Paying buddy boat to do repairs

[karkauai]

Hi Sailors,
I've been sailing for 40+ years, on my own 1999 Amel SuperMaramu for 12 yrs. I'm 74 now and still haven't gotten thru the Panama Canal to fulfill my S Pacific dream. Divorce, work, remarried, Covid...seems it's always something, eh?
Now that I know how to fix most things, and what spares I need to carry...my back, hips, and knees complain so loudly that I'm about ready to give up on the dream. Thinking outside the box, we're trying to figure out how to make it work.
One option we've discussed is finding a capable couple who we could buddy-boat with, and pay them to do the things that require getting into those positions I can't manage any more.

First problem is finding the right people, who want to go where we do. Is this a good forum to make the offer? Where else?

Next is how to structure payment. Settle on an hourly fee? Pay a weekly or monthly stipend to have them available when needed? If so, what's reasonable? If it worked great for 4-5 years, I would even consider giving them the boat when I'm done. Bet that opened a few eyes!

Do you hold them to a yearly contract? Getting left high and dry somewhere would be a bummer.
But so would traveling with somebody who didn't want to be there.

Am I clutching at straws here, or is this doable? I don't want to give up the dream, and I'm having a bit of a hard time accepting that I'm not as independent as I once was, but finding people to help out is proving more difficult than I anticipated. Keeping up with repairs and maintenance has become a bummer for me, but I still love to sail, and cruise.

I'm sure I've missed any number of other issues. Any and all thoughts, comments, criticisms, etc are welcome.

Thanks,
Kent

[MikeHoncho]

Being held to a contract and having to follow someone else is not my version of fulfilling my dreams. I think you would be hard pressed to find someone filling that role unless you had a individual going with you in your boat for legs.

[sailormed]

Try go find that helping hand and use it your own boat. The Super Maramu is big enough. Start with small WE and weeks long trips with that person before you make the big jump. You will find soon enough if it will work with that person.

[Chotu]

Just hire an qualified (or qualified enough) engineer/deckhand that uses the other stateroom. Like the other post said, try them out locally and see how it goes until you find a match.

The boat has the room for it and the fact that you may give the boat to someone at the end means you can probably afford to hire them.

[Tetepare]

Plenty of young people willing to help in exchange for free passage. Just make sure you get one that has a clue, not just another stoner.

[RobAndSally]

New member here so was unable to directly message you.

Hi, we are very interested. I think both of us have the back, knees, and hips you want. We are even talented as well. We however have not been sailing for 40 years and would love the chance to both help and learn. We are currently house sitting a 60 acre off grid ranch in New Mexico at 7000 ft. until August or September. The owner would like us to stay an additional year but we are getting the itch to move on. We will have to regain our sea legs! From what I understand we would actually motor through the canal but a few have tacked through (just finished "As long as it is fun" by Lin and Larry Pardee). But my guess is the San Blas islands for a bit and then are you headed west or south? Would love to chat, we can do video or phone as we have our own Starlink terminal on the roof here. (Goes with us when we go)

We are listed on Housecarers.com as well as trustedhousesitters.com with references for the last couple of years (We met in 2018 summer)

Rob & Sally
804 472 8029
rr22520@aol.com

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by RobAndSally

New member here so was unable to directly message you.

Hi, we are very interested. I think both of us have the back, knees, and hips you want. We are even talented as well. We however have not been sailing for 40 years and would love the chance to both help and learn. We are currently house sitting a 60 acre off grid ranch in New Mexico at 7000 ft. until August or September. The owner would like us to stay an additional year but we are getting the itch to move on. We will have to regain our sea legs! From what I understand we would actually motor through the canal but a few have tacked through (just finished "As long as it is fun" by Lin and Larry Pardee). But my guess is the San Blas islands for a bit and then are you headed west or south? Would love to chat, we can do video or phone as we have our own Starlink terminal on the roof here. (Goes with us when we go)

We are listed on Housecarers.com as well as trustedhousesitters.com with references for the last couple of years (We met in 2018 summer)

Rob & Sally
804 472 8029
rr22520@aol.com

The OP mentioned “buddy boat” not “crew”. You never know though….

[RobAndSally]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

The OP mentioned “buddy boat” not “crew”. You never know though….

Hi, new to the lingo here (Did not find buddy boat in JeanP's dictionary). Not sure what buddy boat + paying means but I think that we will have to be buddies if we are talking years. I see that paying could be on boat/ off boat.

If it means we sail together in our boat to the same destinations, then that has a different level of interest for us. When we invest in a boat, we will chart our own destinations unless we are sailing with friends. And we will have some lead time as we have to prep the boat on the hard, shake the boat down while we shake ourselves down, before setting off for the south pacific.

Our house sitting arrangements are work exchange, expenses paid. We do a lot of work on the properties improving them for no additional gain other than our enjoyment.

I assumed (waiting to find out now) that this would be 2 couples/berths on one 53' sailing rig, but now with your response maybe I got this backwards.

With kind regards,
Rob & Sally

[captmikem]

Just go,
Deal with the repairs as needed when needed.
If you do not go now, you won't go at all.

Florida is full of people who wanted live an adventure, but wanted to wait until it was 'safe', or could 'afford' it... now it is too late for them.

Go now.

M

[Shrew]

Be careful hiring someone to trade work for travel. This requires a fine balance. I've seen too many people who treat the 'hired' person like an employee, or a servant. I've seen instances where the 'hired' person gets inconvenienced when his trip is interrupted with work.

Each party will agree to agree, but there is almost always a discrepancy (however small) in how each party is viewing their respective roles in the arrangement.

[Chris Cringle]

Forego the buddy boat route. Buddy boats are more of a liability than a boon. You will own all of their problems as well as your own. Unless you get way off the beaten path, there will always be someone around who you can hire to address your issues. And, capable as your "buddy skipper" might be. Nobody is skilled and equipped for every task. Your buddy may be a skilled rigger, electrician, and refrigeration guy when you need an outboard mechanic, a radio technician, or a sailmaker. Just hire the work as it come up.

[clakiep]

If You are rather nice people that can get along with others, just get to know who ever candidates, and buy and give them the return tickets in advance ! And let them know that of course you are the captain, and try to find out wether there is any chance of them to doubt it.

Capt. Claus - ocean tramp of the eighties

[zstine]

I think the best bet for the OP is a combination of crew, paid or not and finding repair work at ports along the way. there are places all over the world that you can find mechanics. and since the OP knows how, he can teach a young crew member to do maintenance like impeller changes and winch rebuilds. BUT finding someone to commit to a multi year contract, even 1 year, to be a personal mechanic is a non-starter. I'd want a real salary to do that, while he can get by paying room and board to various crew along the way with the occasional mechanic bill in port.

[donradcliffe]

If you pay someone who is not on your boat to work on your boat, you can be headed for trouble with the locals whose jobs they are taking. Not so much if they are part of your crew.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by captmikem

Just go,
Deal with the repairs as needed when needed.
If you do not go now, you won't go at all.

Florida is full of people who wanted live an adventure, but wanted to wait until it was 'safe', or could 'afford' it... now it is too late for them.

Go now.

M

Only way to do it. I'm 77 and wondering how much longer I can continue the cruising lifestyle but have realized that all you can do is keep plugging away at it until it ends itself.

At the moment I am rebuilding my fridge and the deck on my dingy and wonder whether it is worth persisting with trying to do a good job of it, but then come to my senses and tell myself, "Good god man, get a grip on yourself, you might still be cruising around in ten years time and will be really pissed off with yourself if you have to do it over again."

Go now and live the life you desire until the last breath.