Do skippers really want crew? Doesn't seem so...

[messias]

Hi everyone,

I read, more or less everywhere, about the difficulties skippers have in finding crew. From day trips to ocean crossings or occasional deliveries, many complain that they cannot find somebody willing to "crew-up".

Well...from my experience, it's just not true.

After 2 and a half years since I have signed my name under a known "crewing" website, I got ONE (yes, 1) positive answer back... and still the passage was cancelled due to problems with the boats electronics.

• Oh... but maybe you have just signed your name in there, and forgot about it, hoping that some skipper will stumble upon your "CV"...

No... I also "apply" for quite a lot of "announced" passages.

• Oh... but maybe you sound like a "hippie" that only wants a free ride somewhere...

No... I have a long description about myself, my sailing "background", my intentions and I even state that I will happily share costs and I will fly anywhere at my own expense.

• Oh... but maybe you don't have any qualifications whatsoever...

No... In fact I do have them and I have also spent quite some time at sea, so I will not be just a "passenger".

But even if I did not know port from starboard... some skippers even say that "inexperienced passengers" would be welcome.

• Oh... but since you are Portuguese, you only speak Portuguese...

No... I speak native Portuguese, fluent English and Spanish, acceptable French and basic Czech.




Am I missing something here? Is there a hidden code-of-crewing that I am unfamiliar with?


I started sailing when I was about 10yo, owned a few boats, then stopped for a lot of years. I want to buy a sailboat again and I just need to practice. To learn -again- "hands on", in the kind of sailing I intend to do. That's all...


So, all of you skippers in short of a deck-hand... is it really so easy to find someone willing to help, willing in not having that much sleep, doesen't require any pay, shares expenses and is fine eating cold beans from a moving can? Apparently it is...
So what are you complaining about?!




Ahoj,
Filipe Messias

[Captain Obvious]

Do you wear a bikini?

There lies your problem


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[messias]

Hehehehehe....
In that case... I'll never get my feet on a sailboat!

[Captain Obvious]

Maybe post your online crew info here then ppl might comment on what's good and bad about it. Like a job interview, first impressions count. Maybe you seem too keen, over the top, too qualified, under qualified, maybe you smoke, maybe you live too far away from the departure points. Who knows...post what you can and hopefully someone with more brains than me can assist.


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[boatman61]

Speaking from the delivery skippers (my) view point, familiar crew will always be 1st choice.. not because of any particular skill or talent.. but merely because having sailed with me before are confident in my ability to survive..
This eliminates 50% of the stress for a skipper.. nursing an often under prepped, unsuitable boat is stress enough on its own..
Having had 'blind crew' foisted on me buy owners with claims of vast experience that actually turned out to be a coupla weeks cooking for the crew of a shark fishing boat to 2yrs as steward on a merchant vessel one tends to be wary of 'Freshers'.. all I can suggest is spend more time on her and develop a personality that folk want to experience in reality.. and the invitations start to flow.. otherwise your just another cold caller..
Took me a few years to get there.. as you can tell from the posts count..
I know it sounds illogical but good friendships are often made in here and then have strengthed after meeting in real life..
Like everything in life.. its gotta be worked at.. but now and then the rewards are awesome..
And CF has its fair sprinkling of 'Diamonds'...
Bom Continuacao Fillipe..

[Badco_67]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Speaking from the delivery skippers (my) view point, familiar crew will always be 1st choice.. not because of any particular skill or talent.. but merely because having sailed with me before are confident in my ability to survive..
This eliminates 50% of the stress for a skipper.. nursing an often under prepped, unsuitable boat is stress enough on its own..
Having had 'blind crew' foisted on me buy owners with claims of vast experience that actually turned out to be a coupla weeks cooking for the crew of a shark fishing boat to 2yrs as steward on a merchant vessel one tends to be wary of 'Freshers'.. all I can suggest is spend more time on her and develop a personality that folk want to experience in reality.. and the invitations start to flow.. otherwise your just another cold caller..
Took me a few years to get there.. as you can tell from the posts count..
I know it sounds illogical but good friendships are often made in here and then have strengthed after meeting in real life..
Like everything in life.. its gotta be worked at.. but now and then the rewards are awesome..
And CF has its fair sprinkling of 'Diamonds'...
Bom Continuacao Fillipe..

