A 10-metre sailboat has roughly the living space of a studio flat. Except 6 of you are living in it, sometimes 8, for a weekend or a full week. It works perfectly well, provided you respect a few rules. Some are written, many are not — and the unwritten ones make the difference between a memorable cruise and a tough weekend. Let’s lay them out clearly.
Space on board: understanding it before you step on
The first rule of coexistence starts with understanding where you are. A typical cruising boat in our fleet has 4 cabins, 2 heads, a saloon (the indoor living area with a table), a galley (kitchen) and a cockpit outside. Every square metre is designed to do two or three things at once.The key areas
- Cockpit: the outdoor “living room”. Where you sail, eat, chat in the evening.
- Saloon: the indoor day area. Table, cushions, seating. Used in bad weather or in the evening.
- Cabins: small. Bunks, a few storage compartments, a reading light. No big wardrobes, no rigid suitcases.
- Heads: usually 1-2 in total. Small, to be used methodically (see below).
- Deck: the “panoramic terrace”. For sunbathing, reading, napping.
The golden rules of coexistence
These always apply, regardless of who shares your cabin or how big the boat is. They are the bare minimum to not ruin your cruise.1. Everything in its place, always
At home you can leave a t-shirt on the chair for two days. On a boat you cannot. Every object out of place, with a bit of swell, ends up on the floor, under the bench, in someone else’s locker. Always put everything back immediately after use: water bottle, sunglasses, book, towel. Applies to you and to everyone else.2. A quick shower is an act of respect
Water on board is limited: standard tank is 300-500 litres for 6-8 people, and it has to last to the next refill. Boat shower = wet, water off, soap, water on for 30 seconds to rinse. A 5-minute shower like at home is collective sabotage. For long showers, use the free ones in marinas — that is the norm.3. The boat head is not a regular toilet
It works with a manual or electric pump. The rule is simple: only what has passed through your body goes into the head. Water-soluble toilet paper (sparingly), no sanitary pads, no tissues, no wet wipes. Everything else goes in the dedicated bin. Annoying? Yes. Essential? Even more so: a clogged pump offshore becomes everyone’s problem.4. The galley belongs to everyone, not the first to open the fridge
You do the provisioning together before departure (or you decide who takes care of it). Once on board: no “I’m taking this Coke because I bought it”. Everything is everyone’s, until the end of the course. Same with beer: managed in a common pot, not individual portions.5. Noise is physical violence, at night
On a boat the cabin walls are thin plywood. A normal conversation in the cockpit is heard perfectly in every cabin. After 11 PM you keep your voice down, period. Same in the early morning: whoever wakes up first does not bang in the galley. Phone ringtones too.Provisions and galley: the heart of the group
Managing the provisions is probably the single aspect that most defines the quality of coexistence. Here is how to make it work.Before departure
You make the list together, deciding rough menus for each day. Consider:- Limited fridge space — no minibar, small fridge that cools slowly
- Cooking with 2-3 burners and a small oven, no traditional oven
- Allergies and intolerances of others (ask first)
- Option to dine ashore some evenings (lightens provisions)
During the cruise
Cooking rotas are the way. Typically: a couple or three people handle one meal on rotation. Whoever cooks does not wash up; whoever cooked yesterday rests today. A trivial mechanism that works very well if applied. Letting it slip into chaos means the same person ends up cooking every day, and after two days that person hates everyone.Rotas and responsibilities while sailing
On a learning cruise like ours, everyone has an active role. You are not a passenger: that is the key difference vs nautical tourism. The CSEN instructor coordinates, but manoeuvres are done by all members on board.Roles you learn in a few days
- Helm: holds the course following the compass or a landmark
- Trimmer: tunes the sails to the wind
- Bowman: handles the bow manoeuvres (anchor, lines)
- Galley: prepares the meal and keeps provisions tidy
- Watch: in night sailing, scans the horizon and traffic
The unwritten rules nobody tells you
These you only learn by doing it, and no brochure mentions them. We anticipate them because it is better to know them.The cabin is private, and is respected
When someone is in a cabin with the door ajar, you knock. If the door is closed, you knock twice. If no one answers, you go. Sounds obvious but with 8 people in 12 metres, respect for private space is the first thing to break.Your wet clothes are not other people’s problem
Wet swimsuit, damp towels, salt-soaked clothes: they are hung outside, on the lifelines. Never inside. Humidity stagnates in the cabin and after two days the boat smells for everyone.The “lucky one” with the bigger cabin doesn’t keep it
If the boat has cabins of different sizes, a good crew rotates mid-week, or assigns the bigger cabins to couples. A small kindness that goes a long way.First on board, last off
Check-in and check-out are collective operations. You arrive together if possible, you leave together. Final cleaning is everyone’s, not just whoever has time because their flight leaves later.From theory to practice
Understanding life on board by reading is one thing, living it is another. If you want a complete experience with instructor and a tested group, take a look at our Skipper Course for those wanting to learn how to run a boat, or the Aeolian Islands Flotillas where coexistence runs full-circle for a whole week.What causes most tension on board (and how to avoid it)
From years of direct observation, the three most frequent sources of tension are always the same:- Mooring stress. When it is time to moor with too little or too much wind, voices rise. The advice: silence except for whoever is manoeuvring. Each to their role, minimal and clear communication.
- Uneven cleanliness levels. Those used to leaving dishes in the sink “for later” and those who wash up immediately do not coexist well. Set the rule on day one and apply it to the end.
- Different rhythms. Some want to leave at dawn, others at 11. Some want a night out every evening, others want to dine on board and sleep early. No rigid rules, but confront it at the morning briefing: what are we doing today?
