re waterproof and the selfie stick will ensure you can get group photos fitting everyone from your holiday in.

5. Don’t Forget the Games

While sailing trips are a ton of fun, there’s also a lot of down time, particularly during the evening. Taking a few board games along with you is a sure fire way to keep everyone entertained. A deck of cards is a really versatile thing to take with you as it’s small, fits easily into your luggage and you can play a bunch of different card games so you never get bored. I also really like Cards of Humanity – the size of a few decks of cards, this game is still relatively easy to pack and is absolutely hilarious. If you’re traveling with some children, consider some more traditional games like Uno, Monopoly, Game of Life, even Connect 4. This is a perfect way to bond with your friends and family and something great to do when the sun’s gone down and the night is winding down. Games are the perfect way to pass the evening and to mix different people together. If you want to create a bit more friendly competition, why not consider adding in some money prizes for the winners.

Traveling by sailboat is one of my favorite ways to travel and creates a really special family vacation. Use these tips to ensure that your trip is as safe and fun as possible!

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