FAQs for Caribbean crew
Below you will find information to help you prepare for a Caribbean adventure aboard Panacea X including packing lists for our various programs.
General Caribbean Info
Acclimatization
Guess what? The Caribbean is hot! It is really important to keep this in mind when planning a trip. If you are jetting in to join a racing program and think that you will be in top form the very next day… be careful. The heat can really get to you and it is best to allow a day for acclimatization before we start grinding through pre-race training. Cruising is of course more leisurely and forgiving, but you will almost certainly enjoy it more if you give yourself that little bit of extra time to get used to things.
Seasickness
The Caribbean is also very wavy! In between the islands is effectively open ocean, with a big swell running and waves that can really stack up impressively in heavier weather. If you are prone to seasickness, or have never sailed somewhere that could put that to the test, it is really important to come prepared with anti-seasickness medication and coping strategies so you don’t suffer unnecessarily. Talk to your doctor for medical advice on that, and get something better than Gravol which we have consistently observed to fail for a majority of crew.
Vaccinations
You should also talk to your doctor about any vaccinations required for the island you will be visiting - and allow enough time to book with a travel clinic to get updated if necessary.
Risk Assessment
Depending on which islands you are going to, you should be prepared to adapt your behaviour with general traveller’s common sense. There are all the usual issues that come with large income discrepancies and tourism-based economies: petty theft and the very rare more serious issue. While we have never had any issues in 6+ years of cruising and racing the Caribbean, we are also vigilant and regularly update our education/awareness on potential issues. We do all that we can to make smart choices to protect Panacea X and all her crew, but each individual crew should be aware of conditions on shore and take their own safety on shore seriously.
Cash
Most businesses in the Caribbean now do accept credit cards but definitely not all. Make sure to have some cash with you, as ATMs can be hard to find and/or charge outrageously high transaction fees. Antigua is particularly bad for this, but some parts of St.Maarten are also a challenge! Check what currency you need for the islands you are visiting: USD, ECC or Euro.
General Life Onboard Info
Living in Close Quarters
Some programs have a maximum of 6 people aboard, others can have up to 10. All require an understanding that the whole boat is a shared space and we have to be respectful of each other and maintain basic ship-shape-ness by keeping our own belongings neat and tidy. There are very few opportunities for a private cabin unless you are registering together with a friend or partner in which case you are sharing with them. Note that if you are staying on the boat, you do need to bring your own linens (a sleeping bag liner or just a bedsheet are optimal) and towel as we do not have the capacity to do an entire boat load of laundry at each stop!
Power & Water
Since we have a great watermaker and large tanks available, we rarely have issues with water constraints on board. Power can be a different kettle of fish, and Panacea X may have to prioritize charging her own equipment. We very rarely have the ability to charge anything from AC power, but we do have some USB charging available at times. Crew should be prepared to be responsible for charging their own electronic devices (i.e. bring your own external battery pack).
Laundry
If you are with us for more than a week, you probably want to do laundry at some point! We have a great hand-washing “machine” on board for crew to use at their leisure and everything dries very quickly pinned to the lifelines. On shore laundry varies widely- most islands only have drop-off service that can take upwards of 24 hours, a few places have coin operated laundromats. Either can be unviable if we are only doing short stops, but if you’re in one spot for more than a day (like in between events) it’s generally not an issue.
Performance Optimization
For any racing event, we are obsessed with speed. This means cutting down weight wherever we can, so we strongly discourage crew from bringing everything they own on board. For regattas where we are day sailing, only bring what you absolutely require for the day. For offshore racing like the 600, be thoughtful in how you pack in order to minimize excess stuff. For cruising… relax! As long as you aren’t literally packing the kitchen sink, we shouldn’t have any issues with gear within reason. There are space constraints cruising (i.e. don’t bring a hard sided suitcase as we have nowhere to store it!), but weight isn’t a big concern.
General Program Info
Insurance
It is a requirement of all our programs that crew carry their own travel insurance. At a minimum, this insurance must cover emergency medical expenses. Make sure that the scope of your sailing program is included. We strongly recommend that crew get insurance that also covers for trip cancellation, disruption, etc. as sailing is a dynamic and unpredictable activity where you may need to change flights or accommodation bookings due to situations outside your control (or ours!).
Medical Conditions & Medication
It is important to keep in mind that by joining as crew you are making your skipper responsible for your well-being and you must disclose any serious medical condition that you have both when registering and again in person (in private) when you join the boat. Perhaps you deem your condition entirely stable and unlikely to be an issue… but sailing in the tropics in a highly dynamic and unpredictable environment can disrupt anyone unexpectedly. It is essential that your skipper is informed so that they can be prepared to help you, no matter how unlikely you think that may be. Even on a day sailing program, you are significantly farther from medical care (ambulance/hospital) than you would be in your regular life, and this does change the risk assessment equation. If you are taking life-saving medication, ensure that you have enough for your entire trip with a safety margin.
Communications
Katy is our lead skipper in the Caribbean, based there from November through May each year. General questions ahead of a program can go through our Shore Manager in our BC office, but for specific communications immediately leading up to a program start we switch to a group chat on WhatsApp. Please be patient. Our crew aboard Panacea X spend a lot of time offshore and therefore unavailable, they will be in touch with you when they can. Please be sure to have WhatsApp downloaded on your phone so you are part of the important messaging going out about when/where to join the boat, etc. Also a great place to share photos with the rest of the crew during and after!
Joining / Leaving Logistics
Please plan on joining Panacea X by the date/time indicated for your program - not before (we might not even be there, or the previous crew may still be on board) and not after (we may be on a schedule and need to leave!).
