House Rules on Board

A yacht is a small, moving space shared by people who may have met that morning. The rules are mostly about two things: keeping everyone safe, and keeping the yacht's systems working for the whole week. The skipper is responsible for both and has the final word.

Street shoes carry grit that scratches the deck, and dark soles leave marks. Most yachts ask for bare feet on board, or soft shoes with light, non-marking soles kept only for the boat. Many crews leave shoes in a basket in the cockpit.

Wear shoes on the pontoon and quay, though. Hot concrete, mooring lines and sharp edges are hard on bare feet.

Marine toilets block easily. Put nothing in them except what you have eaten and, if your skipper allows it, a little toilet paper. Wet wipes, sanitary products, cotton buds and paper towels go in the bin. Pump as the skipper shows you, and tell them straight away if the toilet stops flushing properly. In port, use the marina toilets when you can. See cabins, bathrooms and space on board for how the heads works.

Fresh water is shared and limited. Keep showers short, turn taps off and use marina showers in port. More on this in water, power and Wi-Fi on a yacht.

• Keep one hand for yourself and one for the boat when moving about.
• When leaving or entering harbour, stay seated unless you are helping.
• Keep clear of lines under load, winches, the anchor chain and the boom.
• Do not sit on the guardrails or lean on the lifelines.
• Wear a lifejacket when the skipper asks, and always if conditions get rough.
• Never relieve yourself over the side. Use the heads, especially at night.
• Do not touch the engine controls, valves, gas or electrics unless asked.

The safety page explains our general approach.

Swim only when the skipper says it is safe. That means the yacht is anchored or on a buoy, the engine is off, and the swim ladder is down. Never swim in a marina or harbour: boat traffic and propellers make it dangerous, and it is usually prohibited.

Stay close to the yacht, tell someone you are going in, and keep out of the water after drinking. No diving from the mast, the boom or the bow. Read swimming safely from a yacht before your trip.

On a town quay or in a marina, yachts sit side by side, often a metre apart, and voices carry across the water. Turn music down in the evening, follow the marina's quiet hours, and come back from nights out quietly.

If you have to cross a neighbouring yacht to reach the quay, ask first and walk across its foredeck, never through its cockpit. It is a long-standing courtesy and people notice when it is ignored.

Smoking below deck is not allowed on most charter yachts. Where smoking is allowed on deck, it is usually at the stern and downwind, and never near the fuel filler or the gas locker. Your skipper will tell you the rule for your yacht.

A drink at anchor or in harbour is part of the week, but nobody should drink before swimming, handling lines or helping to moor. Illegal drugs are not allowed on board.

The skipper is working, often around the clock. Give them space to rest, be on time for departures and follow instructions first, then ask why. Keep shared spaces tidy, respect other guests' cabins and belongings, sort rubbish and take it ashore. Nothing goes overboard.