“If You Could Only Take ONE Lens on a Sailing Holiday…”

You’re standing there packing for the trip.
Space is tight. Weight matters. Salt water is waiting…

And then the big question:
Which lens do you take?

---

The One-Lens Rule (Boat Edition)

On a boat, you don’t get second chances.
You can’t say:

“Hang on, I’ll just swap lenses…”

By the time you’ve opened the bag, the dolphin has gone, the gust has hit, and your crew is shouting at you for not holding the jib.

So your lens needs to be:

• Versatile
• Fast enough
• Not too bulky
• Capable of telling the whole story

The Winner: 24–70mm (Full Frame Equivalent)

If I had to take just one lens, it would be:

24–70mm (full-frame / 35mm equivalent)

Why?

24mm end:

• Wide enough for:
  • Boat interiors
  • Deck action
  • “Look where we are!” harbour shots

50mm range:

• Natural perspective
• Great for storytelling images

70mm end:

• Portraits of crew
• Picking out details
• Compressing scenes slightly

---

Why Not Something Else?

❌ 16–35mm (Too Wide Only)

Great for drama…
But everything starts looking like a GoPro shot.

❌ 70–200mm (Too Long)

Brilliant from the shore…
Useless when you’re on a moving boat trying not to fall over.

❌ Prime Lens (e.g. 50mm)

Sharp? Yes.
Flexible? Not when the action is happening all around you.

---

Real Boat Reality

On a yacht or dinghy:

• You’re moving
• The subject is moving
• The light is changing
• Your footing is… questionable

A 24–70mm lets you:

• React instantly
• Frame without moving (important when you can’t move)
• Capture everything from wide landscapes to close-up moments

---

My Personal Take (From Experience)

From filming on the Thames and preparing for Croatia:

• Wide shots tell the story
• Mid-range captures the people
• Slight zoom gets the emotion

The 24–70mm is the “do everything without thinking” lens

And on a boat…
thinking time is limited.