Crew Wanted: S. Mex to Newport, OR now

[Delivery Guy]

Crew required to join professional delivery captain, master to 350 Tons, and mate, on delivery from Huatulco, S Mex, to Newport OR, on '02 Nauticat 44' pilothouse, well found, leaving in about 7 days.
All found--bunk and meals but no pay, no air fare. We have Extensive experience in prevailing weather conditions.
Please PM me.
Delivery Guy

[model 10]

How "professional" is using free crew for that trip?

[Delivery Guy]

The Capt. and mate must be legally qualified, fully experienced and capable of the voyage. The 3rd hand usually has the least experience and qualifications and gets all boat expenses paid and the opportunity of gaining invaluable experience. You want more?
Delivery Guy

[Sailor Greg]

I have my Capt. Lic. 15,000 nm international delivery experience, and excellent Capt references.

Yet Delivery Guy, in a pm, offered me the "opportunity" to crew which included NO compensation, plus flying at my own expense from DC to Mex (on short notice), then flying from Oregon back to DC; all in order to help him earn a delivery fee. WOW. I sent him a polite note saying that those terms were not acceptable.

However, I was very much offended.

I'd expect such an offer from some shoe-string cruiser trying to get from point A to point B. I get these offers all the time; and I sometimes accept them because I see some poor guy trying to move his boat. No worries. I'm happy to help as long as no one is making money.

But as a PROFESSIONAL delivery Captain who himself is getting paid, Delivery Guy should offer his crew, particularly licensed and experienced crew, some compensation.

If Delivery Guy and his mate are "capable" of delivering the boat, then why ask for a third crewmember? I know why. Delivering a boat from Mex to Oregon is grueling work. Two people could do it, but their work is made much easier with a third. As such, that third should be offered something beyond the experience of watching an AIS screen and hours and hours and hours of water.

What Delivery Guy seems to miss is that by failing to offer offer licensed and professional crew (or any crew) commensurate compensation (beyond meals), he cheapens the profession, and thus himself.

To contrast, I recently crewed on a boat from Rhode Island to Newfoundland. I asked for airfare plus on board meals plus $100/day (my standard compensation). The PROFESSIONAL delivery captain agreed but INCREASED the pay to $250/day. I asked him why. His response was that my experience and licence warranted it.

That's how professional delivery captains operate.

[neophytecruiser]

Regardless of whether or not additional deliver crew will receive any type of compensation, it is clear, based on credentials and professional experience, the skipper is well qualified to make the delivery of a 44 foot Nauticat. I would be more interested in details concerning his assertion of "extensive experience in prevailing weather conditions."

With all due respect, leaving Huatulco at this time during hurricane season would lend a shadow of concern regarding his sense of good seamanship. There are few places to duck into in the event of a named tropical storm. While the Nauticat 44 is a displacement cruiser, approaching 20 tons or more fully ladened, it's not noted as a speedster and will be moving uphill on it's voyage to Oregon. If I were potential crew, I'd like a bit more detail regarding his "extensive experience in prevailing weather conditions." This is just in MHO.

[highseas]

I thought I needed to ship my boat from Mexico,instead I did my own delivery from Barra de Navidad to Vancouver BC,solo,and saved about 10k.It wasn't that bad.I have no ticket.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Guy

How "professional" is using free crew for that trip?

the crew is paid with free passage and board (food). Most people pay for such a privilege. IMHO, it is quite professional and common. The task is to choose well. Too many liars out there who overstate their skills and experience.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Sailor Greg

I have my Capt. Lic. 15,000 nm international delivery experience, and excellent Capt references.

Yet Delivery Guy, in a pm, offered me the "opportunity" to crew which included NO compensation, plus flying at my own expense from DC to Mex (on short notice), then flying from Oregon back to DC; all in order to help him earn a delivery fee. WOW. I sent him a polite note saying that those terms were not acceptable.

However, I was very much offended.

You are greatly overqualified for the position offered....why would you apply? You should not be the third hand...you should be the skipper. Why you would apply for an unpaid delivery is beyond me.

