Guests Aboard--a survivor's manual

Great guests fit in small spaces, and stay endlessly cheerful
(photo credit: Diane Selkirk)

There is no greater bonding experience among cruisers than sharing a survival story. Dock talk revolves around these tales; like the time you dragged in 50 knots and nearly landed on a reef, or when that fishing boat missed crushing your hull by inches, or the week you had three landlubbers aboard.

Boat guests seem to come in two forms: the ones who adapt seamlessly to the rigors of life aboard (and who you invite back again and again), and the ones who don’t.

Over the years we've tried many techniques for training boat guests. We’ve drafted letters explaining the boat in detail, sent it out ahead of the visit, and followed-up to clarify major points. We have held pre-departure orientations – naming the parts of the boat, “This is a boom, it will kill you if it hits your head.” and describing in detail how things work. We have left notes on the head, faucets and lights, and explained which food is available to eat on which days. And we have learned that some people just make bad guests.

So share your expertise: How have you trained up your guests? Who has visited you? Have you had younger guests visit (aka kids)? What have you learned along the way?  Or maybe you've discovered having guests isn't your thing?

Topic Coordinators: Diane, Evan, and Maia (Ceilydh Set Sail) 

Personally, says Diane of Ceilydh Set Sail, we love guests. We love sharing our cruising experiences and we love that they can bring stuff from home although we now know they need to be very careful about how they pack it.