Crew Available: Pity for a Newbie

[titan1969]

Once Ive completed my 101/103 ASA and USPS courses, do most marinas have a board for posting up "newbie crewers" looking for work? If not how do you hook up with boat owners in need, willing to train fresh sailors?

Im 6'4" 250lbs and can help with manual windlass'

[Ex-Calif]

Hi titan and welcome to the Cruisers Forum. All yacht clubs and marinas are different. Spend some time doing research at your local clubs. Perhaps take the courses there and meet some people.

Our club has a new members night and we try to meet new members and get them sailing.

It's tough at first but doable.

A bit of friendly advice not intended to offend. See if you can work on getting down to 210-215 or so unless you are an ironman. You are a pretty big guy to bring along as crew. I recently lost 45 pounds, not done yet, it has helpd my sailing a lot and I feel great.

[titan1969]

I am a bodybuilder/strongman. 32" waist 48" chest...though Im not very agile, so I will still try and drop more weight.

[Ex-Calif]

The good news is no one is likely to make you go up the mast - LOl...

With your size and strength there is definitely a good position for you on a crew. Mast men aer usually big guys as well as grinders.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[titan1969]

not sure of the terminology...but Id like to run rigging thats winched horizontally. The two handed kind of winch. Looks like a heck of a back, chest, lung workout tacking with a big rig like on the Volvo race!

[Ex-Calif]

When the Volvo ocean racers stopped here the puma team had a grinding pedestal set up in the village that the visitors could try. I wimped out - hey it's 95 in the shade here!

Several people tried it. They had a resistance set up and a timer. No one came close to the "spec" times that I saw. It is definitely a work out.

[afitzs]

Originally Posted by titan1969

Once Ive completed my 101/103 ASA and USPS courses, do most marinas have a board for posting up "newbie crewers" looking for work? If not how do you hook up with boat owners in need, willing to train fresh sailors?

Im 6'4" 250lbs and can help with manual windlass'

Titan,

I am over in Duluth and will start shake down on a 45-55' Cat in Spring. More than happy to discuss your helping with that and see where it goes. Will be sailing in both Superior and Mich lakes, then when it starts getting cold will be heading "wherever."

Send me a PM if you want to discuss further.

Originally Posted by titan1969

I am a bodybuilder/strongman. 32" waist 48" chest...though Im not very agile, so I will still try and drop more weight.

BTW: Agility can be pretty important on a sail boat depending on what kind of sailing one is doing. On Maxis and Volvos and other high performance sailing, it most assuredly is critical. I speak from experience.

--Allen

[afitzs]

Originally Posted by titan1969

not sure of the terminology...but Id like to run rigging thats winched horizontally. The two handed kind of winch. Looks like a heck of a back, chest, lung workout tacking with a big rig like on the Volvo race!

It is commonly called a "Grinder" and there are one & two person versions.