Crew Available: I Have a Problem . . .

[SailFastTri]

My 2-cents:
Sailing, cruising and delivering a boat are all very different based on the purposes.

Sailing is (generally) for pleasure. With perhaps a few exceptions, there is little or no commercial value in it unless you're a paid/sponsored racer or vacation charter crew.

Cruising is a vacation or lifestyle. If you crew aboard a cruising boat, the arrangement is a question of mutual benefit and who wants/needs/gets is totally between the parties, with due respect to the governing laws.

A delivery is not for fun -- it is to get the boat from here to there, and since sailing and schedules don't mix well -- deliveries likely involve a lot of motoring. (Personally, I would only do that for a friend, unless I was getting paid quite well.)

[MarkJ]

Just as an aside....


We parked next to a super yacht in Turkey. It came out of Istanbul and had 2 Australian deckhands. Both kids about 21.
Next morning I'm up at the crack of dawn (9am) and they are polishing the boat. One doing the windows.

I said: "Hey puss-head how often do you clean all those windows?"
"Every day."
"That must take a while"
"Yep. I start at 4am. My anchor watch starts at 4AM and we have to start on the windows then...."

Now thats paid crew. They sure as hell were't knocking off at 4pm after a 12 hour day. I reckon whatever those kids were on just wasn't worth it.

[FreeSC]

I am shocked this thread stirred so much emotion... and always suprised at what people think is "fair"

As one previous person stated ...boat delivery is "work" .. I am self employeed and fix"junk"..(cars.boats, planes) for a living... I am a pilot/and plane owner..an accomplished sailor/and boat owner... and I enjoy what I do .. but I will not do a boat delivery for free..it is work.. I have yet to go on one that didn't envolve repairs and quite often emergency repairs... I have never found a "new "boat or a "properly maintained boat that needed crew for delivery.... (i am sure they do exist though)

I charge $75-150 a day plus expenses(feed me and pay ground transportation).... thats damn close to free... I have been on a delivery where the transmission went out.. I removed it dockside rebuilt it and reistalled it ..4 days work (600 labor)_ and under $400 for parts (Thanks NAPA)! and the owner grumbled about the added expense and delay! Find a good mobile marine mechanic that works this cheap?.. I am a damn good at what I do.. and I do it cheap because I enjoy it..I live simple, and i want to take time to enjoy living life, but it's nice to be appreciated!

When you buy a 15-50 year old boat,,it is a project... it's going to need work ...and a guy like myself is an asset... an asset thats worth something! and what I charge is peanuts... so you better keep some cold beer aboard too!

If you can find someone to PAY YOU to crew&work on your boat... then you need to get into the marketing buisness!

[Drew13440]

If you can find someone to PAY YOU to crew&work on your boat... then you need to get into the marketing buisness!

Yep, good advice. There are some situations where "paying crew" are OK, I think, but they're backed up by "paid crew," who take over when the going gets tough. "Paying crew" are usually in it for experience and adventure. And they will need to be fed, wined, dined and entertained. I would not expect a happy experience asking "paying crew" to man the galley and unclog the head.

[FreeSC]

If I "pay to crew" there better be beautiful warm weather, good drinks and lots of half naked,large breasted women with loose morals....

[Bash]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

So that was just a tip jar on the counter?

I was wondering who left that quarter.

[TEE]

If you don't like the terms, don't do the deal. Inexperienced crew are not worth paying. Maybe they ride for free, but if they don't know what they are doing, they are more of a problem than an asset. I am perplexed why inexperienced crew think you should pay them to teach them how to sail, and then pay for a plane ticket back home. Would you want that on an airplane? Hey pilot, pay the copilot how to fly!! Why would you expect that on a boat? Inexperience can get somebody hurt. If I am paying, I want to get what I am paying for.

[FreeSC]

TEE... I agree inexperienced crew shouldn't be paid... but if you have a well prepared boat for offshore and experience yourself ..you likely don't need "crew"... my experience in "crew in need" are older boats and less than experienced owners that both need repair and babysitting... and I have no problem providing that babysitting and repair..for a small fee..

[VirtualVagabond]

When I first saw this thread, I thought the opening post was so obviously F#%!kwitted that it had to be purely for the fun of being controversial, and I thought the thread would be lucky to survive 10 posts.

