The Beginner's Guide to The Yacht Week • The Blonde Abroad

Before I went on The Yacht Week, I knew relatively nothing about it aside from watching the YouTube trailer. As you might have guessed, The Yacht Week immediately moved to the top of my bucket list.

Halfway through The Yacht Week video and my name was already on a crew list.

I had the time of my life in Croatia. See for yourself!

I was invited back for a second trip by The Yacht Week to celebrate my one-year bloggiversary in March 2013 on an all-girls catamaran sailing through the British Virgin Islands (BVI’s). Since then, I’ve been on 3 more trips with TYW: Greece, Italy, and Croatia ULTRA!

Someone pinch me!

In preparation for my second dose of The Yacht Week, I found myself reflecting on how unprepared I had been for my first The Yacht Week.

So, to help those who are struggling with the initial questions like, “How Do I Prepare for The Yacht Week?,” but don’t need another “sunscreen, bikinis and beer” checklist, I have created this special guide just for you, plus a packing guide.

Safety First

I know. I know. Nobody likes to talk about this stuff. But, what do you get when you mix cocktails, sunscreen, and a boat deck?

A blonde and a broken arm.

A broken arm on a remote island means a first-class helicopter ride and thousands of dollars in medical bills. Tip #1: get travel insurance. You can read more about why you need travel insurance, but consider it a small price to pay for the “reassurance” of a great trip.

One person in your crew should also pack a First-Aid kit. Cuts and boo-boos happen all the time.

Prop it like it’s Hot

Anything goes on The Yacht Week. In the course of a week, I saw a beer-swing on a Mexican Catamaran, speedo-donning Canucks with super-soakers (no pun intended), Aussie girls taking body shots off inflatable dolls and, well, you get the idea.

Everyone comes for a good time and a good laugh. National pride is also very important. Don’t forget to bring a flag to fly high for the week.

So pack your feather boas, pirate hats, and an inflatable dolphin!

Mixtapes are for Lovers… and Sailing

Things get kicked back a little old school on boats. To prevent complete and total devastation for those planning on arriving with their trusty iPhones and AUX cords… you will probably be out of luck.

Most boats are stocked with the latest CD and AM/FM radio technology. Start burning those megamixes now!

Boats and Heels

You guessed it! The two don’t mix. Flip flops are not your friend either. I learned my lesson and will only be wearing closed toed shoes in the BVI’s. In Croatia, I jumped into a taxi boat (sorta sober) and busted my toe open. I definitely needed stitches.

Worst of all, it was horrible having to keep my foot protected the rest of the trip. I had to keep it out of the water and was constantly worried about sand and people stepping on my foot. TOTAL BUZZKILL!

“Fun”d Bucket

The best way to make splitting costs and fees is to have everyone on your boat pitch in $100 or so towards a group fund. Pay for the groceries, booze, dock fees and expenses from the group fund.

Do all your grocery and booze shopping for the entire week on the first day together. Buy twice the booze and water you think you need and half the food.

Stick to fresh snacks and only plan to shop for two meals a day for the week. Unless you’re on a tight budget, plan on eating out for at least one meal a day.

Pooling your money helps keep everything fair and fun between friends.

Wear Protection

Your initial thought goes without saying. But, as an avid blogger devoutly dedicated to sharing my adventures with the online blog-o-sphere, that means I bring my beloved technology on *gasp* the boat.

Enter: Dry-bag and LifeProof cases.

Borrow a Cup of Sugar

Despite my frequent references to partying and ridiculous behavior, this isn’t MTV’s Spring Break. The average age of a Yacht Week’er is around 20-to-30-something and most people are young professionals.

Everyone is here to make memories that last a lifetime. That includes new relationships and friendships, not just hookups.

I met some awesome couples there together and know people who have gotten together after meeting on The Yacht Week. While I didn’t meet the Mer-man of my dreams, my favorite part of this trip was hopping from boat to boat making friends with people from every corner of the world.

Everyone stays in touch too. It’s like a little secret society.

Sexy Swedish Skippers

What is the skipper standard? When you charter a boat through The Yacht Week you have the option to hire a skipper. Even if you know how to sail, hire the skipper. You’ll thank me later.

Helpful Tip

Consider your skipper an extra head to count when doing your food and booze shopping for the boat. A well-fed skipper is a happy skipper. Also, be sure to tip them at the end of your trip. (They’re not just there as eye-candy. That’s just a huge bonus.)

Only the Strong Survive

The Yacht Week should be done at your own pace and on your own terms. I took two nights off from partying to chill out, enjoy a nice dinner and gaze at the stars. It’s easy to slip into party mode for the entire week but enjoy your trip and go explore the culture and local food.

Most importantly, don’t let FOMO (fear of missing out) keep you from getting some sleep. Two things that will get you through the week: Earplugs and an eye-mask.