What not to leave behind on your boat charter

Is your sailing charter coming to an end and you’re tidying up the boat? Ever stepped ashore only to realise you’ve left something behind? We’ve put together the ultimate guide to help you avoid that sinking feeling. Follow our tips on where to check for the most commonly forgotten items so you can leave your boat — and your holiday — with everything you brought on board.

Whether draped over the rail, the boom, or the genoa, drying clothes are one of the easiest things to overlook on a charter boat. They’re left “just for a while” to dry — and then end up staying there until the crew has long gone. Charter companies often have to throw away abandoned swimsuits, T-shirts, and towels. The same fate frequently befalls snorkelling gear, swimming goggles, and wetsuits left hanging in the sun.

Footwear of all kinds is often left behind on the pier or jetty — not just at the end of a charter, but during the trip itself. Many sailors kick off their shoes before boarding, only to sail away without them. Be honest — have you ever had to walk back along the pontoon just for a pair of flip-flops? Going barefoot for a week might sound romantic, but not if it means losing your favourite, perfectly worn-in sandals.

It seems every sailing trip ends with someone either missing a charger or going home with an extra that isn’t theirs. With so many people on board and so many lookalike leads, it’s easy to get mixed up. More than once, we’ve unplugged only the cable from a USB or car charger, leaving the plug still in the socket. The same goes for power banks — small but frustrating to lose. And really, who’s going to fly back to Croatia or Greece just for a phone charger?

If you’re the kind of skipper who brings your own water hose adapter, shackles, spare ropes or pulleys, make sure you collect them before handing the boat back at the end of your charter. The same goes for any makeshift fixes you’ve used during the trip — whether it’s a shoelace, a scarf, or a strap from your bag tied somewhere on deck. These small items are easy to overlook in the rush to disembark.

Small items like jewellery, headphones, or keys can easily slip between the mattress and bed frame, or disappear into the sofa in the saloon. On a boat, the saloon sofa is especially notorious for swallowing belongings thanks to its opening or sliding sections — the perfect hiding place for anything that’s fallen out of your pocket.

You might board the yacht wearing a watch, wedding ring, necklace or sunglasses — but after days of swimming, watersports or sunbathing, those valuables often end up scattered around the boat. When packing to go home, check everywhere you might have set them down: under cockpit and saloon cushions, inside side compartments, or even by the companionway. These are all classic hiding spots for items that seem to vanish during a sailing trip.

The dining table — whether in the cockpit or the saloon — often has a folding centre where sailors stash all sorts of bits and pieces during a trip. You probably know the scenario: you need to put something down quickly, the table is right there, so in it goes… and then it’s forgotten. When clearing the boat, don’t skip this spot. Open it up and even shine a torch inside to make sure nothing has been left behind.

One of the trickiest places to lose something on a yacht is under the floorboards — whether in the saloon or the cabin. Countless items have been stashed there “just to keep them out of the way” during the trip, only to be forgotten completely. Before you leave, check under every floorboard and look inside any storage boxes beneath the beds. You might be surprised at what turns up.

Some crews like to bring their own distinctive flags on a sailing trip — from pirate skull-and-crossbones to a team name or family crest. Everyone’s eager to hoist the flag at the start of the holiday, but in the rush to end the charter, it’s easy to forget to take it down. Before you leave, check the rigging and make sure your flag comes home with you.

Stashing important items — such as maps, documents, your captain’s licence, or even your wallet — in the chart table might seem like a great idea. No one will disturb them, and they’ll be safely out of the way. But this hiding place can be so effective that you forget about it yourself. To make things trickier, the chart table also holds the yacht’s own documents and navigational tools. Before you disembark, take time to go through the chart table and nearby compartments carefully, separating your belongings from the boat’s equipment.

Since freshening up is often one of the last things you do before leaving the yacht, it’s easy to leave behind a toothbrush, hairbrush, or even a whole wash bag in the bathroom. On many boats, there’s a small cabinet hidden behind the mirror — a prime spot for forgotten toiletries. Give it a final check before you step ashore.

Before the charter ends, check in with any crew members you’ve lent gear or personal items to during the trip. It’s easy for things to vanish in the rush to pack up, so try to reconnect before everyone heads off in different directions.

Let’s flip the script and look at something sailors sometimes take from the boat by mistake — the keys. It’s not unusual for a crew member to pocket them, only to realise later they’ve gone home with them, or worse, to misplace them before check-out. To avoid a last-minute scramble, agree on one fixed spot on the yacht where the keys will always be kept. No exceptions.

One thing you don’t want to leave behind is the chance to stay in touch. Sometimes you meet your crew for the first time on the trip, hit it off instantly, and want to sail together again. You might spend the whole voyage side by side, but without exchanging phone numbers, emails, or social media handles, you’ll be strangers again once you’re home. Make time before the final day’s rush to sit down with each crew member and swap details — it’s also the easiest way to share all those great photos later.