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

[StuM]

I always take crew passports before departure and secure them in a watertight container in the grab bag. And when I'm crewing on someone else's boat, I ask them to do the same if they don't do it unprompted. Never been any onjections, but then, I generally sail with people I know.

[TheThunderbird]

If crew Is paid up, it has formal obligations, therefore it can leave only upon permission/request of captain.

The only way is to retain passport.

On tourist crewing, I may think it a bit extreme....though, and unnecessary too, if a hard copy is kept.

I found myself as captain in an opposite situation.... willing to get rid of a person, in Harbour, being politely asked 3X to leave.

Counter-argument was the money spend to fly!!!!! After 10days from arrival. I made no charter, and i paid all, food included,..no charge!

Finally, i left luggage securely on deck, front of Police guards

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by TheThunderbird

Her name? XXXXX Musician and old fart, undisciplined on helm, untidy below deck, physically decadent.
Beware!!!

She sounds like a good laugh..

[ur2slo]

Ah the internet. Ain't Life grand?

Mark Twain said it best....

"The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog"

Happy sailing and always.........

Question Stupidity

[HalfHitch]

Originally Posted by 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

Wonderful it is to read some common sense. It is amazing to me that there are so many lonely sailors in the world!


I decided a year ago to join some boating sites and dating sites that are boating focused. I've been on 2 voyages that combine companionship and crewing. Both were successful ventures. Many honest discussions via Skype contributed to all parties feeling good in the planning stages. I offer to crew but I'm not paid and I also do not pretend to be professional grade crew that would crawl through the bilge. I ALWAYs contribute financially for supplies and pay my own way on land excursions.

Clearly defined roles and expectations being set it can work. Of course, it would be wonderful to find a lifetime sailing partner but that has to be built and discovered. Friendship and crewing is a good start. If it ends with that then it's still all good!

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by ur2slo

Ah the internet. Ain't Life grand?

Mark Twain said it best....

"The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog"

Happy sailing and always.........

Question Stupidity

One of his other quotes that I like went something like this.
The difference between a a man and a dog is, if you bring a dog in out of the cold, feed him and give him a warm place to sleep, he won't bite you.

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by Captandrew

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.


Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

Had no problems at all from Copenhagen to Gibraltar without ever
relinquishing my passport except to authorities of the country I was clearing into.
Maybe a Europe thing but I was crew on a recreational cruising boat
and not a member of a for hire, professional, paid delivery crew.

But more to my point, Are you an Attorney, Licensed in all the places you visit?
Do you decide what is "Legal"?
Do you get legal advice from local counsel?

I stand by what I said, If you surrender your passport and don't have
readily available funds to get home you are a slave totally at the mercy of the
captain/owner/slave trader/pervert/dangerous sailor, whatever. I have met captains that rely on
the money they get from "Contributing Crew" to fund their trips.
No contributing crew and they cant meet expenses.
Just look at the crew wanted forum, Most ask for money
Oh Excuse me a Contribution
I wouldn't want them to have my passport.
If I want to leave for whatever reason I want to be able to leave, Period
Sad to say this but
This is 100 times more important if you are a Female.

[Jack Lahr]

In addition to the good advice here, ask for references of prior crew members for follow up.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by TheThunderbird View Post


Her name? XXXXX Musician and old fart, undisciplined on helm, untidy below deck, physically decadent.
Beware!!!

Originally Posted by boatman61

She sounds like a good laugh..

Damn.. came back to get the name for my 'Possible Crew Available' list and its Gorn'ded...

[Captandrew]

Originally Posted by Time2Go

Had no problems at all from Copenhagen to Gibraltar without ever
relinquishing my passport except to authorities of the country I was clearing into.
Maybe a Europe thing but I was crew on a recreational cruising boat
and not a member of a for hire, professional, paid delivery crew.

But more to my point, Are you an Attorney, Licensed in all the places you visit?
Do you decide what is "Legal"?
Do you get legal advice from local counsel?

