Crew Wanted: Atlantic Crossing: Bahamas > Bermuda > Azores > France

[jbdc]

I am looking for 2 crew members to join me middle of May to cross the Atlantic, direction France.

Having taken a year off, I left France for an atlantic loop in July '13, and I will be needing a crew to go back. I am a French 31 years old skipper with many years of costal sailing and one atlantic crossing in 2013 (french blog Tamoure.Fr). I am of a calm nature, no stress or shouting on the boart. I enjoy discussion, sense of humour, making friends and having good time, however, I'll be very strict on safety mesures and involvement in quality sailing. As I have been a sailing teacher on smaller boats, I'll be happy to share knowledge with the team.

Departure from the Bahamas (Nassau) is planned arround the 20 of may, depending on the weather forecasts, going to Bermuda, then Azores, then France (west coast).

Crew is also accepted for only a part of the journey if they want, as it is a long trip. They will be 1 to 2 weeks stops in Bermudes & Acores. Crew can stay onboard 1-2 days if leaving. They will be a warmup before departure to get you ready for the trip and confirm your ability to sail.

This is not a paid position so a daily contribution will be required (but should be lower than 25€(30$)/day, depending on real costs) and you will need to find your own way to and from the boat.

The boat is a 40ft Fountain Pajot Lavezzi catamaran. It's safe, well maintained and reliable. It is also confortable and well equiped for long distances (Gennaker, AIS, Radar, Large tanks, EPIRB, MOB bracelet for the watch...). Private cabin for each crew.

Firm committement is important after our next steps :
> Send me a private message (feel free to reply on the thread for general questions)
> Then we'll define a skype call when possible to discuss your experience and get to know a little. Best would be to meet, but will only be possible in the Bahamas.

[jbdc]

Quick update on the estimated dates:

- Departure from Nassau: 15-20 of May (weather ?)
- About 7 days sailing to Bermuda (800mn)
- One or two weeks in Bermuda
- Departure arround the 7th of June
- About 13 days sailing to Azores (1700mn)
- 2 weeks in the Azores
- Departure middle of July to France (about 1100mn) 9/10 days
- Arrival middle of July

[Lizziewalton]

I could meet in bermuda and sail for rest of trip. I am busy until june 1st if you are still seeking crew could I have some more information?

[Lizziewalton]

Sorry didnt see you were looking for a contribution, I will not be able to do this.

[CaptTL]

Let me see if I understand. You want a delivery crew to help deliver your boat to France and they are required to pay you for the privilege. It will be interesting to see who if anyone has issues enough to actually do it

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk

[Hoofsmit]

Well capt
I need another 1000 NM on my log to go for my next YM exam , so if you call that an issue , here is one crew that would be willing to pay up! Other options would cost a lot more than the flights and 30 bucks a day

[jbdc]

Hello CaptTL,

I understand your point of view, but I'm not looking for a professional delivery crew, nor a delivery crew at all actually. My offer is only to join me for ocean cruising + costal cruising in bermudas (one week) & acores (about 2 weeks), and I ask in exchange for a small contribution. Also, I don't require to do all the passage, but accept for a part only. And I don't require very experienced crew, just motivated people with who I can share my experience.

When i say 30$, I mean :
- about 20$/day for food/gasoil/marina/immigration costs, but this amount is estimated, it will be only on real expenses. Might be less as I don't go to marinas usually (except when easier for the crew to avoid being stuck with the dingy)
- and it is 10$ for the sailing boat, which is just a drop in my budget, but will help me renting a sat phone for the trip, or just repair something broken in the trip. I don't think this contribution is exagearated : I know some pro skippers that ask 3000$ per person for an atlantic crossing to people that want to get the experience. Of course I'm not a pro skipper (tough I actually have some sailing teacher degree in france), but this contribution of about 300$/month is IMHO a small price to pay to gain knowledge and sail the atlantic on a big cat.

Thanks for reading !

[CaptTL]

Whatever.

Clearly I'm in the wrong business. I have got to figure out how to get people to pay me for the work they do on a boat.

Things are different today. When I did deliveries for a living in the 1990's, I had to pay crew. Now the crew pays the captain. I'm just baffled by the change in circumstances. Am I the only one who sees the absurdity in the change?

By the way, Jdbc, in the United States, it is illegal for a non-licensed captain to charge for passage on a boat. Yeah, I know. You aren't in the United States. Just thought I would mention it.

[Lizziewalton]

Originally Posted by CaptTL

Whatever.

Clearly I'm in the wrong business. I have got to figure out how to get people to pay me for the work they do on a boat.

Things are different today. When I did deliveries for a living in the 1990's, I had to pay crew. Now the crew pays the captain. I'm just baffled by the change in circumstances. Am I the only one who sees the absurdity in the change?

By the way, Jdbc, in the United States, it is illegal for a non-licensed captain to charge for passage on a boat. Yeah, I know. You aren't in the United States. Just thought I would mention it.

