Crew Crap

[capttman]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Bad experience with crew may and often will result from poor crew managing skills of the captain.

It may sound rude and selfish, but when I am asked to lead, or put in the position of the driver, I will make it very clear up front and first that once the lines are cast, the job of the crew is to crew, not to command, discuss, or the likes.

b.

Love the way many people on this forum try to be better than others... Some people are not bad crew managers; they just have s%^@ to manage there are some jerks out there barnikiel believe it or not, and they rear there ugly heads a lot when a women tells them what to do........

[rebel heart]

It should be well defined who the master is. I work on a variety of vessels they all tend to have their own way of working. On the sport fisher I let the deckhand who's running the fishing operations pick where we're going, how long we're staying, etc. As long as it stays within the boundaries of safety and overall schedule. If it doesn't I just tell him he needs to come up with another plan because of constraints that I'm under.

Sport fish captains work really hard and tend to have big egos. I've found some cool ones but there are a lot of attitudes.

[David M]

Originally Posted by osirissail

A bit defensive there - - reality is reality, and there is no "war" between power boaters and sail boaters. They are just two quite different things that require different skill sets. It is quite unusual that one is well versed in the other. It can happen but is not usual. Just like bus drivers are not really into sports car driving and sports car drivers are not really well versed in driving buses. They are different and if one or the other thinks that their talent at one automatically qualifies them to be an expert at the other, you get problems. Just like what happened to the OP.

This made me curious.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post755887

[SabreKai]

I used to have a girlfriend who had a simple way of dealing with lads who thought they had groping rights. She'd smile, take the offending hand, bring it to her cheek..... and then clamp down on the fingers with her teeth. And she wouldn't let go for a good long time either.

When I first met her, I made the mistake and got the treatment. She never drew blood but by god my hand wasn't the same for days afterwards. And if the offending party tried to slug her, she'd lay him out cold. Karate or some thing. Absolutley beautiful and sudden death if you stepped out of line.

[psneeld]

I may have missed it if already brought up...but a USCG licensed captain...even if only crew will be held to their standard of training by the USCG if anything goes wrong.

While different forms of propulsion…many similarities exist in a sailing trip or a powerboat trip…so a power boater may have some good input and if the owner/skipper is headed off in a wrong direction…then that licensed captain better speak up and get it logged that their concern was overlooked.

[Pato]

When I crewed on my buddy's boat from charleston to panama I had to read and sign the boat working manual that described the working of the boat where thruhulls were and safety drills and who was incharge and so on seemed like a good way to go about it. Made for clear sailing. While crew input was welcome captain always has the last word and that's how it should be. The manual also described what was and what wasent allowed to take place on board. And we have been friends for years before I had no problem signing and neither should any crew and if there is there probably not worth taking as it's a sign of what's to come. I have noticed lots of people have a problem with the command system on a vessel and don't like to take orders but that's how a vessel is able to operate in a safe manner. Before I leave the dock weather it be on my boat or as crew I like to know who's in charge and what position I am in aswell as all other crew on board. I think at some point or the other it has or will happen to most of us to have a poor crew experience it's just part of it people can change dramatically on a boat especially when poop hits the prop. When we need the crew the most not to have to babysit them sorry you had to end your cruise short.

[CarinaPDX]

I'm sorry to hear of your experience, although it sounds like you handled it well. Most who have been at this for a while have similar tales, sometimes a lot worse. Enough to make some of us single-handers by default.

I personally haven't felt comfortable with the written contract approach, although that may change. I do have a talk as part of the interview in which I explain that this is my home, and that I will try to be a gracious host and they should act as they would as a house guest (this works better on older people). I also point out that,as captain, on operational and safety matters I am responsible for the vessel and crew's safety and will expect that my instructions are followed, and that they have a legal duty to obey my lawful orders. The prospective crew's response is usually telling.

If the prospective crew is a woman, I sometimes feel compelled to explicitly state that "personal services" are not part of the crew's responsibilities. It can be awkward, to say the least, but I hope reassuring as well. There are a surprising number of men who insist on spoiling the experience for women, and that means fewer women who want to find themselves on a boat with a man. Definitely one of my hot buttons...

I have not found any rule of thumb for finding good crew. I do shy away from couples (including 2 people who are friends) as there is a tendency to gang up on the single guy (me). Sometimes older men, in particular, don't like playing second fiddle, so I look out for that behavior. OTOH some of my best experiences have been with skippers who, as crew, have taught me how to be a better skipper. It can be hard to know what to expect, but I hope experience has helped me to avoid most of the "crap crew"...

[smurphny]

The next time some ignoramus stinkpot SOB blasts by me within 50 yds when he has all the room in the world , leaving a huge wake and shaking the wind out of my sails or flinging my boom about in an unintentional jibe, don't anybody say, "There's no war between sailors and powerboaters!"

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by smurphny

The next time some ignoramus stinkpot SOB blasts by me within 50 yds when he has all the room in the world , leaving a huge wake and shaking the wind out of my sails or flinging my boom about in an unintentional jibe, don't anybody say, "There's no war between sailors and powerboaters!"

Don't take it personally...they do it to each other just like ignoramus sailboaters yell at each other over the right of way at 3 knots...

[sailorboy1]

This whole thread puts a new light on all the "crew available" threads/postings.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by psneeld

Don't take it personally...they do it to each other just like ignoramus sailboaters yell at each other over the right of way at 3 knots...

I don't think any of us take it personally, just like those dickheads don't when we call them dickheads

To be fair, there are some great powerboat skippers and I relate to them as buddies on the water, they're just somewhat lost in the crowd

[imagine2frolic]

You want to hear about bad crew. I left Panama for Hawaii, and 700 miles out from Costa Rica turned back. Read my signature blog, and your whoas will fell like nothing.......i2f

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

You want to hear about bad crew. I left Panama for Hawaii, and 700 miles out from Costa Rica turned back. Read my signature blog, and your whoas will fell like nothing.......i2f

Read it, sucked for you!

Makes me wonder how anyone can take on a crew they haven't sailed with for a long trip. I'm sure it falls into the "do what you have to" thing, but just seems a scarely thing for a boat owner.

I've taken people out sailing, but never called them crew just company. Some had taken sailing lessons and crewed on trips longer than me and in ways had more impressive experience than me on paper. But I could tell from some of their questions that this didn't mean they were ready for being in auto to run the boat. The big difference was that they fully understood who was in charge and took instruction and orders well.

[dwhatty]

Originally Posted by markpierce

My title should make it clear who is in charge on my boat.

That title was awarded to you in another jurisdiction. Not sure if its transferable.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Always good not to be totally reliant on crew (for some that will provide a lever for there ego to play with).....but sometimes you just have to go with what you have got.

IMO good crew more valuable (and rarer) than a good Skipper - after all, a skipper only has to avoid hitting continents