Crew Available: I Have a Problem . . .

[Denvermike66]

with all these boat Captains and Owners wanting you... as a deck hand to pay them to help them sail thier boat!!! Really... lets piss our money off to the rich people... while we are just trying to learn to sailing and safely... protect thier family and serve people in a gracoius mannor and they want us to pay? So do the mexican or other ethenesies pay you too clean your house too? Hell no!!!! Time for a change. If you own a Yacht... pay up!!! Not askin for much... but damn times are tough. Pay the people that dessrve it to help you sail safely! And I tell you young people... I will have my Catamaran in 6 months. If you want to learn... here is a new idea... pay for your own expenses... food... booze and you can learn for free! NO ******** charges! Cheers!

[nettlesbe]

I'm a little confused by your post. You say:

If you own a Yacht... pay up!!! Not askin for much... but damn times are tough. Pay the people that dessrve it to help you sail safely

So your view is that yacht owners are all rich and should pay crew to come sail with them?

But then you say:

I will have my Catamaran in 6 months. If you want to learn... here is a new idea... pay for your own expenses... food... booze and you can learn for free! NO ******** charges!

You won't be charging crew anything but their own expenses. Which seems fair and is pretty much standard practice. But when YOU are the boatowner, you don't think you should "Pay the people that dessrve it to help you sail safely" ???

[Bash]

Interesting. Over the years I've helped dozens of friends deliver their boats, and I've never once been asked to share expenses for food or drink. Nor have I ever asked crew to pay for what they eat or drink.

[Blue Stocking]

Bash,

As Aretha would say, R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

[s/v philotes]

What a load of old twaddle. As an ex charter yacht skipper and now boat owner. I'm now looking for crew wanting to pay their own way in exchange for sea miles. Am I rich.... NOoooo!!!!! Can I do it alone?...Yes.... I dont by any stretch of the imagination think inexperienced sailors should be paid to deliver. I learned by working my gonads off for sod all. Not even a thanks 1 time in particular. Look,my view is. You dont become a qualified welder without experience,nor should we be given a licence without experience. Getting blue water experience is a dog eat dog world. Have the rough,learn the trade then enjoy the smooth. Most of us did and it worked.

[sundown]

Two ways of looking at it: If you are a guest in my home helping me with a project you will be treated hospitality and respect - That is my commitment when I opened my door and the same goes on my boat.
If I place an advertisement for "services offered" the terms of engagement are stated upfront. The respondent is a "client" not a "guest". You have the choice to engage my services or not. If I want pay and you don't think it is reasonable then don't accept the offer.

[s/v philotes]

2 mates go on a camping trip. One drives..... does the other buy food? Nope.. generally you share the costs. Your welcome in my car. Treat it well and you too will get treated well. It's not asking too much to share costs.

[Bruce Johnson]

Well Brother, It's a free world. Sort of
I have yet to pay my expenses, but I don't need sea miles.
I bring extensive experience to the table, and the owner/captain is glad to feed me at the same table. The boat gets there safely as possible, and the owner/captain usually calls me for the return trip.
I like to sail, they like my work. A fair trade.
If they want to charge expenses, and the crew is willing to pay, so be it. It won't be me.
Yes, there are legal ramifications to crew paying more than their provision expense, but sailors are damn close to pirates, so who cares?
Have a nice day!!

[s/v philotes]

Couldn't agree more with Bruce. We've had our time doing fair trade. I now. With the experience and sea miles well under my belt would charge for my services. That being that "experience & service". Clearly different to a swab learning ropes from lines....

[Drew13440]

I've helped friends deliver/move their boats. And because they're friends, I kick in for food and beer. And my own transport to and from pick up and delivery. That's what friends are for, and it's fun!

There's a guy out there with a website, "karaka," or something like that, who charges working crew, strangers, for the "opportunity" to take part in his "lifestyle." He readily admits to smuggling and un-licensed chatering for additional income. Justifies it, stating he doesn't smuggle drugs, people or guns. And charter licenses are just "bribes," so there's no moral obligation to pay them.

That ticks me off on so many levels I can't even start. If you're going to "charge" your crew, that is fine, I guess. But that makes them your clients, in the end, if you ask me. When they are ready to quit, it's all on you, so be ready.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by Bash

Interesting. Over the years I've helped dozens of friends deliver their boats, and I've never once been asked to share expenses for food or drink. Nor have I ever asked crew to pay for what they eat or drink.

So that was just a tip jar on the counter?

[Sam Plan B]

I have sailed as crew on a friend's boat and discovered he was Capt. Bligh when afloat. He sailed with me on my boat and I discovered that Capt. Bligh was not happy shipping as Lt. Bligh under someone else. Now, if Denvermike66 is a tarter before he has a boat, "I will have my Catamaran in 6 months", it is unlikely that he will have problems with crew because he will not have any crew at all. A little humility and quiet conficence will serve him far better than whinging class envy.

[Drew13440]

it is unlikely that he will have problems with crew because he will not have any crew at all.

Good point. This is supposed to be fun, after all.

[Bruce Johnson]

I did answer one post (not here) where the bloke wanted $120 US per day. Had a good laugh over that one....
I do sincerely thank all of the cruisers who need crew, and allow me to help them sail their boats. Wouldn't own one myself, too much bother, but I don't mind fixing them when I'm aboard, and I sure do love to sail them!

[cchesley]

Technically, if payment of any sort is 'required' then that person is a passenger and the skipper needs to be USCG licensed (for a US boat). Even if it's room and board minimal. Of course it can be offered and even accepted but only as a gift.

I might be misunderstanding this but as far as I know that's the coast guard's position. Despite the legalities of it, I'd take the position of B Johnson anyway. I'm not THAT desperate to go bouncing across oceans with strangers on a small boat who make it a condition of going. Conversely, I would absolutely offer to cover my personal expenses for a FUN trip with folks I know and like but if the boat wouldn't/couldn't go without me (or someone else) then they need me and it's a delivery.