How do you crew your boat?

[Magneto]

Let me first state that I know that the planned cruise itinerary, duration and owner/captain experience will dictate the crew requirements. But generally, where is the pool you find good crew for any trip?

We are soon to be owners with no passage making experience and therefore will be hiring only professional experienced crew and training captains in the beginning such as this Nordhavn Crew Availability List:

https://nordhavn.com/view/crew-available-list/?pagenum=1

But what about later? I have read that quite often experienced owners cruise shorthanded because friends and family members are obligated during desired cruising windows. I can foresee a time when we will be looking for one or two volunteers with just general boat experience for assistance with helm watch, shifts, cooking, cleaning and just good company. We would be very selective with crew personnel and I can see crews being selective for the boat and captain.

I have searched the Dreamers, TF forums and internet to find some discussions on crews looking for a boat and boats looking for crew. Most seem to be more than a few years old. TF and Dreamers have had posts in the past looking for helping hands with little or no experience on everything from coastal cruising to circumnavigations. There are several in the TF “Voyagers and other boaters on the go” except they are dated and the cruise has long passed. I have read posts from owners or crews targeted for a particular boat to gain or get experience on. An example thread posted in 2017 is:

https://groups.io/g/NordhavnDreamers/topic/5926852#30194.

But where, today, does everyone go for this kind of exchange for voyages under power for any boat type? I would think there are places where both owners and crews exchange information back and forth about plans, schedules, resumes and emails leading up to phone and personal meetings. Does this need to be created or does it already exist?

The pay services seem a little sleazy. Reminds me of a dating site. I have found a couple of web sites that offer this service for $50.00 per month. Findacrew.net is one of them. I found a lot of offers on this site for crews with some sea time just wanting to join your travels for free and to contribute to helping out. Some are experienced captains wanting a salary. Anyone have experience with them?

There seems to be plenty of sailing crew forums but not much for power boats. Now please correct me if I’m wrong (and I often am), but the subject seems sparse for power boats crewing. Maybe because long range power boats are relatively new compared to sailboats. If there are links, blogs or secret clubs where crews and owners go to exchange their itineraries and needs in real-time, I would love to know it. It has also been said that owners and crews keep their contacts close to their chest. So maybe through just cruising you find these contacts?

 

[MYTraveler]

Apropos of another thread, YC's seem to provide an endless supply of friends interested in joining for a segment (or more) of a trip.

But, since I use my boat primarily for offshore fishing (though sometimes 1,000 from home), I often hire deckhands and occasionally captains. In every case, by word of mouth -- anyone I hire, particularly in a foreign country, I want to be well known at local docs and recommended by people I know or at least am willing to trust. It is a small world. If I am looking for someone it Puerto Vallarta or La Paz or the San Juan / Gulf Islands, relatively easy to find boating friends / acquaintances with recommendations based on personal experience. In a pinch, if I bump into another fishing boat owner at a local bar, I will ask for his recommendations. The last place I would look is some on-line registry, but only because it isn't necessary.

 

[mvweebles]

When I was delivering, I was also one of the main presenters at Trawler Fest. I met a ton of people and used a few as crew. Novice crew with a ton of desire worked fine for me as long as they didn't get seasick.

That was a long time ago, before PMM purchased trawler fest, but I'm guessing that if you spent a long weekend doing the seminars and after hours social events, you'd have a pretty long dance card.

 

[Lepke]

Friends only, sometimes a vet that becomes another friend. Rarely, if I solo a long ocean passage I will "hire" unpaid people with some experience who want the opportunity. One of them has to be able to cook.

 

[Magneto]

So what both of you are saying meeting people along the way and talking it up with other owners is the norm. I can understand that.

Thanks

 

[caltexflanc]

You should try posting this on Yacht Forums, where crew is (a little) more a prevalent subject. When you get to places here on the east coast like Newport and (especially) Ft. Lauderdale, there are agencies and marina exchanges that specialize in this. Get a copy of The Triton newspaper out of Ft. Lauderdale for starters.

