Charter Yacht Equipment: What Is Included and What You Pay Extra For
What you actually find on board a chartered yacht: galley, navigation, safety gear. See what is standard equipment and what counts as a paid extra.
The most common surprise on a first charter is not the weather or the route, but the equipment: some crews bring their own pots, of which there is a full set on board, while forgetting bedding, which is not included. This guide sorts out what counts as standard equipment on Polish inland and coastal charters, what tends to be a paid extra, and what you have to bring yourself.
Three categories of equipment
Charter yacht equipment falls into three practical groups. The first is mandatory deck equipment: safety gear, mooring kit and navigation instruments. It is never charged extra, because without it the boat cannot leave the dock. The second is living equipment: the galley, dishes, fridge, water system. It is usually included, but its scope differs between boats. The third is comfort items and water toys: bedding, towels, SUP, kayak, dinghy, outboard engine. These are almost always a separate line item.
| Group | What it covers | Included? |
|---|---|---|
| Safety and deck | life jackets, lifebuoy, fire extinguisher, mooring lines, fenders, boat hook, anchor | always included |
| Navigation and electronics | depth sounder, compass, navigation lights, 12V system, sometimes a radio | usually included |
| Galley and interior | stove, dishes, cutlery, fridge, heads, water tank | usually included |
| Comfort | bedding, towels, shower, grill | usually charged extra |
| Water gear | SUP, kayak, dinghy, outboard, fishing rods | always charged extra |
Safety: this must be on board
Buoyancy aids for the whole crew, including children's sizes, a lifebuoy with a throw line, a fire extinguisher and a first-aid kit are equipment the operator cannot skip. Mooring gear, meaning lines, fenders, boat hook and anchor, is also part of the boat's standard kit. If you are sailing with a child, confirm the availability of a life jacket in the right size and weight range upfront, because the range here can be limited. We expand on this in our guide to chartering a yacht with children, and we collected the full set of rules in our guide to safety on the water.
Navigation and systems: check at handover
On charter boats in Masuria and other inland waters, a depth sounder, navigation lights and a 12V system for charging phones are standard. A 230V system, a hot-water shower, a radio with speakers or a solar panel depend on the boat's age and class. This is the most common source of disappointment at handover, so ask about the specific boat, not about the operator's offer in general. All of these are also recorded in the handover form when the boat is released, which we cover in our guide to the yacht handover protocol.
The galley: what you will find in the lockers
A standard galley means a gas stove, a sink with a water pump, a fridge or cool box, and a full set of dishes: pots, a pan, plates, mugs and cutlery for as many people as there are berths. In practice that means you do not need to bring your own pots, but small items the operator does not think about do help: a sharp knife, a cloth, foil, a lighter and washing-up liquid. What exactly to bring on board is set out in our charter packing list, and grocery planning in our guide to provisioning a yacht.
Bedding and towels are the most frequently added extra in Polish charter. If you would rather not rent them, bring your own sleeping bag or sheet: berths have unusual dimensions, so bedding from home does not always fit.
Paid extras: water gear and comfort
A SUP, kayak, dinghy with an outboard, grill, fishing rods or an extra gas bottle are priced separately, usually per day or per charter. Good practice is to order them together with the booking rather than on arrival, because at peak season there is less gear than there are boats. We list them from the customer's side in our guide to charter yacht extras. If you book through the operator's website, the extras appear on the list when you choose your dates, and their price goes into the same payment as the charter, so there is no cash top-up at pickup.
How to check the equipment before booking
Instead of asking generally "what equipment is on board", ask about four specific things: the number and sizes of life jackets, whether there is hot water and a shower, how you charge devices, and whether bedding is included. Those four answers settle most of the real differences between boats of the same size. The rest follows from the boat's class and age, which we sort out in our guide to choosing a yacht to charter.
Frequently asked questions
Is bedding included in the charter price?
Usually not. In Polish charter, bedding and towels are most often a paid extra, per person or per set. It is worth asking before booking, because berths have unusual dimensions and bedding from home does not always fit.
Are there children's life jackets on a charter yacht?
There should be, but the range of sizes can be limited. A life jacket must be matched to the child's weight rather than their age, so give the operator the weight when booking and confirm availability.
Do I have to bring my own pots and dishes?
No. The galley is usually equipped with a full set of dishes and cutlery for as many people as there are berths. What does help are the small things: a sharp knife, washing-up liquid, a cloth and a lighter.
Can I charge a phone and a laptop on board?
A phone almost always, because a 12V system with a USB socket is standard. A laptop needs a 230V system or an inverter, and those are only on some boats, so it has to be confirmed for the specific one.
How much do extras such as a SUP or a dinghy cost?
Prices are set by the operator and depend on the gear, the season and the length of the charter, so treat them as an item to confirm in the offer rather than a fixed market rate. Ordering them together with the booking works out cheapest.
Looking for a boat with specific equipment? Book directly with an operator who shows the full specification and extras online: see who Portivo is for, or get in touch.
