Crew Wanted: How to tell who the scammers are on here?

[weavis]

And what makes me really irritated, is that post #3 is in regard to a sail that the captain has stated his wife and son will be on the voyage. He is known to members of CF. Maybe he wanted a female to help his family.

Come on people... get a grip!!!

sheesh.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Where is the scam.. no one has asked you for money up front.. in fact they offer to pay everything.
What they hope for when you arrive is something else.. lol
Do due diligence and quit bitching

Agreed, I fail to see the scam.

The ticket home is likely because the captain is responsible for getting you home if the authorities decide they don't want you there, so may as well claim it as a benefit.

If it's safe to just show up in a strange foreign country never having met the guy is a totally different question. He may just be a really nice guy or he may be the next Hanibal Lector. To little info to decide.

I would suggest taking down your picture and not mentioning your age. Unless you are treating it as a dating site, your age and appearance shouldn't be relevant to selection if you are physically capable but posting them lets the potential undesirable captains target you.

Otherwise, it's mostly common sense and if it doesn't feel right bow out. Better a wasted airfare than a dangerous situation.

[sailingforfun]

It cuts both ways. As a owner, I've tried to get crew only to find out what they posted was not reality. I've been jaded by the process myself.

[Dave22q]

Is really not very complicated. If you cannot check them out on the net you must assume the worst. That is all I tell my daughter No track = evil!! A nice phone voice is no protection!

[GILow]

Originally Posted by sailingforfun

It cuts both ways. As a owner, I've tried to get crew only to find out what they posted was not reality. I've been jaded by the process myself.

Yeah, I know what you mean. At one harbour my crew brought beer flavoured with lemon back to the boat! It was horrible.

(Sorry, I couldn't help myself, I am feeling ironic today and I am avoiding doing the work I should be doing.)

[Thomea]

I truely appreciate all the advise here folks. I wish there was an easier way to sift through all the sailboat crew-needed positions... I think I may stick to yacht jobs first, & make some more sailboat friends here on the Great Lakes. Thank you everyone.

[TheThunderbird]

A.Hello Amy!

It's great you answer me back here on FINDACREW, and I'll copy this post on CRUISER FORUM, as it was my intention once I saw your post.

General warnings
I've a daughter of 24. I don't need to tell her that I'd start sailing with friends, in home country first. On a wider range, I wouldn't cross the pond at once (although I find the Med far more interesting than Caribe :-) )
Mostly, I would be interested in a ship-shape boat, a safety conscious skipper, and a crew of two more people at least.
The sailing area plan shouldn't be way too exotic/remote.

You: speak of 'thirst for sailing'... nice, but just a personal emotion, unnecessary :-), and gender/sex can be provided later, or be obvious!

Experience, Attitude, Discipline and desired area of boating are more important (I wrote in INCREASING ORDER of importance!)

Skipper profile
Crew-seeker, Find-A-crew, others... all offer detailed profile, whereby you detect personality, background, education..character


We both have been corporate bankers and worked for tip-top financial institutions. I attended MIT and was board member for listed American companies in Europe, and an intl. Strategic consultant for ADLittle Inc. Does it matter!? NO

Reality check is needed.
As Much as a charming lady with 5yrs sailing experience jumped in my bed on day-2, but proved so inapt at sailing, and at living onboard, that I was HAPPY she left in a week. She showed split personality and her friend could not get along with her too:-)

I state a preference on females onboard, as more careful, less opinionated, more organized than men onboard.
If any, I prefer young M crew (25-35) as possibly eager to learn than any salty old sailor.
If any, I perceive a lady beyond 55 as hardly physically fit for a 27ton boat of old school...

Overall, I find much conventional wisdom a garbage! Risk is always both sides
I too am liable and defenseless, if any fooled person being invited here, may easily throw me overboard or kill me when sleeping..:-)
Or decide to steal from boat and leave...

I FIND SURPRISINGthat people do not differentiate between SKIPPERS v.OWNERS who are behind a Registration, Insura nice,Home Harbour and YachtClub
All of which CAN BE ASKED FOR, AND PROVIDED ON-LINE


In terms of expenses, clarity is paramount:
Either a WORK is offered, including a 2way ticket, or an exchange of sailing-for-cooperation is agreed.

Personally, I find it miserable to ask sharing for current expenses I would face anyway!

Previous sailing experience proved wrong, with me, most of the cases!! I much value Attitude and Spirit.
Here two guys were unhappy, I am the 3rd one with 4/4 cases non-standard, unacceptable!


