Sailing race shopping list

A sailing race needs more than boats and a course. You need clearly marked start and finish areas, reliable communication, safety equipment and a shore setup that can handle wet conditions. This shopping list covers the practical items to bring or buy, from buoys and flags to life rings, coolers and power supplies. Check quantities against your number of crews, start groups and support boats before shopping, then pack critical gear in waterproof storage boxes.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentqty 3
Foldable tablesqty 8
Folding chairsqty 70
High tablesqty 4
Registration desk
Tableclothsqty 8

Sports equipment

Competition buoysqty 8
Anchor linesqty 8
Anchorsqty 8
Start flagsqty 6
Finish flag
Start number vestsqty 70
Spare paddlesqty 4
Cable reelsqty 4
Game hornsqty 2
Medal ribbonsqty 3

Equipment

Waterproof walkie-talkiesqty 6
Megaphone
Stopwatchqty 4
VHF radioqty 2
Power banksqty 6
Extension cordsqty 3
Power stripsqty 3
Speaker
Thermos flasksqty 6
Coolersqty 8
Waterproof storage boxesqty 6
Handcartsqty 2

Safety

Life jacketsqty 20
Life ringsqty 4
Throw linesqty 4
Emergency blanketsqty 10
Flashlightsqty 6
First aid kitsqty 2
Work glovesqty 10

Tableware

Reusable drinking glassesqty 100
Coffee cupsqty 80
Platesqty 80
Cutlery setsqty 80
Coffee cupsqty 40
Serving spoonsqty 8
Scissorsqty 6

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef's knivesqty 4
Serving plattersqty 10
Pouring jugsqty 6
Food warmersqty 4
Barbecueqty 2
Barbecue tongsqty 4
Aluminum foilqty 3

Decorations

Start and finish signqty 2
Directional signsqty 8
Competition postersqty 4
Prize tablecloth

Lighting

LED light garlandsqty 6
LED lanternsqty 8

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 8

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 2 packs
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Lemon - 6 pieces
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Sparkling water - 12 bottles
- Still water - 24 bottles
- Alcohol-free beer - 36 bottles
- Beer - 72 bottles
- White wine - 8 bottles
- Rosé - 6 bottles
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Snacks - 6 bags
- Peanuts - 4 bags
- Olives - 4 jars
- Cucumber - 8 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 2 kilos
- Carrots - 2 kilo
- Bell peppers - 12 pieces
- Hummus - 8 tubs
- Cream cheese - 6 tubs
- Baguettes - 20 pieces
- Whole grain bread - 8 loaves
- White buns - 80 pieces
- Hamburger buns - 80 pieces
- Herb butter - 10 tubs
- Cheese slices - 3 kilos
- Ham slices - 2 kilos
- Hummus spread - 2 kilo
- Hamburgers - 80 pieces
- Vegetarian burgers - 20 pieces
- Vegan burgers - 10 pieces
- Chicken skewers - 60 pieces
- Vegetarian skewers - 30 pieces
- Corn on the cob - 30 pieces
- Potato salad - 6 kilos
- Pasta salad - 6 kilos
- Green salad - 5 kilos
- Arugula - 6 bags
- Lettuce - 8 heads
- Red onion - 2 kilos
- Corn - 12 cans
- Pickles - 6 jars
- Mayonnaise - 4 bottles
- Ketchup - 4 bottles
- Mustard - 3 jars
- Garlic sauce - 3 bottles
- Barbecue sauce - 3 bottles
- Olive oil - 2 bottles
- Salt - 2 packs
- Pepper - 2 jars
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Oregano - 1 jar
- Butter - 1 kilo
- Ice cubes - 20 bags
- Apples - 60 pieces
- Bananas - 40 pieces
- Grapes - 4 kilos
- Watermelons - 3 pieces
- Brownies - 80 pieces
- Cookies - 8 packs
- Marshmallows - 4 bags
- Charcoal - 6 bags
- Firelighters - 4 boxes
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Liquid hand soap - 6 bottles
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- Sponges - 12 pieces
- Tea towels - 20 pieces
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Trash bags - 40 pieces

Tips

Plan at least one life jacket for every person in a rescue, jury or start boat, plus a few spare sizes on shore. Keep life rings immediately accessible at the start and finish areas rather than buried in a transport box.
Use one waterproof radio for each operating position—start boat, rescue boat, jury boat and shore control—and keep at least two fully charged powerbanks available as backups. Test the radios before crews arrive.
Bring spare anchoring gear for every race buoy: an anchor and anchor line for each buoy, plus extra line on a reel. Wet, tangled or misplaced lines are much harder to replace once boats are on the water.
Prepare two separate flag sets if the start and finish areas are far apart, and pack spare start numbers or vests for last-minute entries. Store flags, numbers and the stopwatch in a dry box at the registration table.
Allow two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then roughly one drink per person per additional hour. Chill water and other drinks in coolers before registration opens, and keep thermos flasks ready for hot drinks if the race runs into colder weather.

Frequently asked questions

What safety equipment do I need for a sailing race?: For each support boat, provide a correctly sized life jacket for every person on board and keep life rings at the start and finish areas. Add spare life jackets, a waterproof radio and a charged powerbank; check everything at least 2 hours before the first start.
How many race buoys and anchors do I need?: You need one buoy for every marked course position, with one anchor and one anchor line per buoy. Pack at least one spare anchor line and one extra anchor for a small race, and check the complete set the day before launch.
How much drinking water should I buy for a sailing race?: Allow at least 2 to 3 drinks per person for the first hour, followed by 1 drink per person for every additional hour. Buy the drinks 1 day ahead, chill them several hours before registration and keep a separate reserve for rescue and jury crews.
What should I pack in waterproof storage for a sailing race?: Keep radios, flags, start numbers, route maps, stopwatches, powerbanks and spare cables in separate waterproof boxes. Pack and label the boxes the day before, with one dry box reserved for registration and another for race control.

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