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Old 20-10-2018, 09:25   #1
Marine Service Provider

Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Fiji
Boat: Beneteau Oceanis 423
Posts: 268
Young (<35) crew to surf in Fiji

BULA! (That’s how you say hello in Fiji)

3 years ago I quit my tech sales job in San Francisco and escaped the rate race with plans for a circumnavigation. I quickly learned Rule #1 on a boat: plans change! I became obsessed with Fiji, started surfing and have spent 3 seasons here so far. In the past I’ve sailed down to New Zealand for cyclone season but this year I'm sticking around so I can surf uncrowded glassy waves a little longer.

My boat is a modern and fast Beneteau 423 that’s been upgraded in every way necessary so we can be “on the hook” for as long as the food lasts.

I’m used to sailing and have even done long passages on my own but I prefer to share this lifestyle and experience with other people my age.

I spend a lot of time around the surf breaks since that’s mostly why I’m here and I have also just started to learn how to kite surf. Life on board “Carthago” is all about enjoying good food, conversation, and staying active by hiking, fishing, kayaking, free diving/snorkeling/spear fishing, bonfires on uninhabited islands, etc.

So far, so good?

Some things to note:
- This is a SHARED adventure which means shared chores, expenses, and fun. We’re all equals on the boat, we vote and share our opinions, but as captain interested in being efficient and safe, I’ll make the final decisions
- Expenses are avfixed amount per day and will cover everything on board (food, beer, fuel, etc.)
- Preference will be given to good cooks, surfers, kite boarders, guitar players, sailors (in that order)
- I’m looking for people around my age (25-35 basically) Please don’t be offended by this or try to convince me otherwise, my mind is fairly made up.
- Sailing experience helps but isn’t necessary. However, good attitude is a must. I’m happy to teach you the rest!
- Cleanliness, tidiness and safety go hand in hand on a boat. And I take safety very seriously!
- You can fly into Nadi Airport (main Fiji airport)
- I usually expect a 1 month commitment to start, and then we can go from there...
- I'll probably ask you to bring a bottle of rum and your favorite drink from the Duty Free if you're flying in.
- Life on a sailboat can be tough. Sometimes you can’t get sleep because the boat doesn’t stop moving back and forth, sometimes you have to wake up in the middle of the night because the wind picks up or the swell comes in unexpectedly and we have to change anchorages, things break and we have to adapt quickly, there’s limited water (you can shower every day, but it’s a short shower), power is limited (we live off solar panels and a wind generator), you need to be astute and move quickly when needed, the boat needs to be kept clean and we all share tasks on board such as washing dishes, cleaning, etc. I think it’s important to be upfront about this, it’s not just the glamorous Instagram shots you see, there's a tough lifestyle behind it all, but it makes it that much better!
- I don’t *need* crew but I’m looking for people I would *want* to share this adventure with. What would your contribution be to life onboard? HINT: You’ll probably get bonus points if you know/want to learn to surf/kitesurf / know your way around the galley / play a musical instrument / are into photography/video...

I’ve spent my life savings on this boat and hundreds of hours of blood, sweat and tears to prepare and upkeep it for this ongoing adventure. Now, I want to spend time with interesting people that will add value, become friends and share memories with. If you’d like to join, please send me a message with a little bit about yourself and what you would contribute to life onboard. (Friendly advice: A message saying “I want to sail, I want to see the world, I want to have fun, I’ve always wanted to explore islands.” probably won’t catch my attention... I like to form TEAMS and everyone needs to contribute for this to be a great experience for all!)

If you can’t join but want to follow along you can check out @sailingseabbatical on Instagram and stay in touch for future opportunities! There are lots of up to date pictures too if you want to have a better idea of what this shared experience is all about!

I look forward to hearing from you!
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YoloSF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-10-2018, 18:30   #2
cruiser

Join Date: Jan 2017
Boat: Retired from CF
Posts: 13,317
Re: Young (<35) crew to surf in Fiji

For those concerned the OP may not be aware of the legal / insurance issues running an unlicensed tourist charter operation in foreign waters,

or those who might be upset about him covering his cruising costs this way,

or about him only wanting younger "sharing" customers,

those issues have already been beaten to death in other threads.
john61ct is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-06-2019, 14:29   #3
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Sydney Australia
Boat: Lagoon 450
Posts: 70
Re: Young (<35) crew to surf in Fiji

Nice post. We are currently in Niue headed to Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu. My son is a keen surfer joinging us in Fiji .... if it's not giving away secrets can u direct me to any safe anchorages near good breaks in the vacinity of Taverua ? I will be spending some time in Musket Cove so particularly interested in that area! cheers George
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Old 06-06-2019, 17:07   #4
Marine Service Provider

Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Fiji
Boat: Beneteau Oceanis 423
Posts: 268
Re: Young (<35) crew to surf in Fiji

Quote:
Originally Posted by gstent View Post
Nice post. We are currently in Niue headed to Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu. My son is a keen surfer joinging us in Fiji .... if it's not giving away secrets can u direct me to any safe anchorages near good breaks in the vacinity of Taverua ? I will be spending some time in Musket Cove so particularly interested in that area! cheers George

Happy to share, the ones around Tavarua, Namotu etc aren’t secret. They’re very obvious though so I’m sure you’ll figure it out very very easily. See you in the waves!
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