On occasion we need to make changes to the exact timing based on conditions changing on the ground - we will communicate this to the crew via the program WhatsApp group. Ask us well ahead of time if you have questions or concerns about the times for joining/leaving.
Food
Depending on the program, some, none, or all food may be included in the registration price- read your event info carefully. Most regattas have the food managed on a shared basis, usually with one or more crew taking the lead with the shopping and everyone chipping in with the preparation. Crew have successfully been using the Splitwise app to evenly share provisioning bills amongst the crew. Please make sure to have this app downloaded ahead of time if relevant to your program as it does make things easier. We agree ahead of time on what kind of budget to set and settle up the bill at the end of each event.
If food is included in your program, that means that Sea to Sky covers the full bill for regular provisions, but crew may be asked to assist with the actual shopping depending on the when/where of the provisioning. It’s usually a fun team activity and means that everyone is happy with what we end up eating! Note that Sea to Sky does not cover any meals out on shore or alcohol purchases for any program, so this can be done on a shared basis with other crew via Splitwise or on an individual basis.
Packing Lists
The Basic Packing List is the foundation for all Caribbean excursions. We aren’t providing a number of each item that you need, as trip length varies, but best to pack with the “less is more” mindset. There is no reason you should not be able to travel just with carry on- that is the rough volume of stuff to aim for. Evidently if you are staying ashore the entire time, you do not need the linens or pillow, and you can take
For regattas and offshore racing, there are some recommended and/or required add-on items in the sections below.
Note that Panacea X has 12 Mustang Survival EP Ocean PFDs and tethers available for all crew- please do not bring your own lifejacket without prior consultation with your skipper as it may not meet relevant regulations and we are limited on storage when we have a full crew.
Basic Packing List
Sailing shoes (soft rubber non-marking soles, to be worn only on board. Panacea X’s decks are brand new and we have a zero tolerance policy for ruining them with bad footwear!)
Land footwear (sandals and/or running shoes. To be taken off each time before boarding- see above).
Socks & knickers
Swimsuit
Tops:
long-sleeve shirts recommended for good sun protection
1 light thermal top for layering- rare to need this but good idea if you get cold easily
rain jacket / lightweight sailing jacket or smock
Bottoms:
shorts
1 pair lightweight trousers for sun protection
Lightweight sailing waterproof pants / salopettes (very optional / rarely necessary)
A land outfit if you want to go to a restaurant (most do let you come dressed in sailor-shabby style!)
Sailing gloves (can be nice if you have soft hands)
Hat. Full brim with chin strap for best sun protection, or well-fitted baseball hat like the Sea to Sky trucker hat
Buff / neck gaiter, to provide extra sun protection of neck/mouth/nose/ears
Sunglasses & strap to hold them on if they are loose
Sunscreen, reef safe and high SPF
Any medications you require, enough to cover your whole trip.
Seasickness medication is an excellent idea. See top of page for rationale, don’t try to be a hero.
Regular toiletries. Keep in mind with your selection that grey water on board (from the sinks & showering) goes into the sea, so reef safe / biodegradable is an essential feature.
Eye glasses, contact lenses & spares of both if applicable (if not, have a copy of your prescription).
Mobile phone (e-SIMs like Airalo make a great option for having affordable data while traveling if your home plan is bad for that).
Waterproof protection for mobile phone if not inherently waterproof.
Cash: USD, XCD and/or Euros, depending on where you are traveling, as an ‘emergency’ fund. See above comments on cash vs cards.
Passport: must be vaild for at least 6 months after your arrival in country.
Regatta Packing List
SAME AS ABOVE. Plus:
Sea to Sky Sailing crew shirt (at least one is a team requirement)
Additional white shirts if only one Sea to Sky crew shirt- to look the same from a distance in pics!
Sea to Sky trucker hat recommended to look the coolest, but not required
Knee pads
Sailing gloves more strongly recommended
Sailing knife / multitool, nice to have but bring only if you are checking a bag on your flight
Offshore Packing List
SAME AS ABOVE BASIC LIST, plus…
*For the Caribbean 600, please limit how much stuff you bring as there simply isn’t room for a lot of stuff with the full crew on board. If you’re bringing more than a 20L sized bag on board, it’s probably way more stuff than you need!
Soft-sided bag (no room for storing suitcases on board, must be able to roll up and go in a cupboard or under a bunk). For offshore racing only, we recommend that your gear bag is waterproof, as we cannot guarantee it will be stored in a dry area of the boat (i.e. wet spinnaker could be doused on top, etc.). Not an issue for other programs!
Small waterproof bag for dinghy-to-shore excursions (like a gender-neutral purse for essentials) on offshore delivery trips
Bedsheet or lightweight sleeping bag liner. A single fitted sheet for the bottom and flat sheet for the top works great
Travel pillow & pillowcase
Towel & face cloth
Headlamp with red light is essential, all offshore trips have a night sailing component
Lightweight sailing jacket and salopettes are strongly recommended
Ear plugs & eye mask for a good sleep
Book to read or other self-entertainment
MOB AIS, recommended to bring if you have one
PLB, recommended to bring if you have one
InReach, Spot, Zoleo, Bivy or other similar personal satellite emergency device, optional to bring if you have one
Charging cables- USB charging is sometimes possible onboard, but never guaranteed. On shore outlets may be UK, US or EU styles.
External battery pack - expect to be self-sufficient when it comes to keeping your devices charged while on board. See above about power.
