What's required to crew?

[Allergic2wind]

Originally Posted by john2445

In many sailing areas, there is a singles sailing club. These clubs match a skipper with crew, seems like a perfect fit for you. Except if you are in Indiana the closest may be Chicago? Try an internet search for wherever you want to sail. As a skipper who has had crew pass out on them, I strongly advise you to ignore the very bad advice of Wingsail and tell the skipper of your diabetes, where any medications are and how to administer them.

Thanks for your input and advice.

I have type 2, which is less prone to passing out....I think. I'm still new to all this Diabetic stuff. I am on medication (pills morning, noon, and night) and test my blood sugar levels regularly and if I start to "feel strange".

The only time I was very close to passing out was after not eating for a couple of days during a 90 hour work week. An actual break and a dozen Taco Bell tacos cured that right up.


I have found a board for diabetic sailors....Internet - good!

Thanks again!

[Perfect Ride]

Welcome!!
Couple thoughts:
- Learn the language: Start reading: Chapmans, New Glenans, or gets some apps
- Learn the rules: see above

- Determine if you get sea sick and to what extent. How are you on a ferry or a small boat?

- Visit some local sailing clubs and see who you meet. Yacht clubs, collage sailing clubs, or aquatic centers where they teach small boat handling.

- See if you can help with some local races.
- Check out local university or collage extension courses for sailing.

- Learn or upgrade a valuable crew skill or two: cooking, playing instrument, mechanics, electronics, carpentry, sewing, marlin spike, etc.

- Stay enthusiastic and curious. Have a health sense of humor.

- Keep a "small boat foot print" meaning always clean up more than your share and always put your stuff away the moment you are done with it.

- learn what it means to take a "watch" and the best practices of doing so.
Have fun!!!

[Allergic2wind]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

The best way to lean to sail is in a small skiff or dingy, beg a brocken down one and get it running or join a club where you can borrow one borrow. You will lean how sails work, how to stear and all aspects of basic seamanship without relying on others to get out on the water. You can even progress to some cruising by setting up a boom tent and taking camping gear. If your r,esume includs a week solo dingy camping along the coast or around an island group most skippers will not think of you as a novice. Next step would likly to be to get a regular place with a local race crew doing estury races, couple of seasons at that level and you will be ready to do some offshore stuff. Expect to take 5-10 years to learn to be competent. By then you may be able to aford a boat of you own. People have sailed th world in boats around 26ft that did not cost a fortune.

The other way to get into offshoe sailing is with a compercil delivery skipper but you will need min 5000 miles and all your tickets at least up to coastal skipper. You have to be prepare to sail in all conditions, peple don't pay for deliveries if it is a pleasent cruise. They want boats delivered on time,out of season or because it is a 500 mile windward slog. They also demant the boat arrives in the condition it left in or better. It's a tough ticket

Wow. I didn't realize the complexity for commercial delivery. Thanks for the info.
I've been watching sailing on tv/internet since the 80's.

I used to watch the America's cups (until they went to Cats), Volvo Ocean races and whatever they're called now (Vendee?). Seeing them in those storms.... THAT'S the kind of sailing I'd love to do some day. I wanna stand on the bow and be like "Lt. Dan" "YOU CAN'T SINK THIS BOAT!!!!!"

At 55, I'm probably too old for that. Still....

[Allergic2wind]

[QUOTE=Perfect Ride;2926468]Welcome!!

- Determine if you get sea sick and to what extent. How are you on a ferry or a small boat?
Once. On a Whale watching cruise below deck- after a 12 pack and 8 bratwursts. Once I got on deck again, I was fine - sorta
Not sure which caused it. I no longer drink alcohol. Never been sick on rough water or roller coasters.

Does surfing count? At times, I would surf for 12 hours straight, go home and would be asked to stop swaying - which I didn't realize I was doing.

Do sailors do that too, once they arrive on land? - have difficulty walking a straight line?

- Check out local university or collage extension courses for sailing.
Already thought of that

- Learn or upgrade a valuable crew skill or two: cooking, playing instrument, mechanics, electronics, carpentry, sewing, marlin spike, etc.
Being a Bachelor, already thought of that too. Looking for a 2nd job as a entry level line cook at a "fresh ingredient" restaurant. Learn to cook and get paid too?! Sign me up.
Instrument?!! Gave away my 1930's gold plated trumpet.

Thanks for the tips.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Allergic2wind

Wow. I didn't realize the complexity for commercial delivery. Thanks for the info.
I've been watching sailing on tv/internet since the 80's.

I used to watch the America's cups (until they went to Cats), Volvo Ocean races and whatever they're called now (Vendee?). Seeing them in those storms.... THAT'S the kind of sailing I'd love to do some day. I wanna stand on the bow and be like "Lt. Dan" "YOU CAN'T SINK THIS BOAT!!!!!"

At 55, I'm probably too old for that. Still....

Too old for what?? BS! You’re as young as you want to be and if you stay fit you’ve got decades before you need to even think of slowing down.

Lots of good suggestions already, so won’t repeat. If you have the money, consider https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com. It’s a pay to play way to sail around the world. Great way to quickly build experience.

We usually engage crew for passages as it allows us more sleep. Attitude is more important than experience, whether the crew is friends or unknown to us. Be honest with anyone you approach about crewing. For passage crewing you’ll be expected to cover your own travel arrangements, shore and personal expenses, and possibly a share of provisioning.

As someone else said, change your username!!

[Allergic2wind]

Thank you all for your replies.
I have more than enough info to digest so I won't be revisiting this post.
Thank you again.


And the name was my attempt at humor.