Hello from the Chesapeake!

[emt281101]

Hello All,

Let me start off by saying I'm new to posting on these forums, so bear with me. I am a 20 year old sailor with a lifetime of experience (my dad first took me sailing when I was 6 months old). Ever since I was a small boy my dream has been to circumnavigate the world. I am at a juncture in my life now where it's time to see that through. I would really like to do it on several different boats...that would give me time to stop and see the sights, maybe work in different places to make money along the way.

I have limited offshore experience, but my longest offshore stint was a trip from Annapolis to St. Maarten in the Caribbean, a trip that took 8 days on a Santa Cruz 70 custom. I have also done several trips from Annapolis to Newport, and back.

I have 20 years of experience sailing the Chesapeake Bay, and about 10 years of racing experience; aboard both dinghies and keelboats. I have been teaching dinghy sailing for going on 8 summers now and I am also a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with 2 years in a municipal fire department.

I post here for two reasons:

1) to see if anyone has any advice or recommendations for such a trip...What route should I plan on taking? I am leaving from the Baltimore Area, on the Chesapeake Bay. Ports I should plan on visiting? Ports to avoid? Is it better to try and do the whole trip aboard several boats or aboard one for the whole thing?

2) Anybody know of anyone looking for crew for such a trip?

I guess I should also add that for the first couple of legs I would not be able to help and share costs. I mean, I would certainly be able to help with maintenance, but am not financially able to contribute for the first leg or two. I can cook pretty well, and have a great sense of humor. I don't smoke, but do occasionally drink (although I wouldnt dare drink while the boat was underway....I'll save it for while we are in port).

How feasible does something like this sound?

Thanks in advance for your help.

-Corey

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Corey,
Welcome aboard! Try the local clubs to see if anyone is interested in hiring you on as crew for anywhere. A cook and extra watchstander who knows how to sail might land a berth on a good vessel.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[Ocean Girl]

Corey,
Check out our crew posts on this forum. Ask around at marinas and yacht clubs. All my crewing jobs (did it for 12 years) was by word of mouth and it started with one offshore trip. With your experience I think you can still get a paid crew job but you might have to take a couple free (non paid ) trips at first but once the word gets out that you are good crew and it will get easier and easier to find boats that pay you to crew.
Erika

PS welcome to the site