Are you doing any trips this june, july that require crew? Id be happy to sail with you!

[Scottuk]

By the way, Jdbc, in the United States, it is illegal for a non-licensed captain to charge for passage on a boat. Yeah, I know. You aren't in the United States.

I am fairly certain jbdc would also have issues with his insurance as they would be considered paying passengers.

I would say to jbdc that it might not be worth it having people partially subsidise his cruising.

[Boatguy30]

Crowd funding....

[wsv]

My name is Wil,
I am a fit non-smoker, non-drinker, former deep sea diver, Ocean Lifeguard current live a board sailor with single hand experience in Bahamas and Cuba. I look and feel younger than my 58 years. I have had a Captains License years ago which I let lapse. I also was a Florida State Board Certified EMT.
I have the passport, the money and I want to do the crossing.
I am old school...what I lack in technology I can make up for on watch, in the water or up the pole. I can read a chart with some refresher. I know knots and splices.
Call me or e-mail me asap.
Wil Van Natta
561-667-2955
realitynewsradio@gmail.com

[CaptTL]

Originally Posted by Lizziewalton

Are you doing any trips this june, july that require crew? Id be happy to sail with you!

No deliveries coming up. I just have a charter group in the BVI's in June.

I seldom do deliveries any more. Too much else going on to bother with it. Besides, there are too many people out there who want to do it for free or even pay someone to do it. Not a good business model if you want to eat. Good for boat owners though.

[jbdc]

Hello CaptTL,

Though I'm not sure of the your intentions contributin to this post, I stil think it deserves a detailled response.

Maybe the problem here is that you are considering the people as workers on the boat. It is not the case for me! I'm looking for a fellow sailors motivated for cruising.

If you are a professional skipper, you are getting paid to bring the boat from A to B in a certain timeframe, usualy short, and I know this kind of job : you have to go at sea because it's time, sometime no matter if the weather is good or not, the season adequate, sometime motoring all the way, and to keep a fast pace. I know some pro skippers from France, and it is definitly a job. One of those I know was leaving France in the same time than me last year to bring a boat to the caribbean, and they went from the French coast to Gibraltar in only a few days. Usually 5 days at sea, 2 days rest, 5 days at sea, and so on... This is what I call a delivery team. And the skipper gets paid (and I know the economics are hard), but his crew wasn't. But on the other side, I have time so I'm going from A to B trough C & D...

So I'm definitly not offering the same thing, I plan on cruising in Bermuda, and then again in the Acores. Also, I consider people applying for small parts of the trip. And I'm not a rich owner having his boat delivered, I'm taking my boat myself. And I cook, and I clean as the rest of the team, as this boat is my house as well.

Now about the cost: it is illegal for a non-professional skipper to charge for sailing in France too. However, the "ministery of sea" has decided to define
it more precisely : if the person is a passenger and that a full price is applied, the skipper must be a licensed skipper. However, if the person is a crew or just a friend or co-sailor, the owner is allowed to ask for a crew contribution.

Then it gets a bit more complex, but I think the rule is good so I will explain it: the crew contribution is being defined by a share of the yearly cost of the
boat. The yearly cost is the total of the upkeep charges, winter storage, plus insurance and all consumable costs. The share is then simply to divide the milles made by the team by the total number of miles made in the year, and split per person. So the yearly cost of a $200.000 ship is easily reaching 10.000$, as the upkeep can be 5-10% depending if you're doing it yourself or not.

No need to make a calculation to say the crew contribution could be high. But again, I'm not asking this (and I think it should also apply differently for long distances) but simply a small one, just as a positive and respectful sign of sharing from the crew. In no way it's going to cover boat costs NOR to pay the captain! This system is widely in use in France, and it alows less wealthy people to have a boat and to sail it with friends that help. My friends and familly spontaneously offer it when they come to sail with me (tough I wouldn't accept it if I was rich). And I have this verified with my insurance (@scottuk)

I think the change you reffer to is realted to more people sailing, more people
having experience. And not all of them having a lot of money... while boats don't get cheaper. But yes, lots of things have changed since the 90. Major disc companies lost profit over the online music, movie industry is evolving with the internet, sailing with gps devices and maps makes it easier, safety is better...

But hopefuly, sailing will still being that fun. And this trip is intended to be.

[Scottuk]

I'm not telling you what to do but warning you of the risk. Though I would still be wary of the law on this in France you are sailing in the waters of other nations and if you are not complying with their laws you are liable for your crew. I would not think your insurance would cover you if you are breaking the law of another country. If they willl cover you please let me know who your provider is so I can look at purchasing insurance through them.

My friends and familly spontaneously offer it when they come to sail with me

Now there is the rub = you are not asking for money whereas you are from your ad. There is a big difference between the two.

I guess asking people to help subsidise your trip just doesn't sit well with me. I think it is taking advantage of them.

Bon chance