bmiracle,
Welcome aboard.
You might check into the
Baja Ha-Ha. The sailing rag "Latitude 38" has a crew list and get together for this event. Some of the participants then go on out into the
South Pacific in about March, iirc. Not sure if it fits your time frame.
Do be selective in your choice of
skipper. It's not just living with people that can cause problems: there can be an alcohol or other mental problem, and you need to avoid that. What to look for is inconsistency, "flakiness", irrationality.
Ann