I stand by what I said, If you surrender your passport and don't have
readily available funds to get home you are a slave totally at the mercy of the
captain/owner/slave trader/pervert/dangerous sailor, whatever. I have met captains that rely on
the money they get from "Contributing Crew" to fund their trips.
No contributing crew and they cant meet expenses.
Just look at the crew wanted forum, Most ask for money
Oh Excuse me a Contribution
I wouldn't want them to have my passport.
If I want to leave for whatever reason I want to be able to leave, Period
Sad to say this but
This is 100 times more important if you are a Female.

That may be the case, but as a professional it is part of my duty to all concerned to research and understand the laws of each country I enter. Believe it or not most US sailors do not even know the laws of USA. And I mean laws not local rules or exceptions.

I have never been detained or had any significant issues in 40 years with my methods.

In any case I guess that means you would not be crewing with me.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

[Dauntlessny]

Originally Posted by Time2Go

Had no problems at all from Copenhagen to Gibraltar without ever
relinquishing my passport except to authorities of the country I was clearing into.
Maybe a Europe thing but I was crew on a recreational cruising boat
and not a member of a for hire, professional, paid delivery crew.

But more to my point, Are you an Attorney, Licensed in all the places you visit?
Do you decide what is "Legal"?
Do you get legal advice from local counsel?

I stand by what I said, If you surrender your passport and don't have
readily available funds to get home you are a slave totally at the mercy of the
captain/owner/slave trader/pervert/dangerous sailor, whatever. I have met captains that rely on
the money they get from "Contributing Crew" to fund their trips.
No contributing crew and they cant meet expenses.
Just look at the crew wanted forum, Most ask for money
Oh Excuse me a Contribution
I wouldn't want them to have my passport.
If I want to leave for whatever reason I want to be able to leave, Period
Sad to say this but
This is 100 times more important if you are a Female.

Sorry, have no idea where you get your information, but clearly you do not understand the responsibilities of the Skipper.

In my case as the owner also, I have a bigger liability in that MY boat can be held.

Captain Drew is 100% correct.

Just because it's not enforced, doesn't mean it won't be!

In my two years of cruising in Europe one thing is perfectly clear: every office, official or otherwise, thinks they are following the procedures correctly AND everyone else does EXACTLY THE SAME.

While in fact, it's the EXACT OPPOSITE. The ONLY consistencyis the total lack of consistency.


Richard on Dauntless in Spain




Sent from my SM-G900FD using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[barnakiel]

Passports stay ON THE CREW. Skipper can hold copies of the personal id pages. Or just take down the personal data.

The skipper may request a cash deposit (signed and with only one possible use confirmed in writing) by any crew to be placed in the boat safe. This is in case of a crew member is going to leave the boat in a country where a return ticket is required for those landing. Naturally, a return ticket in hand cancels need for such a deposit.

As someone noted, without passport and cash a person is effectively enslaved. This would be against human rights.

Never, ever let anyone take away your passport. This applies also to foreign authorities. If in doubt, call up your consulate immediatelly, ask support.

Carry a credit card too. This is your cash reserve and your (lame) emergency id.

b.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by StuM

I always take crew passports before departure and secure them in a watertight container in the grab bag. And when I'm crewing on someone else's boat, I ask them to do the same if they don't do it unprompted. Never been any onjections, but then, I generally sail with people I know.

I do the same. I also ask them to include a credit card as well.

In case of an emergency in which we have to abandon ship, I want the crew dealing with the emergency, not looking for passports and credit cards.

As well, when clearing C&I in most countries I will need the passports while the crew stays on the boat.

[Pelagic]

Simply put.....if a potential crew member refused to trust me with securing his passport during an international voyage, they would not travel with me.

As the carrier that brought this person to a foreign country, it becomes MY liability, if they cannot produce the proper travel documents.

From experience, no wise captain would ever take that risk.

[Wckoek]

Reading this and the how hard you can take abuse thread makes me feel like it's impossible to do anything good, kindness or anything at all in this world.