Cabins (rooms ın a vessel) are usually well-equipped to meet all your needs but they are not as spacıous as the ones you can fınd ın a house. We recommend you to bring easily collapsible bags enabling you to place your belongings in cabins. You should bring a beach towel, sunglasses, sunblock, sports shoes for short land tours, hat, and, of course, your notebook. A light cloth will protect you from the cool summer evenings. If there is any medicine/s you take regularly, please don’t forget to bring them and inform the instructor about this issue. Walking on deck and inside the yacht, while wearing shoes, is strictly prohibited. If you don’t want to walk barefoot on-board, you must bring special boat shoes or soft-soled slippers. All yachts have a limited fresh water supply, so you should be careful about water consumption; wasting fresh water should be avoided. Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the yacht, we kindly request that you follow this rule. Smoking on deck is allowed but you should always consider other members of the yacht and be careful on windy days. Your maximum attention is requested to avoid unwanted situations.

You must keep you belongings in a safe place, always secured, so they don’t fall or break loose while at sea. NEVER throw paper into the toilet! Use the bin provided for toilet paper. No foreign matter should be thrown into the toilets, as they can become easily blocked and could be out of service till the end of the trip… Always tell the captain/instructor when leaving the boat in harbours and anchorages; you should always know the times of departure. You should avoid jumping into the sea during docking and anchoring. Only after the engine is stopped and the captain gives permission, you can dive overboard! Please inform the captain/instructor about anything unusual you notice on board, so they can be aware of the situation.

Water sport equipment should not be used without the knowledge and guidance of the captain/instructor. All portholes (cabin windows) should be kept closed while at sea. You should be careful walking on varnished sole (floor) inside the yacht, especially with bare feet, because you can easily slip. You should inform the captain about chronic conditions and allergic problems before the tour and all the precautions should be taken beforehand. You could be miles away from the nearest land or medical facility when you have a crisis. You should participate in all briefings given by captain, and ask questions when you don’t understand. The captain might change the route or the stops if they deem it necessary for the safety of the crew and vessel (i.e. weather or sea conditions). The captain’s decisions are final. Always comply with the Code of Safety first!

When at sea, it is important to know where to sit, so you should ask the captain where and also fınd proper handholds. You should listen to the captain carefully, especially during tacks (turns with sails on). Be careful when walking around on deck at sea, you can easily lose your balance and fall; so always keep one hand on the yacht! Please do not do anything without asking (i.e. loosing ropes/knots, playing with the winches or pulleys, etc.) Do not touch electronic devices!

You should know the locations on the life jackets on board and learn how to use them. You should put them on if the captain says so (especially in rough weather and night voyages). DO NOT challenge the captain’s orders, it is against sailing etiquette. Those that object will be marooned on the first deserted island…

If you fall into the sea, don’t try to swim to the yacht; just swim to the life jacket/life sling thrown to you from the yacht. Try to stay afloat, try not move from much from your initial location and don’t panic. The yacht will come back to you, it is just manoeuvring.

If you see someone fall into the sea, immediately shout “MAN OVERBOARD” and throw something that floats (life sling, life jacket, mattress, fender, etc.) towards the person. Try not to lose sight of the person. The captain will proceed with the recovery immediately.

Learn the locations of the fire extinguishers and how to use them. Do not smoke inside the yacht; explosive gases can leak from the batteries and create a fire.

After applying sunblock, please lay on a towel and not just on the deck. The oily area may cause an accident… Ask the captain about the proper location for drying your swimsuits and towels.

When you go down inside the cabin, turn around and proceed backwards down the ladder, making sure you keep a good grip on the side handles. Never open windows and hatches while at sea. All heavy and/or breakable items (glasses, bottles, kitchenware, etc.) should be stowed properly. Do not put personal items onto the navigation table, if the captain puts something on the table; do not take it.

Water Usage

Fresh water is limited on board a yacht, so you should use water carefully. For example, rinse yourself only after your last swim for the day. You might swim multiple times during the day and it would be a waste of water to shower after each time. Dishes are washed with sea water, and then rinsed with fresh water. Fruits and vegetables can be rinsed with sea water. You can even cook potatoes, pasta, eggs, octopus, etc. in sea water.

Use of Toilet

Listen to the captain’s briefing about the use of toilets. Nothing can be thrown into the toilet, not even toilet paper! It is always a good idea to turn on the music before using the toilet… Pump the toilet thoroughly but don’t overdo it, the water will fill up the holding tanks quickly and then they have to be pumped out. When finished, leave a small about of water in the toilet bowl to avoid odour.

Use of Electricity

All electricity on board a yacht is supplied by batteries. That means you have to save it whenever you can. Turn off lamps immediately after use. Refrigerators use sizable amounts of electricity, so never leave the refrigerator door unclosed and when accessing the fridge: do it quickly. Buy drinks cold so there is less load on the fridge. Food containers should always be sealed. That way they don’t leak into the refrigerator and cause a mess! They should be stored in a way that they don’t fall over and break.

12V power is supplied on board via cigarette sockets (like the ones in cars). That means you can charge your phone, notebook, tablet, etc. with a car adapter. 220V shore power will be available at some stops along the route but many places use generators for power and do not supply 220V to yachts.

Waste and Environmental Pollution

Do not throw anything into the sea that fish can’t eat! Use soap and detergents sparingly. Buy marine-friendly detergents. Avoid polluting the sea at all costs! Sound is easily carried when at sea, so be careful about noise. Refrain from playing loud music or having loud conversations; it may disturb other yachts.

 

 

While there are many rules, life at sea is always beautiful!