Crew Available: Instructions for crew - Crewing for Dummies

[The Traveler]

Aarrrgh,

You're right. Great replies by the experienced members of the community.

Sounds like you're in a great place with your business. I hope you get out there on the water soon.

[The Traveler]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Hi Traveler,
Welcome aboard! Sounds like you got a lot of good info. I might add a couple:
*bring your favorite pillow (that helps me sleep anyway)
*maybe someone mentioned it and I missed it but: harness and pfd and weather gear">foul weather gear and good gloves and rigging knife, it's better to have your own that you know well. I'd add a strobe and a plb personally.
*I doubt there will be any showering unless you luck out on a short delivery on a really big boat.
*And as said, ask questions without being annoying, and stay calm even if the weather isn't.
*Making coffee and snacks for everyone is always a plus.
*Don't forget your glasses and any medications!
*Try to avoid complaining about anything at all costs
*sleeping bag but if you'll be in hot weather ALSO bring a sheet sewn into a bag for a liner for your bag or to sleep when it is too warm at night.
*some kind of fleece for under the foul weather gear (you can tell I am not sailing around Florida)

I'm sure there'll be few more tips. Good luck in your adventures and future plans.

Don,

Don't want to derail this thread, but what rigging knife do you recommend? I have a Spyderco Manix that's been with me for years, I love it, and I take it aboard with me. How important is it to carry one with a marlinspike?

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by The Traveler

Don,

Don't want to derail this thread, but what rigging knife do you recommend? I have a Spyderco Manix that's been with me for years, I love it, and I take it aboard with me. How important is it to carry one with a marlinspike?

Hey, you started the thread. I'm pretty sure read that the internet allows the OP to derail at will. Others are only allowed to derail after 50 posts, after the original question has been clearly answered or Godwin's Law manifests, whichever comes first.

Regarding knives, I used to carry a rigging knife with a marlinspike but recently decided a Leatherman Wave is a better option. Keep is sharp.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by The Traveler

Don,

Don't want to derail this thread, but what rigging knife do you recommend? I have a Spyderco Manix that's been with me for years, I love it, and I take it aboard with me. How important is it to carry one with a marlinspike?

Not likely you'll be called on to do any splicing though there may be a jammed knot someone may ask you to untie, and the loop included on most rigging knives for opening shackles does come in handy. I'm not familiar with that particular knife but just make sure it is high quality steel and can hold its edge, opens easily and is kept on you in a handy, safe and comfortable place in a vest. You'll probably never need it, but in an emergency, you'll need it. From my river running days I also have a (non-folding) knife that slides and clips into a sheath on the pfd. I have never needed it, but I sure like having it handy.
Oh, a whistle in the vest pocket is another thing I carry, the really loud one. I haven't needed that either yet.

BTW, perhaps an obvious one, but the skipper will really appreciate it if the crew remembers the boat belongs to someone else, so keeping it very clean and undamaged will be quietly impressive to a skipper because it helps him or her look good too when you get there.

[CarinaPDX]

For a cruiser his boat is his home, as well as a vessel. When it comes to boat operations, the skipper's word is law (and so is his responsibility). On other matters I look at it as having house guests: I try very hard to be a good host, and I expect the crew to act as a house guest should (a vanishing concept). It is not a democracy; when you visit someone's home you should not argue with them or tell them that they have things wrong - although good suggestions are always welcomed if presented as such. Attitude is really important.

When interviewing for a berth do ask questions. One area worth knowing is the skipper's plans for feeding the crew. I have been sucked into deliveries where there was just a skimpy sandwich or two per day, and I have known many crew who have found similar problems (on other boats). FWIW I have 3 meals a day, taken together, including a full hot dinner. ALWAYS. Plus I stock up on snack foods for the night watch, including nuts, fruits (dried and fresh), chocolate, candy bars - you name it. Along with cocoa, coffee, and tea. Outside of the tropics you will be burning calories at an incredible rate and it is important to keep up strength. I also like to be able to offer chocolate-covered coffee beans - better than No-Doze. Food is important - see that your skipper has it right. Also, if you bring your own snacks, do be sensitive to others. And don't home in on a favorite snack and consume more than your share.

