Is it customary to pay for air fare of a volunteer crew that will be sailing

[captain58sailin]

Depends on how bad they/you want them along. If you need them, then pay, if they need you then they pay.

[S/V Alchemy]

Last time, I got driven to the boat but paid my own way back from the destination. All food and drink between was paid by the owners. Seemed fair to me.

[Scott Berg]

I pay all crew expenses for delivery work

If it's a cruise then it's a negotiation, but if your expecting someone to work for free (and deliveries are work) then covering all expenses is normal.


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[onestepcsy37]

I've only done this once. A friend flew out to help me bring my boat home. I paid his airfare and all onboard/boat expenses. Without my asking or expectations he paid our shoreside drinks and meals for the few days before we left.
Sometimes it depends on your relationship level.

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[Weathermelon]

You have to agree that issue first, is customary to pay the booze, thats for sure.

[tbodine88]

On my one trip, the crew made their way to the port however they could, not my problem. First set paid for everything, I just provided the transport. Second set, I paid for food and drink on the boat. One outstanding crew member I bribed to stay on board for the entire trip by paying his airfare at our destination.

[Stumble]

As has been mentioned it is pretty situation dependent. I have done a number of deliveries with my wife for instance. In most cases I am going as either the captain or experienced crew and expect for my air fair to be covered. I she is coming along for the fun of it I pay for her.

If I am returning a boat from a regatta I raced on the boat at, then it's free for the owner. Unless I was paid to sail at the regatta in which case it's a business transaction.

If I ask someone to bring their boat back for them because I want to do the crossing as a cruise, then I would pay for everything except substantial boat repairs.

I don't tend to think of there being a hard and fast rule. Except that if i am being paid for the work then it's the owners responsability.

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by rmadry

my new to me boat to my home? Will be flying in three friends about 1000 miles from their town to the boat's location. Voyage of approximately 5 days off shore for most of the trip?

Thanks

In the title of the thread you mention that they are "volunteer" crew, so I would think they would expect to at least help out, if not pay all, of the airfare unless you told them or implied that if they helped with your delivery you would pay all expenses. If you needed a certain number of crew and recruited them to come help you, then airfare and pay rates would have been negotiated at that time. It's sort of tough to give you a sure answer without firsthand knowledge of your relationship with them and the role they are expected to play aboard your boat. Are they experienced sailors, are you the experienced offshore sailor or are you expecting one or more of them to teach you about offshore deliveries as part of the bargain? If that's the case, then you should probably pay. I guess the only real answer is, "it depends." At any rate, enjoy!