[N°6]

Quote:

Crew a ship and see the world for free (or almost)

How does it work?

You can't sail a ship without a crew, and these days finding a crew takes a little more time than simply walking into a coastal pub, slamming your pint of mead on a barrel and requesting all able seamen to step forward. Nowadays, adverts for crew are posted online, giving an opportunity for landlubbers to sail the seven seas on the cheap, provided they are willing to scrub the decks every so often.

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/n...world-free

Crewseekers International: http://www.crewseekers.net/

Findacrew: https://www.findacrew.net/

Crewbay: http://www.crewbay.com/

Ocean Crew Link: http://oceancrewlink.com/

Increasing your Value to Skippers and Boat Owners:

Quote:

Competent Crew
This course is for beginners and those who would like to become active crew members rather than just passengers.

I wouldn't bother with this course. You can go straight to the Day Skipper theory course where you'll still learn how to be a competent crew member but know what a skipper needs to be able to do too.

http://www.rya.org.uk/coursestraining/co...tcrew.aspx

Quote:

Day Skipper
A course for aspiring skippers with some yachting experience and basic navigation and sailing skills.

This qualification is the beginning of being able to charter your own boat but more interestingly, boat owners start to see you as a useful crew member and sometimes a first mate. Do the Day Skipper theory course the previous winter though as there is too much theory to learn on a rocking boat as well as the practice of sailing it.

This qualification can be earned in tidal and non-tidal waters. I'd say learning to sail in non-tidal waters is a waste of money. Learn in tidal waters and you can sail anywhere.

http://www.rya.org.uk/coursestraining/co...ipper.aspx

Quote:

Coastal Skipper
Advanced skippering techniques for yachtsmen and women with considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation, wanting to undertake coastal passages by day and night.

http://www.rya.org.uk/coursestraining/co...ipper.aspx

Quote:

Yachtmaster™
An RYA Yachtmaster™ Certificate of Competence is often the ultimate aim of aspiring skippers. It is a well known, highly respected qualification worldwide, proving your experience and competence as a skipper.

http://www.rya.org.uk/coursestraining/co...aster.aspx


By passing these sorts of exams, you become very valuable to boat owners. Many boat owners have bought one from levering the value of their over valued baby boomer houses as debt. Unless they are very experienced, sailing alone or with the wife can be very challenging. This is where you come in.

At the very least, passing these exams will give you years of very cheap summer holidays but it will more likely give you many years of adventure.

[Simeon_Strangelight]

It's a good job, but that's not free. I know one girl who started out as a maid getting 2000$ / month net (no expenses) and I know a young guy in training to become a captain.

It's a job like any other. Sure - you have good savings, meet sometimes cool people and can travel the world, but often you have to work 2-3 weeks non-stop on some bigger yachts as they entertain guests.

Also long-term it only helps in terms of networking, saving the dough or getting into one of those better paid positions like a captain. Only a few of those are getting 3 months shifts and then 3 months off. The rest are usually underpaid based on all the time they put in. However it is good for very young people and beats working in a fish-factory.

[N°6]

My post is more directed at men who are looking for a constructive hobby without having to buy and maintain a boat.

Even when we consider a paid-holiday, it is better than fruit picking in Australia.

[Seadog]

I would like to add 7knots.com as a decent website. Essentially it has more of a hobby feel to it, people with boats, looks for people to help crew. Generally not paid. You need to be careful though, because some people are running this almost as a business, charging $50-$100 a day for "food" which means they're basically preying on inexperienced people who want sea miles to fund their sailing and running an illegal charter.

I used it in the summer of '09 to meet a late 40s retired engineer from the UK with a 15m catamaran who wintered in the Caribbean, then summered in the Med. Since his family didn't like sailing, he would advertise on this site twice a year for 3-4 backpackery type people to help him move it across the Atlantic. Basically it was get yourself to Caribbean, meet up, split food, he'd cover all boat, fuel, and marina fees, then head off to Europe. We stopped in the Azores, Gibraltar, and ended up in Ibiza. About a 4 week trip all said and done, and one of the best things I've ever done. One of the guys was hoping to go further with the sailing, so got credit for the sea miles with a letter from the Captain.

Work wise it was pretty easy. 4 hour rotating watch schedule (not much happened in the middle of the ocean) then every fourth day, you'd be responsible to cook, but no watches. Most people had some experience, but he said if not, you could learn it on the fly. He actually ended up taking the boat around the world in 2013 I think with one other girl he met off the site.

[Engineer]

(03-07-2015 12:29 PM)Seadog Wrote:  

We stopped in the Azores, Gibraltar, and ended up in Ibiza. About a 4 week trip all said and done, and one of the best things I've ever done.

Alright, that's it. I'm learning to sail. Been looking for my next thing, thanks Seadog!

[N°6]

Thanks Seadog, that's exactly what I am trying to outline in this thread. Please add any Canadian and US accredited theory and practical courses if you know any to help men here appear more valuable to boat owners.

Although I am interested in the maritime content of the courses, I'd say that even taking a VHF radio course would help someone find a ship.

[Seadog]

Honestly the biggest thing, at least with my experience was to be personable, interesting, willing to work, and willing to learn. Also taking the the tact of this being "sailing with friends" as opposed to "a job"

I had completed the Canadian Yachting Association's white sail 1-2-3 program when I was like 11-13 in the summers which taught me the basics. After that, since I grew up near the water lots of friends had boats, so we'd get out a few times each summer. Another guy was like me, one had no experience but super well travelled, and another well travelled, had crewed on other boats, and eventually wanted to make a go of this as a job

On top of that I also had my pilot's license, so things like radio and navigation carried over to some extent.

He called each of us up before hand to feel us out, and I remember asking him "So you just meet people on the net, everyone flies 2000 miles to the Caribbean, and it just works out?" "Yup, more or less"

After we arrived he clarified "more or less". I guess a few years before, someone showed up, and in the 3-5 days before leaving while provisioning, everyone just couldn't stand him. Knew how to sail but toxic personality. So the day they were leaving they simply told him he was no longer welcome, and that was that. Which I guess goes to once again prove the point that people prefer good natured people who know nothing, to competent assholes.

[sammybiker]

The largest value here is forced savings/free living. It's a great opportunity for the right person.

[N°6]

I have just attained the RYA Day Skipper Theory certificate.

Hopefully I will get some more practical experience through Crew Bay before I take the 5-day practical course.

[N°6]

I forgot to update this thread.

Last August, I attained the RYA Day Skipper Practical so now I can charter boats for private use.

Night time sailing is something else.

I am planning to continue to Coastal Skipper theory so I can do the CS practical this summer.

I've found my hobby of hobbies and it is not as expensive as you'd expect.

[RandomGuy1]

I like the idea in general. Just wondering if this exists for airplanes too?

[monsquid]

I don't like the idea of being someone's deck hand. However this would make a great hobby if you have the dough buy your own and the time to take it out sea.