Crew Available: Crew Wanted/Available Checklist

[P3sailor]

Having just returned from a crewing opportunity, I feel the need to compile a thorough and useful checklist to be used when applying or accepting a crew position on a sailing vessel.
I've used a basic checklist in the past but this time, out of desperation to sail, I accepted the opportunity with few questions and of those asked, most were either left unanswered, were incomplete, or simply, were not truthful. Shame on me, all the "Red Flags" were raised, my error, no one else to blame.
I'm certain many of you, who have brought crew aboard, have experienced similar scenarios but my goal here is to compile a checklist that will work for all.
All of your input will be appreciated. Steve

[s/v Moondancer]

We take crew, usually from our sailing club in Miami but 1 in 4 are from the Internet. This is what we tell them:

A well equipped and well maintained 'blue-water-boat with all the best safety equipment, liferaft, radar, AIS, multiple chartploter systems.

My wife and I are very experienced ( conbined 80,00 blue water miles) with professional qualifications.

We offer references from responsible people with extensive sea time who have sailed with us.

The only problems we have had with crew has been emotional instability. We now choose crew with a documented job history who are not disatisfied with their life and think that 20-30 days at sea will improve things for them.

[boatman61]

Your going on someone elses boat.. for free..
You got to sail..
Your still alive..
Theres more..???
Why did you not get off at the first port you came to..???

[LLCoolDave]

You mean like this?

Checklist For Voluntary Crew

It's actually a sticky post in the crew section.

[P3sailor]

Boatman, I didn't go into detail regarding this vessel and owner/skipper. Basically, I and another flew to Mexico with good intentions, saw and went aboard the vessel and opted not to sail her. She reeked of diesel fuel and human waste, was in total disarray, and had a forest growing on her hull. There's more but I'd just as soon leave that for another day. I just felt she needed several weeks, minimum, of good work just to make her seaworthy, IMHO! This was not a "free" trip but I consider this a very good learning experience that I would not want anyone else have to go through. Again, I knew there would be those who would view this differently, just asking for a nice, thorough checklist that may help others, along with myself.

[boatman61]

Bumma.. my apologies..
I got the impression that you had done the trip from your post.. not that you'd not even started..
Really there is nothing much you can do to protect yourself from owners bullshit in cases like this.. old photos can be used for misinformation.
Had a boat like this which I was hired to move from Cork to SE. Spain.. was told she was ready to go but when I arrived I found her still at the mooring she'd been on for over 2yrs prior to being bought.
Took over a week to get her habitable.. her dodgy fuel system failed so pulled into Falmouth where rather than do it myself threw the job Atolls way.. and he had the transport and local knowledge..
Got the boat to its destination but it was a bit of a nightmare with 2 crew who were friends of the owner and knew zero about sailing and hid in bad weather.. basically a solo delivery.
But I was getting paid and it was pre pension days when I could not afford to be choosy.. so I chose to look on it as a challenge.
Hope you have better luck next time..

[bvimatelot]

Yeah, Boatie, been there, done that!! In fact just finished a 45yr old one with 2 owner's friends as crew...you know the rest of the story!! Will we ever learn, I ask myself!!!

[Snore]

To the OP sit and ask what is important to you as crew. But be careful not to make it an interrogation.

My checklist continues to evolve. Although I have moved boats with less technology on board than the Mayflower- I like to know that before hand.

That said- following is a synopsis of a pre-bid interview:

Does the boat have a chart plotter? YES, Autopilot? YES. VHF? YES. Depth gauge? YES

Drove 5+ hours to the boat. Chart plotter has 10 year old chip. Autopilot did not work. Depth gauge did not work. VHF passed dockside radio test. But died 3 hours into delivery.

Bottom line is some owners will misrepresent material facts. So develop a checklist that is basic- keep in mind you are crew- and realize that “stuff” will happen.

As crew I would worry more about the captain than the vessel. A good captain/skipper can deliver a marginal but seaworthy boat without issue. A marginal captain/skipper can make delivering a good boat a nightmare.