Three pages later every aspect and possible permutation has bee done to death, so my contribution is only to recommend a really good book I finished reading a couple of months ago... Occupation Circumnavigator - Lars Hassler

Basically, he wanted to be able to afford to cruise, and bought a 50' Beneteau to circumnavigate with paying crew. Took him 10 years and he had plenty clients who joined him for repeats, so they must have felt they got value.
It's entertaining, intellegent, informative and well worth the few quid it tips into his jar...

[Boracay]

What I want is a list of crew who work for money. Included should be a summary of their experience, a list of any disabilities, some references and any "extras" they need.

A clear understanding of how much is to be paid is essential.

"Extras" would include alcohol, tobacco and caffeine.

Volunteer crew who know what they are doing are great but if they're any good they have more requests than they know what to do with.

When I need crew I need them there on time and competent. Unpaid crew might be one or the other, but both is asking too much.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Thorin

... I don't get out of bed for less than $25 an hour

You sound like a girlfriend I once had, but she was headed in the other direction,
at about the same rate too.... it was a long time ago.

... "It's a business doing pleasure with you..."

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by FreeSC

I am shocked this thread stirred so much emotion... and always suprised at what people think is "fair"

Actually we have several (plenty) of these threads. They do get very emotional at times.

This is one of those topics where it is good to remember, "Different strokes for different folks."

It is largely about perspective.

- I would take on shared expense crew
- I would pay a delivery skipper if I couldn't deliver my own boat
- I would not likely pay crew at this point in my sailing career, although I can see circumstances where I would

In those cases -

- I have low sailing expectations of a shared expense crew
- I would expect a complete resume, experience, references and qualifications from a professional delivery skipper
- I would expect a complete resume, experience, references and qualifications from professional crew

In the second two cases they are employees and will be handled as such.

[Thorin]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

You sound like a girlfriend I once had, but she was headed in the other direction,
at about the same rate too.... it was a long time ago.

... "It's a business doing pleasure with you..."

I couldn't sleep friday night and was out for a walk when to intoxicated young ladies literally stumbled across my path. They offered to sleep with me for a penny. I said show me the penny first!

Joking aside this is a case of show me the penny first. Make contracts so each party has a clear understanding of roles and expectation and cost/reward. If the terms are agree able to both parties who are you to judge! That said if you want something you have to ask for it so it's silly to feel incensed at some one because they post a wanted ad asking people topaz the to work on the boat

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Just as an aside....


We parked next to a super yacht in Turkey. It came out of Istanbul and had 2 Australian deckhands. Both kids about 21.
Next morning I'm up at the crack of dawn (9am) and they are polishing the boat. One doing the windows.

I said: "Hey puss-head how often do you clean all those windows?"
"Every day."
"That must take a while"
"Yep. I start at 4am. My anchor watch starts at 4AM and we have to start on the windows then...."

Now thats paid crew. They sure as hell were't knocking off at 4pm after a 12 hour day. I reckon whatever those kids were on just wasn't worth it.

Mark, they are probably making USD 35 to 45k a year and if it charters, tips will be about double that. Tax free!

If private, the Owners are onboard maybe 3 to 4 months of the year max and that is when the crew are scheduled to cover 24 hrs for “anchor watch” but more so to maintain a security presence on deck in the wee hours.

The other 6 or 7 months the crew are on standby usually at a nice marina in the area working 9 to 5 for 5 days, or on delivery, or paid vacation.

On cruising standby, the Captain will be exploring various exotic locations checking them out before the owner’s arrival, so the crew often get to do exactly what the owner will do. Checking out dive sites, or shore intrests.

….Not bad for a 21 year old who gets to see the world and is fed and clothed, so that they can normally bank over 80% of their income and are fed like kings.

[NYCSavage]

I understand both sides of the argument but I wouldnt pay to be crew

1) I would not pay to work on someones boat, if I am working, then I should be the one getting paid
2) I have minimal experience, but you can bet every penny you own that I will pull my own (considerable) weight
3) If you ask me to do something, it will get done, I may have to ask how to do it, but I wont give up until it is done
4) I am more than happy to do night watch if necessary
5) I would provide food and maybe a drink or 10
6) I also provide good company

Now, who wants to hire me? lol