Sex:
Proximity onboard helps both ways, on the negative side too. It may depend..

Of course, when mutually desirable, respectful and lovely, it adds to the bliss of spending time together. We humans, and not randomly jumping around. Awareness is key.

Whatever the case, Nothing detracts from the need to show gallantry, courtesy, manly care for ladies, when it comes to comfort, services, right of passing/choosing/...that which means almost Full Time, onboard :-)

And any gentleman keeps a sympathetic ear to any woman. To the worst, the closest port can be reached

Cheers to Amy
And all of you :-)

Gian

[sailorboy1]

Is this thread really about scammers, or is it about creeps? Both can be found on the internet in high numbers running ads.

[Thomea]

you're right Sailorbor1.. so true. I am pretty particular for what I'm looking for on a boat. I'm not a partier, I don't smoke, I don't really want to be around 'motormouths' the entire time I'm on the boat. I love the peace that the water brings & I am seeking similar type demeanors to sail with. And in general, I was seeing if other female sailors on here had some advice to of what they look out for. I'm not sure if me using the work 'scammers' was the best word, per se. But I really appreciate all the advise I've received so far. This site is really great.

[TheThunderbird]

Originally Posted by sailingforfun

It cuts both ways. As a owner, I've tried to get crew only to find out what they posted was not reality. I've been jaded by the process myself.

At par

I sail single handed

I can't depend on others.

To the worst, I Carry them around for a week maximum, just respecting the cost of trip for reaching me.

I assume people are in good faith... but self description and personal perspective are... side and large

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Thomea

you're right Sailorbor1.. so true. I am pretty particular for what I'm looking for on a boat. I'm not a partier, I don't smoke, I don't really want to be around 'motormouths' the entire time I'm on the boat. I love the peace that the water brings & I am seeking similar type demeanors to sail with. And in general, I was seeing if other female sailors on here had some advice to of what they look out for. I'm not sure if me using the work 'scammers' was the best word, per se. But I really appreciate all the advise I've received so far. This site is really great.

I'm an Animal...
I drink.. smoke.. U name it.. Ah ahm a Sinnuh...!!!
N I luv it...

[leftbrainstuff]

Have you tried crewseeker international? They have a paywall. Are you looking for commercial or recrearional crew opportunities.

Like most things on the internet the signal to noise ratio is poor.

If you are interested in crewing then appearing in person at places where yachties need crew is an option.

I personally wouldn't hire crew over the internet. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

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[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by Gadagirl

Heed all of the advice you've received here. I've not had a bad experience, but I've only crewed with friends or through referrals from friends.
I believe it's protocol for the captain/owner/skipper to take possession of your passport while on board. Keep that in mind when you decide to crew in/from/to another country. It takes a lot of trust to hand over your personal documentation.
.

I have crewed in Europe from Copenhagen to Gibraltar for the past 3 summers
aboard 3 different boats and not one captain/owner has asked to take possession of my passport. There is No Way I would relinquish it anyway.
I carry a few photocopies with me and have no problem handing one over if asked. When clearing into a country I would always accompany the captain
and if necessary hand my documents over to the officials and ask for them back.
You're a slave without your passport and a way to pay your own way home.
The most important question to ask is for the names of former crew and a way to contact them, then contact them, three minimum from different trips
Cheers and be safe

[Captandrew]

Originally Posted by Time2Go

I have crewed in Europe from Copenhagen to Gibraltar for the past 3 summers
aboard 3 different boats and not one captain/owner has asked to take possession of my passport. There is No Way I would relinquish it anyway.
I carry a few photocopies with me and have no problem handing one over if asked. When clearing into a country I would always accompany the captain
and if necessary hand my documents over to the officials and ask for them back.
You're a slave without your passport and a way to pay your own way home.
The most important question to ask is for the names of former crew and a way to contact them, then contact them, three minimum from different trips
Cheers and be safe

You might get away with that in Europe but most countries do not allow you to leave the vessel until it is fully cleared. The captain is the only person allowed ashore and only to clear in.

I am a professional delivery captain and always take all the passports and any other possessions that crew do not want to lose. They are stored in a watertight container along with the ditch bag. Believe me when I say I will happily return documents to any unhappy crew to leave as long as they can legally do so.


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[boatman61]

When you would be required to accompany the skipper to the C&I to be formally signed off the Crew List and prove yours means to depart the country within the visa limits.
A bit like the USA..