If anyone brings a sleeping bag I ask them to stow it somewhere unless they simply must use it. I carry sheets, blankets, and comforters for every berth - I hate camping out and don't expect crew to like it either. You probably can't expect that...

Once aboard, one of the most endearing traits is to volunteer instead of waiting to be asked to do something. Be helpful. If you didn't do the cooking then get up and start cleaning the dishes - don't wait to be told. And keep your mess in your berth and assigned storage - don't spread out and take over.

I have had wonderful crew, and I have had awful crew, and many in between. The wonderful crew can count on a great recommendation, in writing if desired. So be wonderful - friendly, considerate, and useful - then ask for a recommendation; it may be valuable in the future.

Greg

[Don C L]

I realize now you were talking about crewing in general.. somehow I thought it was crewing on deliveries.
Well, it's pretty similar, except for the part about it's not the skipper's boat.

[CarinaPDX]

I should add: no matter how much you may want to get on a boat, be very reluctant to go with a skipper that doesn't know his job well. Once the lines are slipped you will be obliged to do his bidding, no matter how misguided. To make matters worse, inexperienced skippers sometimes feel the need to hide their inexperience by being overly assertive. It is not uncommon to see a skipper slam his boat into a dock then yell at the crew - who weren't instructed to do anything but it must have been their fault. Run far away...

Greg

[Harlequin]

Lots of great responses there. I would add / endorse the following suggestions. Some may sound trivial, but if you want that extra star for being tip-top crew...

Don't assume you'll be provided with all your personal safety gear. Aside from an LSJ & tether which is standard boat equipment (but do check) you'd be well advised to carry your own Leatherman (with a sharp knife), flashlight, headtorch, strobe, whistle and PLB. Maybe the AIS-style, which lets your own AIS-equipped boat know your location, as opposed to a SAR centre some hundreds of miles away.

Tested: AIS MOB devices – Yachting World

Sea-sickness pills/patches - use them, at least for the first 48 hrs of an offshore passage. You may not think you'll need them, but if you're wrong there's a strong chance you'll become a passenger (or worse, a liability) at just the time you're needed. Usually below decks on the first night, when something breaks! Recommend starting the meds at least 24 hrs before departure as they may have a doping effect that takes some getting used to.

Keep your gear in check! If you have a cabin, keep it tidy & stow your gear & clothes. Chances are, there's other gear stowed there and access will be required. Elsewhere, don't leave your gear (shoes, jacket, gloves, camera, hat, sun-lotion, bikini-top, etc, etc, etc) kicking around. It gets to be a real pain, even a safety issue during night watches.

Respect the boat! You wouldn't go round to somebody's home and smear sand, salt & suntan-lotion all over their sofa would you? Most owners have two 'quarantine' lines: one at the transom, where you try to leave all sand behind (it gets everywhere in the boat otherwise) and another at the companionway for salt & suntan-lotion. Be pro-active and respect these lines.

Take a supply of your own sweets/cookies if you're a nibbler. We always load up on snacks for those night watches, but it's impossible to carry enough if someone (usually a youngster) takes it into their head to help themselves to the sweeties every 5 minutes. And yes, everyone does notice...

Help out, more than just the bare minimum. Washing up, cleaning the head, sweeping the cabin & cockpit out, are all jobs that need to be done on a daily basis. If you just get on and do it without being asked, you will certainly stand out as exemplary crew.

And if you find you're not affected by sea-sickness and others are, your extra time in the galley during the first few days at sea when others can't, will be very much appreciated. Hot soup or (non-spicy) noodles sent up to the cockpit for the mal-de-mer sufferers can be a life-saver.

Lastly, keep your sense of humour. A laugh can be infectious and defuse any number of situations, from fear to anger. I will sign on happy, can-do crew over glum experienced crew any day of the week!

Hope this helps.

Jim
SY Harlequin
Whangarei

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by The Traveler

Don,

Don't want to derail this thread, but what rigging knife do you recommend? I have a Spyderco Manix that's been with me for years, I love it, and I take it aboard with me. How important is it to carry one with a marlinspike?

IMHO the best boatknife you can buy is the Boye folder with titanium marlinspike. The knife is totally rustproof and blade will cut through 12mm double braid like it was nothing, and stays sharp. They are expensive but extremely well made. Oh they include a shackle key in the blade which can be handy.

