Free lesson · about 6 minutesYour First Sail
A friend or your company invited you out on the water. Here's how to show up like crew, not cargo.
Before you go
- Ask your host the basics: how long you'll be out, what kind of boat, where exactly to meet, and where to park. Marinas are mazes.
- Be fifteen minutes early. Boats leave on wind and tide, not on 'ish'.
- Check the forecast, then dress for the water temperature, not the air. It is always colder and windier out there than it looks from shore.
- Prone to motion sickness? Take your remedy of choice BEFORE you leave the dock — none of them work once you're already green.
- Ask what you can bring. 'Snacks to share' is never the wrong answer.
What to bring
Pack it all in a soft bag — hard suitcases don't stow on a boat.
0 of 8 packed
Stepping aboard
- Ask before you board — a simple 'okay to come aboard?' is both tradition and practical: the skipper will tell you where it's safe to step.
- Hand your bag across first, then board at the widest part of the boat, holding a shroud (the side wires). Never jump.
- Ask where to stow your bag. Loose gear becomes a projectile when the boat heels.
- Listen to the safety brief: where the life jackets live, where the boom swings, and what to hold on to. If you're offered a life jacket, wear it — nobody aboard thinks less of you.
- Ask how the head (the toilet) works before you need it. Marine toilets have rules, and breaking them is memorable for everyone.
Underway — what to expect
- The boat will lean. That's called heeling, it's normal, and the weighted keel is designed for far more of it than your stomach is. Trust the boat.
- MIND THE BOOM. When you hear 'Ready about!' answer 'Ready!', keep your head down, and move to the other side when the skipper turns. The boom crossing the boat is the one genuinely dangerous moment for a guest.
- One hand for yourself, one for the ship: hold on to something solid whenever you move around.
- Stay clear of loaded lines and winches unless you've been asked to help. A line under sail load can injure fingers instantly.
- If you're handed a line or offered the helm — say yes. Do exactly what's asked, and ask if you're unsure. Skippers love a guest who asks.
- Feeling queasy? Stay on deck, watch the horizon, take the helm if offered (steering is the classic cure), and don't go below — the cabin makes it worse.
- Sailing has quiet stretches. That's not something going wrong; that's the point.
Words you'll hear
Port / StarboardLeft / right when facing the bow. The boat's sides, not yours.
'Ready about!'A tack (turn through the wind) is coming. Answer 'Ready!', duck, switch sides.
'Helm's a-lee!'The turn is happening right now.
LineAny rope on a boat. Calling it a rope marks you as cargo.
Make fastTie it securely.
Fend offUse hands or a fender to keep the boat off the dock — never a foot or fingers between boat and dock.
HeadThe toilet.
GalleyThe kitchen.
PFDPersonal flotation device — your life jacket.
Good crew etiquette
- The skipper's word is final on anything touching safety. Save the debate for the dock.
- Ask before touching lines, winches, or instruments. 'Can I help?' is always welcome; freelancing is not.
- Alcohol waits until the anchor is down or the boat is tied up — follow the skipper's lead, and skip glass containers either way.
- At the end, help put the boat to bed: flake or coil lines, hang up life jackets, wipe down. Guests who help pack up get invited back.
- Thank the skipper, and offer to chip in for fuel or bring the food next time. Boats are expensive; gratitude is free.