What to look out for when crewing on someones yacht over blue seas??

[atoll]

yeah well i know you guys like to motor everywhere in sheltered waters.......if you get your timing right you can motor all the way! why even bother having sails on your boats.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by atoll

yeah well i know you guys like to motor everywhere in sheltered waters.......if you get your timing right you can motor all the way! why even bother having sails on your boats.

You appear to have forgotten the actual topic of this thread.

[brodie88]

Just to Clarify the route Guys.

The skippers current planned route is to leave Carnarvon, head directly north up and past christmas island (which he is predicting to take 7-8 days, and at which time we will be 10 degrees S of equator). This is will probably be our most exposed time, as we will be corssing through the ITCZ, but once we are 12 degrees of less south of equator our chances of cyclone weather drastically reduce. From there we are heading through the Sunda straight below Sumatra and onward to Port Johor. Overall time is estimated at 3-4 weeks.

STUM - what are our chances of piracy in the waters before and after the Sunda Straight? and is it wise to carry some sort of protection?

We also will be carrying enough fuel on board to sail under motor to land at anytime during our journey.

[ontherocks83]

Wow this is getting catty!!!! I mean really this went from should I to I'm a better sailor then you, real quick. Again I say meet the guy, meet the boat and play it safe. The rest is up to the op to decide.

Essentially this story ends one of two ways. Option 1: the op goes on the journey, makes it safely to where ever and gets praised for being a good sailor. Option 2: the op Dies or needs to be rescued and gets eviscerated, torn a new one, or ridiculed for not knowing the boat he was on wasn't sea worthy and or that he went at the wrong time of season. Either way its his call.Good luck to you op!!!!!!

[StuM]

Originally Posted by brodie88

STUM - what are our chances of piracy in the waters before and after the Sunda Straight? and is it wise to carry some sort of protection?

It's been quite a few years since I was in the region, so I'm not qualified to advise on the current situation.

As for "protection" - I'm not going to state my opinions on the subject and open that can of worms, besides - it's the skipper's call - not yours.

If you want some entertaining reading on the various sides of the argument, just search this forum for similar topics and discussions ad infinitum.

[CarinaPDX]

I am in the camp of caution as far as the boat/captain goes; can't add anything about the weather or route.

One thing that stands out is that this skipper is financially strapped. He is also not reluctant to ask prospective crew to help with that problem. The boat is 40 years old so will require frequent repairs and maintenance, and I would be suspicious that (more) corners were cut. Old EPIRB battery? Then when was the last time the liferaft was repacked? My warning lamp is already lit. What happens if money is needed for repairs - you know he will be asking for your money if he gets a bill - so what is your answer? Even though you are willing to pay some money, I think asking for so much up front is dodgy.

Once out cruising I never asked any crew for money; I just asked them to handle their own travel costs. I provisioned and paid for all food, diesel, and marina fees. If this were a large modern boat with all the modern conveniences then a daily contribution is common, but on an old Ingrid which you are helping to move for the skipper $20/day seems high.

What will matter most is your relationship with the skipper. While it may become clear early that it is not right, just because it feels good for a day or two is no guarantee. You should be meeting him first, but you really should ideally have a planned stop after a few days to reassess and bail if appropriate.

There are far more good people than bad out sailing so you have a good chance of a great adventure. Just be a little cautious, and give the boat and skipper a good survey first (call it getting to know them).

Greg

[jrwaltersr]

Sounds like he owes money and needs to get out of town quick. I've had this happen in Mexico. Turns out the guy owed a bunch for work and didn't want to pay. Oh, and my check for the delivery bounced. Go figure.

[jrwaltersr]

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[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by StuM

You appear to have forgotten the actual topic of this thread.

But not alone and Atoll made a good point, you need wind to sail..

[SaucySailoress]

There's always work to be done on a boat before passage, especially on a boat owned by a single nearly old guy. Spend some time, say a week, cleaning up before you go. That is a worthwhile time investment.

Here in India, we watched a guy gather his crew of 5 together a month before he left. One dropped out due to family tragedy (father died), but two left because they decided the skipper was too rude, basically (I'd have to say I agreed with them on this point). The last two crew did go with him, putting his surliness down to eccentricity. They mutinied, and long before the boat reached East Timor (the destination), and they forced him into Malaysia where they promptly abandoned ship.

You can learn a lot in a short time if you spend a little time with someone. Much as I personally enjoyed this captain's 'eccentricity' as an observer, I said many a time to HWMO that I would never actually want to sail with him!

That said, we have had great experiences with unknowns, including a ten day cruise in Greece with a random stranger we picked up from a crew want ad placed here on CF!

Whatever you decide, go for it, and if it doesn't work out, there's plenty more ships on the sea!

[brodie88]

Thanks for the response guys. After reviewing the situation a bit more and weighing up my options to wait until July for the sail Indonesia rally, I've decided not to go on this trip.

After speaking to the skipper again yesterday he wanted me to buy the SD map card, about 7 meters of sail cloth and other bits like rowlocks. Plus when I said I wasn't coming he told me he had others interested and was planning to maybe take 2 or 3 crew with him. So who know what he asked them to buy for the boat.

So I'll wait it out and get prepared properly and be in Darwin by the end of June to meet the skippers of boats doing the Indonesia rally!

Cheers!

[Coops]

Sounds like a wise decision to me. Good luck.

Coops.

[ontherocks83]

Smart move. Better be safe then sorry.... Now for all the just go for its I don't mean don't go I just mean be smart about it. I say you were smart this time round. Good luck

[StuM]

You probably won't be able to jump on a boat in Darwin for Indonesia without pre-arrangement. Arranging visas and the CAIT for the boat can take quite some time, you can't just add crew at the last minute. Read this: Sail Indonesia

[stillbuilding]

Originally Posted by StuM

You probably won't be able to jump on a boat in Darwin for Indonesia without pre-arrangement. Arranging visas and the CAIT for the boat can take quite some time, you can't just add crew at the last minute. Read this: Sail Indonesia

It took me 2 months for a CAIT. Can always delete a crew but cannot add them, so start organising possible crew places now.