At the other end of the spectrum the Camillus boat knife is pretty darn good for $30.

Don't know about that particular Spyderco but will just say that sailing offshore will make mincemeat out of many "stainless steel" knives. A knife that was fine for coastal sailing will be a rusted hunk after a long passage.

[wagsea6b]

Originally Posted by Suijin

IMHO the best boatknife you can buy is the Boye folder with titanium marlinspike. The knife is totally rustproof and blade will cut through 12mm double braid like it was nothing, and stays sharp. They are expensive but extremely well made. Oh they include a shackle key in the blade which can be handy.

At the other end of the spectrum the Camillus boat knife is pretty darn good for $30.

Don't know about that particular Spyderco but will just say that sailing offshore will make mincemeat out of many "stainless steel" knives. A knife that was fine for coastal sailing will be a rusted hunk after a long passage.

That Boye looks nice but pretty pricey.

I love my Myerchin. I would rate it as one of my top 5 “must haves/most used” onboard.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by wagsea6b

That Boye looks nice but pretty pricey.

I love my Myerchin. I would rate it as one of my top 5 “must haves/most used” onboard.

Except for it's size and weight. It's a beast. Received one as a gift a few years ago and got rid of it after a short period. It's beautifully made though, no doubt.

[JPA Cate]

And yet another thing, The Traveler:

Set yourself some goals for things you want to learn: line handling, MOB procedures, etc. Make sure you ask to PRACTICE these. Also, be aware, "different ships, different long splices": for instance, some people do repeated unlocking turns on cleats; others, one round turn and two half hitches, a proper cleat hitch that locks; some leave out the round turn, but it is your protection when you ease the line in a breeze. So, people will do things differently, and you'll learn different things, and then be able to compare them. Some things depend on how many there are aboard, and so on. Many variables.

Ann

[CharlesFCook]

Just a tip...

Unpack ASAP.

I like to live out of my duffle bag but the Capt I work with hates this. So I unpack to keep him happy. On one trip I did not unpack until after dinner the night before we were to get underway. Turns out everything in my bag was drenched. I think my bag got set down in a puddle at the airport. This was going to start out as a cold trip and I would have been in trouble with wet gear. I was lucky we still had a rental car and I could go and get my gear dry.

[CaptTom]

Good suggestions all. I went through my sea bag checklist for deliveries and most of it has already been mentioned. Here are a few more things you might want to tuck in there:

- Zip-lock bags (1000 uses)
- Plastic grocery or trash can bags
- Band-aids (not to duplicate the boats first aid kit, but sometimes you just need one!)
- Water Bottle
- Waterproof case/bag for cell phone
- Notepad and pencils
- Small LED flashlight
- Multimeter (OK, this is mostly for deliveries)
- Hand Soap / sanitizer (just in case)
- Handheld VHF & charger
- USB charger or two (basically a small battery w/USB port)
- USB cables, adapters and chargers
(I also carry spare lightning and normal USB cables; I don't even own an apple product, but you can be a hero if someone forget/broke theirs, and they don't take much room.)

For coastal cruising, have some apps on your phone and know how to use them; navigation, charting, weather, wind, tides, guides, etc. And if you're stopping along the way, shoreside stuff like maps and Uber.

[The Traveler]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Not likely you'll be called on to do any splicing though there may be a jammed knot someone may ask you to untie, and the loop included on most rigging knives for opening shackles does come in handy. I'm not familiar with that particular knife but just make sure it is high quality steel and can hold its edge, opens easily and is kept on you in a handy, safe and comfortable place in a vest. You'll probably never need it, but in an emergency, you'll need it. From my river running days I also have a (non-folding) knife that slides and clips into a sheath on the pfd. I have never needed it, but I sure like having it handy.
Oh, a whistle in the vest pocket is another thing I carry, the really loud one. I haven't needed that either yet.

BTW, perhaps an obvious one, but the skipper will really appreciate it if the crew remembers the boat belongs to someone else, so keeping it very clean and undamaged will be quietly impressive to a skipper because it helps him or her look good too when you get there.

You were supposed to tell me I need this https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/details/C06TI/Tusk/859 so I can add it to my Christmas list.