Crew Wanted: Long Term Cruising Partnership - Not Just Crew

[terminalcitygrl]

This could be such a great opportunity for someone, I wish we were in a place to discuss it further with you! We're old enough to remember Bob Newhart but just starting our learn to sail adventures. Cruising for 6 months on a beautiful boat with experienced owners would be a wonderful learning experience and trust me, my husband could provide endless entertainment! Oh well, maybe next year... I hope you're able to find a good fit.

[Renewal]

sy Gilana, Don't give up hope, just give it more time. We posted a crew wanted ad and got quite a few responses and are happy to say that we have found what appears to be the perfect fit, with a 6 month "at least" commitment. Our first "crew" was a younger couple and it worked out well until they decided after 3 months that they really could not afford to cruise and needed to get "real" jobs.

Good luck and happy sailing!

[stew4twa]

Mark here, simi retired boatbuilder, handyman, sailing instructor. looking for delivery opportunity's like yours. I have extensive sailing experience, both Atlantic and Pacific crossings. My last delivery was the 73' Wonderful, St Marrtin to the Azores. Also owned and operated a small catamaran charter business out of Cocoa FL. If interested you can contact me at info@indianrivercruises.com, and I can provide you with a complete resume.
I am located in Cocoa FL and can fly out of Orlando International airport.
Thanks for considering me for this opportunity.
Regards Mark Strauchman..

[Mermaid1640]

Any interest in a single mother, 43, with a 12 year old son?

[sy_gilana]

Originally Posted by Mermaid1640

Any interest in a single mother, 43, with a 12 year old son?

In principle no problem. Please get in touch off site, via our web page.
Your details and situation should not be in public domain.
Over...

[pamela]

oh, how i wish i had more experience, a stable relationship and some cash! I just returned to upstate N.Y. after two months Blue Water Cruising Bahamas south and back to Puerto Rico. And I fell in love with all of it...the community, the stories, even the sence of accomplishment for a cup of coffee in 10 ft. waves! Best of luck to you!...loved that you traveled with a child, a dog and mom.

[Tripod]

Pamela, Welcome to CF.

[sy_gilana]

Originally Posted by pamela

oh, how i wish i had more experience, a stable relationship and some cash! I just returned to upstate N.Y. after two months Blue Water Cruising Bahamas south and back to Puerto Rico. And I fell in love with all of it...the community, the stories, even the sence of accomplishment for a cup of coffee in 10 ft. waves! Best of luck to you!...loved that you traveled with a child, a dog and mom.

Pamela, welcome to the world!
Its nothing to do with experience, we had none when we pointed Gilana across the South Atlantic, and we learn more every day!
Its nothing to do with a stable relationship, those can be found in any arena, and the best relationships are not 50/50 they are 100/100
THANK YOU for your comments, and if there is anything we can do to "out" you as a closet cruiser we would be honoured.
Just DO it, we only have one life, one chance, this is not a rehearsal, LIVE your life!

[Andym0097]

I hope to follow in your wake, in a couple of years, on our 2006 built,Catalina Morgan 440. What would your best estimate be of the annual/monthly cost of cruising, for 2 people, on a boat like mine?
Appreciate your feedback.

[Sandero]

It's a great idea but getting a match is the hurdle.

On this site most are boat owners not boatless sailors looking for a boat.

My wife and I are in your age range and I have lots of offshore experience and have owned my boat for 27 years... and would love to cruise the tropics full time.

But matching people in a boat is very tricky and you learn that in spades when you head offshore.

Two compatible couples could be the cat's meow... makes things interesting and half the work. But it's that getting four old farts to agree and get along that may be the real problem. It's a commitment not lightly made and like a divorce not easy to undo... at least for the couple who have no home to return to.

I'd be curious to see if this works out and hear from you down the road a bit.

[Pelagic]

What a wonderful opportunity for a couple to take advantage of your cruising experiences to help develop their own.

You must also be very proud of Liz and as a SY captain; some of my most favorite crew came from similar cruising families. They take to the life naturally, if it is a good boat.

I think you will get a more focused response if you actually mention your next cruising goals…. Whether it be just staying around one area, or a given route, people will want to know your intent.

After a few years we tend to forget that it was learning how to manage those first voyage goals that taught us some of the cruising life’s most important lessons.

That is what others will want to learn from you.

[sy_gilana]

@ Defjef...who are you calling an old fart, you old fart! Speak for yourself, I am 52 going on 17. When I grow up I wanna be a spaceman!

Seriously though, getting along with shipmates is a fundamentally important principle. I used to be on subs. I get it. We place the highest priority on this one issue, and we have to establish that our principles are in mesh with the prospective partners. We have to become a team working toward a common goal. Ego has to be extinguished, the sea is bigger than any of us.

We have had others on board in the past, and it was a huge success. In 2002 we had 6 women and me on board through the Bahamas. Ages from 13 to 80. It was a complete hoot. I must add that our friends Kim and Darlene who were amongst that group were by far the easiest to get along with, we never had to "dance around them" if you know what I mean, not physically and not in conversation. Visiting of course is a very different story to a long term partnership.

