Crew Experience Profile

[Crispin Dean]

For sailing around Mallorca (Ballearic Islands - Mediteranean) in July with 15 meter yacht and 10 Person Crew, given that a number of the crew are going to be completely inexperienced, what is the crew minimum experience profile the community would recommend? What minimum number of experienced sailors in the 10 strong crew should be on-board with the rest being totally inexperienced, and what level of sailing experience should the "experienced" crew members have?

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Crispin Dean.

[boatman61]

Things I'd want to know...
Have any experienced being kicked off a boat for smelly feet and farts...

[accomplice]

Do you feel comfortable single-handing?

With 10 inexperienced crew on a 15meter yacht the biggest problem I might anticipate is that they're in your way!

If I were the captain, I'd find it nice if at least one of the crew were experienced and could lend a hand when asked.

Depending on how long you're out for, and how inclined they are, some of the inexperienced crew may prove useful, but I wouldn't count on it.

Are you planning overnight passages?

[weavis]

10 people?
You need 4 experienced...... Three will do but 4 is good.
Think of the jobs you will be doing, watches, sail handling etc.

Go for 4.

[UNCIVILIZED]

To break it down, & this assumes/has you standing no fixed watches, & a 2 watch rotation:
- 2 watch captains, able to handle pretty much every chore on board (basically Jr. Skippers)
- 1+ per watch with a decent amount of experience
- the others can be new, but must be willing to learn, & quick about such

It'd be VERY nice too, if you have one other crewman who's very experienced. The type who wakes up when the boat's motion changes, sleeps with one ear open & is on deck in a flash if he hears trouble brewing. Call him say, the Sailing Master, or XO (unofficially, or officially) It'd take a lot of load off of you.

And the above is based on the idea that you wont be flying spinnakers, or at least not with any regularity.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Crispin Dean

For sailing around Mallorca (Ballearic Islands - Mediteranean) in July with 15 meter yacht and 10 Person Crew, given that a number of the crew are going to be completely inexperienced, what is the crew minimum experience profile the community would recommend? What minimum number of experienced sailors in the 10 strong crew should be on-board with the rest being totally inexperienced, and what level of sailing experience should the "experienced" crew members have?

Howdy Crispin. Welcome aboard this forum!

What follows is written in a friendly tone.

The following questions come to mind:

Start with the skipper or captain.

What experience does the skipper have?

Any experience with that size boat, as skipper?

Any with a large crew of 8 or 10 under his or her command?

Is the skipper also the owner of the boat?

If not, will the owner also be aboard?

Will anyone be aboard that has sailed on that boat before?

Will anyone be aboard that has sailed those same waters and route before?

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Is the purpose training of crew for other trips? Or just a leisure cruise?

Is there a schedule to keep, such as a limited time during a holiday?

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Good luck.

A tip: With 10 inexperienced people as crew, I would make sure to establish some clear instructions on the use of a marine head.

[Tellus]

Originally Posted by Crispin Dean

For sailing around Mallorca (Ballearic Islands - Mediteranean) in July with 15 meter yacht and 10 Person Crew, given that a number of the crew are going to be completely inexperienced

Know that situation well...most of them had only one ambition: party in Palma every nite and exhaling the hangover during daylight aboard..
agree with uncivilized 100%..you'll need some competend crew

[UNCIVILIZED]

Aside from sailing skills, there are some other significant talents, & attributes which it would pay for crew members to possess:

- Medical skills: Any & everything from intermediate level first aid, up to ER surgeon. Although probably the most useful, & realistic to find would be someone who's an EMT or Nurse.

- Anyone extremely handy with tools, but especially engine mechanics (preferably diesel).

- Folks who are multilingual. Specifically ones who are versant at least at the conversational level or higher in the language(s) of any ports you plan to visit, or may be force to pull into (due to inbound weather, boat or personal casualty).

- At least 2 crew who possess good culinary skills, & can create quality meals out of seemingly meager supplies. Poor food is a DEFINITE morale killer, & good food is surely the opposite.

- Folks who are dive certified, the more heavily the better. For obvious reasons.

- Riggers, Sail makers, or anyone versant in one or several of the Marine Trades.

- A good level of fitness & health in most of the crew is key, as just being aboard a boat under benign conditions is tiring to a lot of landsmen. Let alone when Neptune throws a fit, & how much such conditions wear people out.
*The opposite is also true. Meaning those who are out of shape, in poor health, have lots of allergies, or require specialized diets (even garden variety vegetarians or vegans, no pun intended) are going to put more of a strain on everyone else.


I imagine that with a little thought, you could add a fair number of other skills which it would be handy to have in crew members. The above are just ones off of the top of my head.
Plus it would be wise to delineate, & write up a basic set of ship's policies. And to make sure that the crew has both read them, & signed off on them (literally).


A couple of items to remember when you're interviewing crew are:

- Imagine living with person X in your bedroom for 2 weeks, or a month, as that's essentially the level of privacy & intimacy you have onboard.

- Your life, & that of the rest of the crew may, & will depend on each crewman, so consider them accordingly.

- When on land they are ambassadors for the vessel at all times, so you need to chose folks with good judgment & manners (drunk, or sober).

Also, how do you plan to handle the requirement that there are sufficient funds for a ticket home for everyone onboard, every time you enter a new country?

[weavis]

I work/live in Palma several months of the year.
If this is a paying venture make sure you have appropriate qualifications and licences. Once money change hands it is commercial and if ANYTHING goes wrong and the authorities are involved, its going to be a tough ride.

[Tellus]

Originally Posted by weavis

if ANYTHING goes wrong and the authorities are involved, its going to be a tough ride.

yepp, a ride with SANTANA - spanish version of Land Rover.
Even if Guardia Civil pick you up without ID card - you can get a free ride and perhaps could be its guest for a night...has happened to a friend.

[skipmac]

It will very much depend on what kind of cruising you will do and the experience and competence of the captain.

I used to do deliveries and have made trips to the VI where I was the only experienced hand on the boat. I did one trip with two crew members neither of whom had ever been on a sailboat before. However, both were otherwise competent and on the ball.

If you will just be day sailing from port to port then one very competent captain and 2-3 willing, able and intelligent crew with some minimal experience would do the job.

If you will be making any overnight passages, for a boat that size I would want at least one more experienced person on board, preferably two.