Planning: Prepare for the Passage

Qualifications and paperwork

For bareboat charter, most companies and many national authorities expect the skipper to hold a recognised certificate. In the United Kingdom, the Royal Yachting Association’s Day Skipper qualification is a common benchmark, and the International Certificate of Competence (ICC) is widely used as evidence of competence in European waters. In the United States, the American Sailing Association’s bareboat chartering certification serves a similar role. Croatia also requires a VHF radio operator’s certificate for someone aboard. Requirements vary by country and by company, so the safest approach is to confirm with both well before travel.

Beyond the certificate, charter companies typically ask for a sailing résumé describing your experience. Be honest: a skippered first week in a new region is a reasonable and common choice, not an admission of weakness.

Reading the seasons

Seasonal wind patterns are among the most stable facts a planner can use. In the Aegean, the meltemi is a strong, dry northerly that blows mainly in July and August and can make the Cyclades demanding for less experienced crews. In the Adriatic, the bora is a cold north-easterly that can gust violently down from the mountains, while the jugo, a south-easterly, brings humid air and building seas. In the western Mediterranean, the mistral funnels down the Rhône valley into the Gulf of Lion and can reach Corsica and Sardinia. In the Caribbean, the Atlantic hurricane season runs officially from 1 June to 30 November.

The safety briefing

Whether you skipper or not, every person aboard should know where lifejackets and the liferaft are kept, how to call for help on the VHF using channel 16, and what to do if someone falls overboard. Many experienced sailors recommend practising a man-overboard recovery on the first afternoon in calm water, using a fender as the “casualty”. Agree on lifejacket rules for children and for night or rough-weather sailing before you leave the dock.

Weather habits

Check official marine forecasts each morning and before each passage. In UK waters, the Met Office Shipping Forecast has a long tradition; Mediterranean countries publish their own marine forecasts, and charter bases normally share daily updates. Plan a bad-weather alternative for every leg — a nearer harbour, a sheltered bay or a rest day.

Packing for a small boat

Soft bags stow far more easily than hard suitcases. Bring non-marking shoes, layers for evenings on the water, sun protection, a head torch and a dry bag for dinghy trips. Seasickness remedies are worth discussing with a pharmacist before travel.