@Pelagic, thanks for your comments too. In response here is a short itinerary, not to be taken too seriously as it is cast in butter.
November 2012..Balearics to Canaries via Gibraltar,
Jan 2013..Canaries to St Martin, then on to BVI, T&C, Dom Rep, Jamaica, south to some of the banks, Roncador, Quita Sueno, spend some dive time there, then on to San Blas. Probably enjoy a year in the West Caribbean, then catch the next season (2014) to transit the Panama Canal, Equador, Galapagos, and beyond to French Polynesia. Would like to spend a year there, and catch the next (2015) season across and then spend some years in SE Asia...so far that's the plan.

We have had many emails and contacts through this forum. We have had 19 serious enquiries, we have shortlisted these, HOWEVER, its early days yet. November is along way off. A very interesting response was from a Japanese couple, we would be honored to have them, but the schedule did not agree.

Subject to a huge logistical program, at the top of the list is "K&A", All the boxes of compatibility are well ticked in the positive, and we would be thrilled if their life can be sorted and they can join us, but so far its understandably not confirmed from their perspective, but it is from ours. Getting off the wheel is not easy, although the rewards are great.

We really appreciate all those who have taken the time to reply on post, or by private message, or by the feedback from our web page. Although we have found our ideal cruising partners, there might be reasons beyond their control that prevent them joining us. Therefore the thread and the offer is still open

It started out as a crazy idea, nothing more, and it has evolved to a realistic, achievable results driven project. We have a feeling that this is going to be a success. We have thought about and discussed the finances and personality dynamics, the privacy, the dangers, and from all sides, and for every problem there is a fair solution, we have no doubt that we can share this lifestyle with other people who have the same desires.

We will keep the news coming in case there is benefit to others. Hopefully one day soon there will be some new faces on our web page...

thanks to all...

Mike

[sy_gilana]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

You must also be very proud of Liz and as a SY captain; some of my most favorite crew came from similar cruising families. They take to the life naturally, if it is a good boat.

Just a small correction, I possibly did not make it clear. Liz, yes we are extremely proud parents, to see what she has done based on a nil curriculum home schooled education. She holds the Certificate of Competency Chief Mate (Y) 3000 ton unlimited area. Her current position is as Second Officer on board a 230' (70.5m) motoryacht. I apologize if I led you to believe she was a captain. That's coming in a few years...
Her curriculum is at http://gilana.org/liz/ in you are interested to see how a "cruising kid" can get ahead in the yachting industry.

[Sandero]

Mike,

You ARE a kid!.. I am about to turn 65!

Speaking of cruising kids.... a true story:

Back in the early 90s when I was living aboard cruising the caribe I was frequently based in English Harbor. One morning I has been shopping and came to the quay where my dink was tied and there stood a lovely 10 year old girl looking bored. I asked her where here parents where and if she was OK. She told me her mom was feeding baby Alex and she had to wait for her to bring the dink in and ferry her back to their boat Ghostboat... anchored a few hundred feet away. I told her to call her mom on the radio at the galley bar ask if it was OK for me to drop her off. Mom agreed (she's south african married to a NYer).

We dinked out to Shost boat and I told her I had two kittens aboard and if she wanted to play with them...and it was OK with her mom... she was invited to come over any time. No sooner than I had stowed the provisions than the little voice was hailing me on the VHF. She wanted to see the kittens.. Dr Wood and Sancho Panza.. known as Woudie and Sideshow. I picked her up and she had a ball. I set her up with paper and colored pencils and markers and she made a drawing which I still have called *jump up*. She was not entirely home schooled but this was winter and she was being boat schooled.

I eventually met her dad Rick and her mom Vickie and they became friends. A few years later Rick had decided to buy a bigger boat and sell the the Valient 40 and get an S&S 50. He asked me to help in deliver Ghost Boat I to Wrightsville Beach and pick up Ghost Boat II. Great voyage... some of his crew I could not stand after a day and one I thought was a total hoot.

I saw Rick and Vickie over the years in NY... as the kids grew. Daughter Farady became a competitive skier... this was an action family!

I lost touch until about a year ago when I was anchored in Newport RI and popped my head up to see Ghost Boat II stern anchored 200 feet away. Off I dinked to chat up Rick messing about on deck. He told me Faraday was a champion racer captain on old wood boats... can't remember the name of her boat but it is well known classic wood boat and races in Antigua race week. (my brain cells are thinning out).

Your Liz story reminded me of Faraday and I thought I would mention it. Raising a child on a boat creates a self sufficient curious and competent adult.

The sea and boats are the best teacher there is in life.

Bank on it.

[Sandero]

Just so you don't think this is a fish tale... see attached treasured work of art which hangs over my desk (normally)

Jef

And look what I found with Google:

http://www.allatsea.net/caribbean/fa...scene-in-2010/