This document is an attempt at producing a list of regular task and other useful info for crew. It’s far from comprehensive and likely to remain a work in progress for some time to come.
General small boat considerations:
Be aware of, and help facilitate, other people's need to move around the boat.
Avoiding standing or sitting in the companion way (generally considered a big no no for all but the captain on any boat).
Fill any empty bottles in the sink and place in fridge.
Check fridge is set to chill at between zero and -10 degres.
Wash any dishes etc left from day before.
If sailing overnight, check navigation lights have been switched off.
When a water bottle from the fridge is emptied, fill and replace it if practical, or leave in sink for morning.
The watermaker should be run at least every four days, if only for a few minutes. Best avoid doing this in polluted anchorages!
Fruit and veg nets, plus contents of fridge, need to be checked for spoilage.
Water tanks need to be regularly topped up, either by running the water maker when there is sufficient power, or by collecting water ashore at every opportunity.
The cockpit sole needs to be cleaned regularly to ensure that the drains don’t get blocked.
The drip tray in the fridge needs to be emptied every few days and always before sailing.
Galley work-surfaces, sinks, and the floor always need cleaning.
Switch off lights in parts of the boat you are not occupying.
Close the fridge door as soon as possible after taking something out. Don't leave it open while you spread butter or something.
Switch off water pressure when leaving the boat or sailing. In fact, ideally, switch it off whenever you are not using it.
As much a possible, use power when it is nice an sunny.
Avoid charging things during the night and try to time extended use of high power items to the sunniest part of the day - eg. use of invertor for powertools, food blender, anchor windlass, water maker.
Ideally even use of the bilge and water presure pump should be avoided after sunset.
Turn fridge down (+10 to +20 ) in the evening and back up again in the morning (0 to -10).
Avoid leaving taps running unnecessarily.
Learn to have short 'boat showers' - get yourself wet (perhaps having had a dip in the ocean), lather yourself up and have a good scrub, now rinse off starting with your head and using the minimum amount of water necessary.
If galley footpump is working, it probably uses less water than the electric pump.
When doing washing up, try to reuse rinse water from each item and use it to wash the next.
If the sea is clean, use salt water to wash the dishes. It's not ideal as the soap does not lather up but it can at least be used to soak dried crud etc.
Stop whatever you are doing and run around checking nothing is outside getting wet that should not be.
Close all the hatches and portholes etc. even though the chances are that the rain will stop before you finish.
If it is raining heavily, take advantage of the opportunity and have a shower on deck.
When it has stopped raining, get up and reopen the hatches.
If it has rained during the night and the dinghy is full of water, use the opportunity to do some laundry or at least rinse out some stinky salt encrusted towels before bailing out.
Used a mug, class or bowl? Rinse it out directly after use to prevent a pile of dirty dishes growing in the sink.
Please don't use metal scouring pads with non-stick pans (and avoid using any metal impliments when cook and serving from non-stick pans).
Finished a jar of something? Wash it out and put it with the empties or in the bin bag.
Taken something out of the food storage? Put it back after use.
Having a swim to cool off? Take a spong or scrapper and clean some of the hull. Keep on top of it this way and perhaps there'll be no need for an exhausting dedicated session.
Put any valuables away or out of sight.
Switch off water pressure pump (and any lights apart from anchor light)
Bail out dinghy if necessary.
Put any full bin bags in the dinghy to dispose of ashore.
If water is available on shore, take water containers to fill.
Take anything out of the dinghy that would best not be left there.
Close and lock all hatches - even if it isn't supposed to rain.
Keys stay in safe place and should not come to shore.
If arriving at a dock - person at front hold dock. First person out takes line ashore and secures it.
Don't climb in or out of dinghy with any bags.
Bags etc should be passed up and placed securely on dock.
Double check dinghy is appropriately secured.
If outboard is being used, it should be locked and so should the dinghy.
If arriving on beach - person not rowing or operating outboard should jump out immediately dinghy hits the beach and take hold of the bow to prevent dinghy turning side on to waves. Second person jumps out having secured oars or dealt with outboard, and dinghy is pulled up beach above high water line.
Person toward front of dinghy should hold boat when dinghy pulls along side.
First person out takes line and secures to boat.
Assist in unloading the dinghy before doing anything else.
Don't climb in or out of dinghy with any bags.
Cardboard boxes and wooded crates should not be bought onto boat as they may house cockroaches.
Double check dinghy is properly secured to boat!
Stow any shopping. Anything in inappropriate packaging should be repackaged.
Plastic bags should be kept for use as bin bags
If water was collected from shore, pour into tanks and put away jugs or place back in dinghy.
Water pressure pump should be switched off.
All loose pots, pans, kettles, cutlery, bottles etc should be put away or secured.
Particular attention should be paid to putting phones, tablets, laptops etc in a safe place.
All drawers and cupboard doors etc should be secured.
Fridge door should be firmly locked.
Since it is unlikely that the fridge can safely be openned while sailing, place water and food somewhere for the passage.
Portlights and skylights should be closed while sailing.
Cockpit drains should be unblocked.
VHF radio should be on (it should always be on) and tuned to channel 16
If listening to music on headphones (on or off watch), do it at low volume and using only one headphone so you don't miss somebody calling you or a noise you should be aware of.
New noises should be investigated.
Occasionally check water level in bilge and use bilge pump when necessary.
Avoid leaving the cockpit without a harness and without somebody being aware of what you are doing, especially at night!
Raise your voice to be heard over wind, rain, engine etc. Don't be upset about shouting - urgency and safetly trumps politeness.
When sailing at night, try to conserve night vision by avoiding switching on lights (the red ones are fine). Phones, tablets and laptops will also effect night vision and should be dimmed as much as possible.
Safely anchoring is the priority.
Sails should be put away and sail covers put on. If arriving at night and too tired to put sail covers on immediately, they can be left till morning.
Check navigation lights are off and switch on anchor light if appropriate.
Check bilge and pump out if needed.
Switch radio to cruisers hailing channel if applicable.
Checking for wifi and getting online should only be done once other tasks are complete ;-)
Dinghy may need to be launched if stowed on foredeck.
If something breaks or is lost overboard, tell the captain immediately.