Crew Info
What to Bring on Matariki III
Pack for a practical offshore sailing boat, not for a marina holiday. Keep it light, keep it soft, and bring things you are happy getting wet, salty or dirty.
Bring
- •Soft bag or duffel — not a hard suitcase
- •Wet weather gear
- •Warm layers
- •Sun hat
- •Sunglasses
- •Sunscreen
- •Flat non-marking shoes or sea boots
- •Personal medication
- •Toiletries
- •Refillable water bottle
- •Headlamp
- •Phone charger / charging cable
- •A small number of practical changes of clothes
Optional
- •Your own lifejacket if you strongly prefer it
- •Seasickness remedies you know work for you
- •Eye mask
- •Ear plugs
- •Lightweight sailing gloves
- •Camera
- •Binoculars
Do Not Bring
- •Hard suitcases
- •Black-soled or marking shoes
- •Excess clothing
- •Loose jewellery
- •Fragile items that cannot handle saltwater
- •More gear than you can comfortably keep tidy in a small cabin space
Already Onboard
Matariki carries the essential offshore safety gear onboard, including:
Lifejackets / PFDs
Tethers
Jacklines and strong points
Liferaft
Grab bag
EPIRB
Personal locator beacons / AIS beacons
Rescue sling and heaving line
Flares
Medical kit
HF and handheld VHF radios
Emergency steering gear
Anchors and core safety equipment
Please assume that the boat is already equipped with the key safety systems required for offshore sailing. The things you need to bring are mostly personal clothing, footwear, medications, and comfort items.
Advice
Final Packing Advice
Pack light. Soft bags are much easier to stow than hard luggage. Bring practical layers rather than bulky clothing, and choose gear that works when wet.
If you are unsure whether to bring something, the best test is simple: will it be genuinely useful onboard?