Brandy’s Chartering Tips – We forgot the bucket!!!

Sure, we never forget the big things, like food, snorkel gear, charcoal, sunscreen…. but what about the little things can be impossible to find once you leave port?

If you are like Brandy, you prefer a clean boat. After partying into the night at anchor, you will have a messy boat in the morning. We like to start our day by getting up and scrubbing the cockpit & deck areas. This isn’t an easy task if you forgot some of the small things, like a bucket (with attached line!) and a scrub-brush-on-a-stick! Learn from our mistakes; here’s a short list of items you may want to check on before you leave port on your next charter:

• Bucket (with line)
• Scrub brush (on a stick)
• Oars for your dinghy….. (don’t ask)
• Extra fuel for your outboard
• Jugs that can be used to move water from one tank to another or retrieve water from shore if there is no easy fill-up hose
• A good, sharp knife
• Extra line – for tying stuff, hanging stuff, you name it! Find some small diameter line and take it with you, it will come in handy
• An ice chest (most charter companies will loan or rent you one) as full of extra ice as you can pack it
• Make sure some of your water supply is in large jugs, not just small water bottles. These can be filled with water from the tanks and put in the freezer to make more ice! (There never seems to be enough of an ice supply on a charter)
• A small, sealed first aid kit can come in handy for the entire trip – one will most likely be provided on the boat
• Small, waterproof containers that can be worn around your neck come in very handy for stowing cash and cards when swimming or dinghy-ing to shore. A slightly larger waterproof container to carry cameras, phones, etc. in while using the dinghy can save your electronics
• Speaking of electronics – extra batteries… and don’t forget the car chargers – we’ve never been on a charter boat without DC outlets
• Clothespins for hanging and drying stuff

There are a host of other things that you may end up wishing you remembered, but those small items listed above almost always turn out to be invaluable!