Turning over a new leaf...

[BeastieSailor]

Hi sailors,

I’m getting close to the “forty” and i’d like to change my life. Sailing is my great passion and probably I’ll move to Carribean sea in the future.
I’m not a great sailor and I’m gaining experience in these years. In this summer, i.e, I’ll sail in Corsica, Sicily and Greece for many weeks and then i hope to get involved in ARC or similar adventures.

When I’ll move to Carribean, I’d like to go there with professional qualifications, in order to have more chances to work there (during our winter). So I’ve started my "educational path" (theorical part) and I hope to arrive at Offshore/Ocean YM in the future.

By now it’s very difficult for me to understand which are the most professional sailing academy in Europe and I’m focusing on English schools, also based in Gibraltar. Someone said me i should only speak to UK sailing organizations and i'm hesitant.

How can I decide? Any suggestions on Carribean area? Is it difficult to get a "temporary" job there? Probably I will be looking also for other non-sailing activities so sailing couldn’t be the only way to survive.
Fair winds and calm seas.


P.s. i hope this was the right section where to post my thread...

[boatman61]

Hi Beastie... Welcome to CF
Its a tough way to earn a living that your choosing... even more so in this economic climate...
2010 I delivered 6 boats
2011 7 boats
2012 2 boats...
2013 1 boat... and hopefully my 2nd starts on the 14th June.
If your looking for rich pickings choose another life... you'll struggle to make ends meet and to be frank... for every Skipper/deckhand/steward/ess job out there there's thousands with the qualifications or similar desires way ahead of you in the queue.. and to add insult to injury... 75% are half your age... fitter and prettier...
In my case... 1/3rd my age... lolol
But... if your still keen go for the RYA schools and commercial tickets...

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF.

[BeastieSailor]

Thanks Gordmay...and thanks Boatman for your support! Do you suggest me to hitch up with the halyard or with the topping lift?

Obviously i'm joking and i thank you for suggestions. I know that it could be a tough life, but i'm not looking for prosperity.

As i wrote, sailing should be temporary activity and i could work for 6/7 months, both in Carribean and Med. My pocket won't increase, unlike my living conditions. Then i should survive also with other minor and simoultaneous activies i'm dealing with (i hope so).

So, every guidance or disapproval could be really preacious for me, especially from sea-faring people...

[boatman61]

Work in the Caribbean is subject to work permits etc...
some work 'Black' but that's a tricky road.. sooner or later your gonna steal from some one else's rice bowl.. and could lose your boat.
Same applies to the Med... back in '97 an Italian guy started running 'of the radar' charters out of Andratx, Majorca...
1st couple of years was fine then he got cheeky and started poaching day trippers from the local boats..
He lost both his boats and copped for hefty fines before being kicked of the island.
When in Rome... don't piss off the Romans...
Life aint as simple as in the '60's and '70's