SHORT HANDED PACIFIC EAST TO WEST

[meyermm]

Best way to pick up crew for all or sectors of Pacific crossing. Is backpacker hostels the way to go or avoid? any suggestions will be appreciated although tried and tested would be preferred

[ughmo2000]

Wow, a long sail for inexperienced crew!

Provided you do sleep sometime, the boat will be under the control of "backpackers" for 2/3rds of the voyage. (Nothing against backpackers! I love backpacking!!)

I believe I'd post for experienced crew on forums like this.

Best of luck!

[meyermm]

That was my question obviously I would prefer very experienced crew but easier said than done so iam looking for ways of finding them that I may not have thought of

[ughmo2000]

Let people know a bit more information.

Type boat, from where to where, any terms your offering crew, your experience or experience level of any capt/crew, et al.

Usually the more information you provide up front the better.

So, where ya headed?

[Dave in Eugene]

I sailed Molokai to Newport Oregon with 3 crew with no experience...none, zero zip.

No problem..if you know what you are doing and they are a good group. I vote personality 1st, experience a distant 2nd. What mattered most to me was whether I had extra hands and good heads....if you can get that with experience great if not get good folks..


&

I would be very clear with them that they can expect a living environment similar to a trailer shared by the group, on its side, moving up and down a lot...with no ability to take a break..(and that is, what it is) if they are up for that......and you think they will be able to keep a cool head when necessary...I say go for it.

All the best in 08

Dave

[meyermm]

Thanks Dave yes I was not actually advertising at this point otherwise I would have under Crew wanted category. I have noted peoples opinion on this matter and your view seems to be the prevalent one. Happy crew with no expectations of luxury cruise in the South Pacific seems to be the first priority. Naturally I would lean towards experience!

[Celestialsailor]

I found crew for my upcoming July 08 crossing here...

[ughmo2000]

Hey! Again 'n straight up, best of luck!

[henryk]

I regularly race with bunch of different guys , but I would never go cruising with many of them , no matter how much experience they have

[Troutbridge]

If possible, you should do a bit of sailing with the crew before you embark on a longer trip. I made an Atlantic crossing with a couple who were looking for a trip across from Canaries to Barbados. They were both experienced sailors and 'good hands' but I had a bit of a personality clash with one of them which made the trip less happy than it should have been. I put part of the problem down to my lack of experience as skipper - I should have handled the situation better which would have defused much of the situation and the remainder of the problem might have become apparent if we'd spent a couple of days sailing with them living onboard. Difficult I know, but the Pacific is a long trip. I would say that common sense and a sense of humour are as important as sailing experience (if not more so).

[Pblais]

What mattered most to me was whether I had extra hands and good heads....if you can get that with experience great if not get good folks..

Experiences adds the one thing the above can't include. How will they work together if the weather gets a bit rough for more than a short period of time. being away from shore for that long may have other effects on untested crew as well. It's easier to honestly say you understand the expectations when you know what they could really be. Honest people can say they will and in the end not be able.

Having backpacked for 40 years it's about the same idea as far as any group going together goes and alot of those people wouldn't be good on a long trek on land either. I would want at least one experienced person you could count on. The rest of the crew can all be a bonus at that point.

[ughmo2000]

Delivery before last, capt had to return into port after one day out.

Inexperienced crewmember freaked upon loosing sight of land.

[Celestialsailor]

That in itself would make an interesting thread..."What was the strangest experience with crew"? "Onshore or offshore".

[ughmo2000]

Had a capt, after the world's longest Baja Bash send me for some belts upon reaching SD. When I returned to where the boat was, there were my bags on the dock and no boat! The captain skipped while I was gone without paying agreed upon fees.

That one was a shocker!

[ArmandoFor]

Originally Posted by ughmo2000

... When I returned to where the boat was, there were my bags on the dock and no boat! The captain skipped while I was gone without paying agreed upon fees...

At least your bags were there... A friend lost all, including your documents!