Me I look in the mirror first, or over at the gal sleeping next to me for the last 45 years.

 

[mvweebles]

So what both of you are saying meeting people along the way and talking it up with other owners is the norm. I can understand that.

Thanks

From your other posts, I'm thinking you're trying to solve for all variables. The worst crew I had was a guy who had built an Ingrid Ketch and was 2/3rds the way through a circumnavigation. Hard to Puck my best crew, but several had limited experience but were happy to arrange their schedule to meet the boat anytime, anywhere. A cop from Sonoma Co comes to mind.

Magneto, this will all work out. You will need less instruction and escort (eg paid skipper and crew) than you think.

There is an old Chinese saying. A ant ascending the trunk of a tree knows not what twig will be his terminus. Start your journey. The rest will work itself out. May not be as imagined. But it will work out.

 

[Magneto]

From your other posts, I'm thinking you're trying to solve for all variables.

You are absolutely correct sir!
That is my nature but there is a reason for me marching my ducks.
Due to finance entanglements, I cannot purchase the boat for another 4 years. So I am a monkey in a cage with the banana just out of reach. A very big banana. So all I can do is clean my fork and plate and prepare.

 

[BandB]

I'm unsure whether you're looking for professional crew or just what you can find. Also, where you will be located and looking for crew. If you're in major boating areas, plenty of crew available and most is word of mouth. However, that means paying competitive rates. Finding crew is like finding any other professionals as there is plenty of turnover and availability.

 

[mvweebles]

You are absolutely correct sir!
That is my nature but there is a reason for me marching my ducks.
Due to finance entanglements, I cannot purchase the boat for another 4 years. So I am a monkey in a cage with the banana just out of reach. A very big banana. So all I can do is clean my fork and plate and prepare.

Lots of ways to prepare. Question is:, prepare for what? Boats mean a lot of different things to different people. Again, from your previous posts, you have ambitious ocean crossing plans. There are certain skills that are best acquired through experience vs academics. I know it's sort of the "Nordhavn Way" to start with the absolute biggest boat you can afford and figure it out from there, but as long as you're waiting for the check to clear, maybe some baby steps along the way to satisfy your Jones for cruising? A disposable $100k trawler and coastal cruising to improve skills for weather, navigation, mechanics, etc? I recall you have good creds in smaller go-fast boats. Sounds like you have a hankering go do more. Why wait for the full Monty when you can scratch much (not all) of your itch now?

 

[Magneto]

I'm obligated and land locked for for a few years. All I can do until then is plan. We are considering a smaller 45 or 50 footer and cruise coastal for a couple of years. We will cross that bridge when the time comes. A lot will depend on what boats are available at the time. But the 60+ is on my radar.

 

[markpierce]

Boating overseas ... one should have two qualified deck officers serving 4-hours on and 12-hours off at a time. That's a total of six bridge officers. But that's for ships. For pleasure boaters, one could do with three officers, although having more would be good if voyaging in busy waters at night when two officers on duty at a time would be helpful. And that's assuming one has an auto-pilot.

 

[GFC]

For local trips my wife and I do all the crew duties. For longer trips I know several people from our YC and talk with them.

I crewed on a boat that went from Seattle to Stockton, CA. Three of us on board, I was the chief cook and bottle washer as well as watch stander and helmsman.

That trip turned out to be somewhat of a nightmare, not because of the boat but issues with the skipper/owner of the boat. Both of us where were his crew agreed we would work together again but not with this skipper.

 

[O C Diver]

I'm obligated and land locked for for a few years. All I can do until then is plan. We are considering a smaller 45 or 50 footer and cruise coastal for a couple of years. We will cross that bridge when the time comes. A lot will depend on what boats are available at the time. But the 60+ is on my radar.

Based on your limited experience, you might be better served to working your way through crewing to gain experience and hopefully do a crossing or two. Call it a boating apprenticeship before commanding your own.

Ted