Nice bit of advice, Boatman!

[Wrong]

If I wanted 'male' crew finding crew would be easy. Even though my 'crew wanted' information specifically state my preference for female crew of one, I receive replies from men and 'teams'. A real pain in the proverbial... But then there aren't many women who want to sail on the ocean in a 27' boat. 40' and up thank you very much...

[Suijin]

+1 to Boatie's comments.

There is just about nothing worse in sailing than being stuck on a boat with someone who either 1) has a disagreeable personality 2) has inflated their sailing knowledge and experience, or heaven forbid, both. I've been on passages with people who at the outset seemed reasonable and level-headed only to watch as some hitherto unknown and problematic personality traits emerged. That includes selfishness, argumentativeness, insecurity, inappropriate comments and/or behavior, and downright insubordination. I've also been on passages with crew who crowed about their experience only to find that it was vastly overstated. One of them stated confidently that they had served as navigator and watch captain on a boat caught in a hurricane off Cape Hatteras. It emerged during the passage that they were a mast-hugging passenger checking the boat's progress on their iPhone.

When someone says they're an "experienced sailor" I long ago learned to take that with a grain of salt. It's meaningless. And it's often not their fault. They don't know what they don't know because they don't know it yet.

So, you go with who you know, particularly if you've sailed with them, and you work hard on finding those people. Most skippers I know don't post a call for crew unless they are absolutely desperate with their back to the wall, if only because of the time it takes to wade through the responses. So in light of that, perusing "crew available" listings is the norm, and even that is tactic of last resort.

You want to crew? Get to know some delivery captains, somehow. Get to know people. It's all about who you know, or more importantly, how well they know you.

[sailorboy1]

I've never gone looking for crew really. But I've looked for people to come local sailing with me as an extra hand and company. Without a doubt I'm more interested in the people's personality and them being good company than I am in any sailing experience they have. In fact if they have too much experience it seems to become a problem more often than not when they are more interested in showing all that experience than listening to how I want to sail MY boat.

[boatman61]

Skippers/Owners get a lot off feedback from this forum.. your sense of humour.. your knowledge/experience.. even your taste in food and music.. it all helps.
All to many 'Chancers' drift in here and post a single Ad like..
'Sexy Yung Fing'.. aka Bimbo.. or "Blonde, slim blue eyed male 28 fit.." aka Stud..

Then hide nor hair more.. no attempt to socialise..
Google Translate.. ='I'll sit on the foredeck looking Hot.. for the right boat.'
Or backpackers looking to puke all over the boat..
"I Vant to be Alone..
Mingle.. chat awhile.. one minute Australia.. the next SMX or Panama.. if you can't mix here.. you'll suck on a boat..
I see you joined a year after me.. and your 14,750+ posts behind me..


This'll make you laugh..
One could almost say... "CF is my CV.."


Nessecario investimeto para recibos amigo..

[hoppy]

I'm sure most male skippers who are looking for strangers to crew are hoping for something like this



and female skippers looking for



or maybe that is also male skippers

[Randyonr3]

I for one, would rather go short-handed than put up with the crap that some people are requiring as being crew.
The idea of someone comming aboard my boat with a list, as to when I last servised my shitter, is beyond acceptance.. And there is NO need for these people..
Good Crew with a good personality can be found about any Yacht Club or Marina within an hour or so if need be.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by messias

Am I missing something here? Is there a hidden code-of-crewing that I am unfamiliar with?

Yes....yes there is.
See most looking for Crew posts are made by single handed male sailors and if you don't send a photo of yourself like below, they just toss your dating request....ah....I mean "crew list application form" in the trash.
So either shave your legs and get a bikini shot or realize the best crew opportunities come from friends and people you know, not from an internet dating site.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by hoppy

I'm sure most male skippers who are looking for strangers to crew are hoping for something like this

As a male, that crew scares the hell out me

[ryon]

"Women are looking for 32 year old men with fifty foot boats. NOT fifty year old men with 32 foot boats."

Skippers are looking for crew that can/will will help take care of the boat too, and not just joyride. Hang out at the docks, and offer to help and be useful. You'll get a feel for who you want to sail with, and vice versa.