What to Bring on Your St. Pete Boat Charter — The Complete Checklist

Booking the boat is the easy part. The night before, though, almost everyone ends up standing in their kitchen wondering whether they’re supposed to bring a cooler, or if that’s already handled.

Here’s the short answer: bring less than you think, but bring the right things. A few small items make the difference between a great day on the water and a sunburned, hungry ride back to the dock.

What the Captain Already Provides

Before you start packing, know what’s already on board. On a St. Pete charter, you can generally count on:

Coast Guard safety gear: Life jackets in adult and child sizes, flares, fire extinguisher, first aid kit. This is all legally required and already accounted for.
A cooler with ice: Most charters include at least one iced cooler. Ask when you book — if it’s included, you can skip hauling your own.
Fishing gear on fishing charters: Rods, reels, tackle, bait, and licensing are typically covered. You don’t need your own Florida fishing license when fishing under a licensed charter captain.
Bottled water: Many captains stock water, but not always enough for a full day in August. Confirm the quantity.
Navigation, anchoring, and local knowledge: Where the dolphins are, which sandbar is fun at low tide, which route stays smooth when it’s blowing. That’s the whole point of hiring a captain.

Call or text ahead and ask what’s included. Two minutes on the phone saves you from double-packing.

The Essentials You Should Bring

Sun protection — the non-negotiable

Gulf sun reflects off the water and hits you twice. People consistently underestimate this.

Reef-safe sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher — a full bottle, not a travel size
A hat that won’t blow off at 25 mph (chin strap or ball cap)
Polarized sunglasses — they cut glare and let you actually see fish and rays in the shallows
A lightweight long-sleeve sun shirt for anyone who burns easily
Lip balm with SPF

Reapply every two hours. Set a phone alarm if you’re the kind of group that loses track of time.

Towels and a change of clothes

Bring one towel per person plus a spare. Wet swimsuits on a boat ride home are miserable, so pack dry clothes in a bag you don’t mind getting damp.

Food and drinks

Most charters let you bring your own food and beverages. Some notes:

Pack food that survives heat and doesn’t need utensils — sandwiches, wraps, cut fruit, chips, pretzels
Bring more water than you think you need. One bottle per person per hour is a solid rule in summer
Cans over glass bottles, always (more on that below)
Skip anything that flakes, crumbles, or shatters — cleanup on a boat is genuinely annoying

Small but easy to forget

Cash for the captain’s tip — 15–20% is standard, and card readers don’t always have signal offshore
A dry bag or zip-top bags for phones, keys, and wallets
Motion sickness medication, taken 30–60 minutes before boarding, not after you feel it
A portable phone charger — everyone films the dolphins and everyone runs out of battery
Water shoes if you plan to walk a sandbar or shell beach

What to Leave at Home

Glass containers. Broken glass on a boat deck or in shallow water is a real hazard. Nearly every charter prohibits it.
Black-soled shoes. They scuff decks. Bring boat shoes, sandals, or plan to go barefoot.
Bananas. Yes, seriously — plenty of captains hold the superstition. Not worth the argument.
Oversized hard coolers. Deck space is limited. A soft cooler is easier to stow.
Your own fishing rods on an inshore charter, unless you cleared it first. The captain’s gear is matched to the target species.
Drones, unless you’ve asked. Rules vary by charter and by location.

Weather Prep for St. Pete

Florida weather changes fast, especially between June and September. A clear morning can turn into a 3pm thunderstorm with very little notice.

Check the marine forecast, not just the regular weather app — wind speed and wave height matter more than a rain percentage
Bring a light rain jacket or packable windbreaker in shoulder seasons
Winter cold fronts drop temperatures 20 degrees overnight, so layer up December through February
If the captain calls off the trip, take them at their word. Reputable St. Pete charters reschedule or refund for genuine weather cancellations — ask about the policy when you book

The Quick Checklist

Screenshot this the night before:

Sunscreen (reef-safe, SPF 30+)
Hat and polarized sunglasses
Towels + dry change of clothes
Water and snacks in cans or soft packaging
Dry bag for phones, keys, wallet
Cash for the tip
Motion sickness meds
Portable charger
Water shoes or boat shoes
Light jacket if there’s any chance of wind or rain

One Last Thing

The best boat days are the ones where nobody spends the afternoon rationing water or hiding from the sun. Pack the basics, confirm what’s included when you book, and show up ten minutes early.

Everything else — the route, the sandbar, the sunset timing — is what your captain is there for.