The offer would be good for perhaps a young person looking to get some offshore experience. The opportunity to do a delivery with qualified sailors is chance to learn. It would be so much more valuable than taking a course.

Someone who owns a boat but not yet done offshore work would greatly benefit from the generous offer of Delivery Guy.

When I was in Antigua, the bar was full of young people seeking positions like this.

I myself went as crew on a delivery from Spain to Antigua. I received no pay. But also, it cost me nothing. The experience was invaluable. I met many people who actually paid to be part of a crew...I had a good deal, and so is the offer being made in this thread.

[SVJennie]

"The offer would be good for perhaps a young person looking to get some offshore experience. The opportunity to do a delivery with qualified sailors is chance to learn. It would be so much more valuable than taking a course."

After the trip north from S. Mexico, if that were the person's first or early experience in sailing, there is a good chance the neophyte would not want to set foot aboard a sailboat again.

I have seen young people who thought they could do anything get off the boat ASAP, and that was from Cabo.

[Voodooman]

The issue seems simple enough to me. The offer was clearly stated, and no unwilling persons need respond. Seems common for people who desire free passage or ocean experience (or both) to accept such offers for just that reason alone. I agree that if you're over-qualified or seeking monetary compensation for your efforts, you should save your indignation and answer postings for crew positions that offer money.

I happen to know that Delivery Guy is doing this passage much more for his love of the sea than for money, Not my place to reveal his personal compensation amount, but he isn't making a windfall then and leaning on his crew to bring home the cash for him. Considering Delivery Guy's level of experience, an enthusiastic sailor might well see this opportunity as a rare blessing.

[Delivery Guy]

For the benefit of SVJennie, all my friends on the forum, and for the sake of protecting my good reputation and to answer NEOPHYTECRUISER'S question: What do I mean by "experience dealing with prevailing wx conditions," Without using the dreaded "H" word, let me just say I have practically written the book on such matters. Having worked in a senior position (civilian) for the Cdn Navy, UK Navy and Cdn Coast Guard, and having written and passed the examination (not a bubble test) on Meteorology for my Captain's license and having retired from the yacht delivery business (San Francisco) after 20 years as the best formally qualified and longest serving yacht delivery captain between Alaska and San Francisco, I then won the Western Magazine Writer's Award for an in-depth article on the science in meteorology/climatology and the practice of forecasting hurricanes (the horrible H word) and how to minimize damage when you get caught in one. Thank you all. I'll let it go at that.
Delivery Guy

science/technology


delivery history

[SVJennie]

In no way was I questioning your credentials, ability, and or background. I was just suggesting the trip north from S. Mexico isn't necessarily a piece of cake, and there are many neophytes that have given up the idea of cruising as a result of just heading south to Cabo from SF, and that wasn't even in what I would consider a challenging weather situation.

All the best!

S/V Jennie

[SVJennie]

I just want to emphasize the fact that I was referencing the neophytes you might pick up as crew, and not you. For some, experiencing an offshore gale during the first few days of sailing is enough to scare them off permanently from cruising, but there are others who will enjoy the challenge.

Again, all the best in acquiring the crew that will make the passage worthwhile for all hands.

[neophytecruiser]

I appreciate you expanding on your experience, but I never doubted that for a minute. I was only questioning the prudence of making a long, uphill slog in a capable, albeit slow, motorsailer. It's not clear from your response how much experience you have with deliveries in these lower latitudes. While, personally, I would do what I could to avoid a 50-60 knot storm in the Gulf of Alaska, I have even greater respect for winds in the 120-150+ knot category regardless of the vessel.

I accept, not only are you a capable mariner, but also an expert meteorologist. I'm trying to learn what, in your wealth of experience, gives you the confidence of making correct decisions for departure this time of year. This isn't a post to impugn your competence, rather a question to gain a better understanding of what goes into your decision making.

I've been on the water for the past 60 years, but still have plenty to learn.

[captlloyd]

Wow, I don't know what some of you folks are thinking. If I were 20 years old and single I would jump at a chance like this. Sure I would want to know Guy's marine history, but from what I have read so far it seems rock solid.