Crew Wanted for Norfolk to BVI

[tilmonday]

Hi,
I am looking for a couple of sailors who have some blue water experience to help me deliver my 43' Voyage catamaran to the BVI. We will be departing Norfolk the first week of November. You will be responsible for your travel plans all other expenses will be covered. If you are interested you can send me an email with your experience.
thanks,
Dave
tilmonday@juno.com

[Sunspot Baby]

Please clarify. Is getting home from BVI a covered expense?

If so, please review my qualifications at http://www.stateham.com/skippergeorge/

George

[tilmonday]

I should have been more specific. You are responsible for your travel expenses. To Norfolk and from the Tortola.

[Sunspot Baby]

No thanks.

George

[ssullivan]

Dave,

It will be pretty hard to find *qualified* crew if you don't at least pay their way as far as travel goes.

Most delivery captains charge $299-$350 per day, and the owner gets to pay for all meals and the operation of the boat, as well as air travel.

Even someone who has very little experience would probably not sign up to help you move your boat and then have to PAY for that experience.

Just a little inside tip from someone who once lived in Dover.

You're rich enough to own an expensive boat - why can't you spring for your crew's airfare?

Respectfully,

Sean

Originally Posted by tilmonday

I should have been more specific. You are responsible for your travel expenses. To Norfolk and from the Tortola.

[Sandero]

Because too many people think that what they have is so desireable that people WILL pay for the experience.

Swan has a deal where they get some paid (I believe) captains to deliever big Swans from the NE to the Carib each fall. For crew, you have PAYING grunts (with varying levels of experience... usually little to none) who get to tell their buds how they delivered a big Swan to the Carib. These boats probably are too big to singlehand so these paying grunts DO actually help out... standing watches and so forth. For some it gives them a taste of big yachts and some have ordered one based on the experience... a good deal for Swan I'd say. It's a big repsonsibility for the captains going offshore with newbies... but they do it every Fall now in a "flotilla" of big Swans.

Jef
sv Shiva
Contest 36s

[Sunspot Baby]

Sean, I suspect he hopes to find a couple of folks who would appreciate a free trip to BVI where they could knock about a bit where it is warm until they get another ride. There are some of those folks out there. I've mest some who were pretty good crew, and many I woldn't want on my boat. I wish him well.

Dave, remember that some of the sailors who want to "do the Caribbean" actually want to do you.

George

[ssullivan]

Could be. I found the Swan flotilla interesting. I suppose there are some folks out there. Maybe he could put up flyers at the University of New Hampshire. It's in the next town over from him.

Still, it would be a heck of a passage for him having to stay awake and/or trust some inexperienced crew to take watch while he tries to get a wink of sleep. Hope I wasn't too harsh sounding for him. Now that I read back, it looks like it may have come out like that.

But... his boat is no cheapo. For a couple hundred bucks in airfare, he could have a more qualified person really help him out.

[hellosailor]

Sean, wouldn't paying for airfare (i.e. "compensation" of any kind) make the casual crew into formally paid crew under the Jones Act and liability laws?

It's one thing to share a ride, quite another once money changes hands.

And you never know...there must be decent sailors out there who'd rather pay their own airfare than charter a boat for a short vacation.

[tilmonday]

Sean,
Why is it that you assume that we are so rich, we actually sold our house pulled the kids out of school and bought a boat to take them cruising for a year. We are on a fixed budget and trying to keep our expenses down. We have received numerous requests about the trip so you are dead wrong. I realize how much a paid captain gets, since I am a Captain and have done several deliveries myself. So thanks for you insight.
-Dave

[Sunspot Baby]

Hellosailor:

Making it from the Chesapeake to BVI in two weeks in November is no charter cruise. There is likely to be some heavy duty sailing and lots of night watches.

Still, maybe he will find someone who wants the ride and/or the experience. There are folks who want offshore experience without owning or risking their own boat. I say again, I wish him luck.

George

[hellosailor]

George-
Well, isn't most bluewater cruising going to involve roughly half night watches? Polar sun-watching trips excluded?<G>

I'd rather be wearing foulies and a watch cap than broiling in August heat and calms, anytime. On a 43' cat, that could be a fun ride. I know when I was a dock rat I'd have grabbed at the chance. Maybe 1200 nm? On a big cat making...12-15 knots? Two weeks doesn't sound unfeasible. And so far this has been a gentle year for storms, knock wood.

[ssullivan]

Dave,

I was offering my advice to you in the hopes that you would be able to find yourself someone who could help you on the delivery rather than having someone as "rail meat." My intentions were good. I wanted to save you the aggrivation of having to baby-sit inexperienced crew on a long passage. By simply ponying up for an inexpensive, one way plane ticket, you could save yourself much aggrivation.

On to your specific topics:

The fact that your boat is worth a quarter of a million dollars might be my first clue as to your financial standing. For somone to own a boat of that value and not offer to at least fly someone back who is volunteering to help you make a delivery is well... not right.

Waiving the old six-pac at me, huh? I'd hate to have a "who's is bigger" match with you regarding tickets and tonnage, so I won't even address that one.

Anyway, my intentions were good - I even said it came out a little harsh sounding in my later post and corrected for it. All I was trying to impart is that you are being penny wise and pound foolish not buying a return ticket. If you would spring for one, you might have someone qualified like George to actually help you, rather than some rail meat you pick up at UNH.

Best of luck.

Originally Posted by tilmonday

Sean,
Why is it that you assume that we are so rich, we actually sold our house pulled the kids out of school and bought a boat to take them cruising for a year. We are on a fixed budget and trying to keep our expenses down. We have received numerous requests about the trip so you are dead wrong. I realize how much a paid captain gets, since I am a Captain and have done several deliveries myself. So thanks for you insight.
-Dave

[Sandero]

I think that if someone provides YOU with some sort of service... you should not expect them to pay for it in any way.

I tend to agree with Sean here. Since you are soliciting help you are should undertake all the cost of making the person who is providing his labor whole. People may volunteer their time and gain experience... but asking them to pay for something which clearly benefits you seems exploitive.

Are there people looking to hitch a ride south and would not care for the airfare? Sure. These are the people who this offer might appeal to. But for someone else... it seems rather iffy. Whomever takes 2 weeks of their time.. without pay is pretty generous for starters.

My suggestion is that you do the delivery alone or with your wife. Many have done it before, I have done it solo and with one other several times.

You should not have to rely on crew to move your boat anyway.

Jef
sv Shiva
Contest 36s

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Sean, wouldn't paying for airfare (i.e. "compensation" of any kind) make the casual crew into formally paid crew under the Jones Act and liability laws?

It's one thing to share a ride, quite another once money changes hands.

And you never know...there must be decent sailors out there who'd rather pay their own airfare than charter a boat for a short vacation.

No. Flying someone somewhere does not make them your employee - think of all the people who fly out for job interviews, or families who fly their grandmothers out. Arranging for someone's transportation does not make them your employee.

However, if you do want to talk maritime laws... he is technically responsible for the repatriation of his crew. I see this as more of a courtesy factor here though. If someone is volunteering to help you deliver a boat unpaid the least you could do is set them up so the don't have to endure expenses to help you out.

I'm sure he'll have lots of inquiries, but who would pay money to do someone a favor?