Crew Wanted: Caribbean Cruising

[pinkfloyd]

Ahoy potential crew! Good news, we have some crew slots opening in mid February!

We are currently in the Caribbean heading as far as St Martin before May/June (crew can join anywhere along the way) and then returning to the northeast US for summer.

Our Voyage 430 Catamaran is well equipped for cruising with plenty of food, drink, kayaks, paddle boards, snorkeling/spearfishing gear, musical instruments, etc.

We generally anchor out and cook on board, but it would be fair to say we enjoy exploring the local beaches, hiking trails, restaurants and watering holes as well.

You will have your own queen sized cabin and share one of the two bathrooms.

Crew are responsible for a share of on-board expenses (food/drink/etc) and expected to help in sailing, provisioning, and regular maintenance responsibilities.

[EarlWer]

Originally Posted by pinkfloyd

Crew are responsible for a share of on-board expenses (food/drink/etc) and expected to help in sailing, provisioning, and regular maintenance responsibilities.

How much $$ does that work out to?
I understand food & drink, but what is the etc. and 'provisioning'?

"we have some crew slots opening" makes it sound like a business looking for passengers instead of crew helping to sail...

[NaClyDog]

Originally Posted by EarlWer

"we have some crew slots opening" makes it sound like a business looking for passengers instead of crew helping to sail...

Ding Ding Ding, me thinks we have a winner here.

[pinkfloyd]

I feel like you probably haven’t spent much time on a cruising boat, so I’ll be nice. So yes, crew chip in for the ‘etc’ and do provisioning. Paper towels, trash bags, all the other crap it takes to run a cruising boat is the etc - and someone has to go get (not buy) all the food, booze, and etc - that’s called provisioning. Cruising isn’t all sailing - there’s a lot more to be done, and while I rarely mind carrying beer, I’m not carrying a whole crews worth to the boat every week.

The contribution is very reasonable, like less than rent (while including food and drink) reasonable. It’s less than 10% of what it costs to run the boat.

Happy to provide references to serious candidates.

[Joli]

You might try an ad in crew finder. I know a lot of people that use that and bounce from boat to boat for fun and passage miles. We're currently in St Martin but were in the USVI'S recently, what is your boat name, we probably shared an anchorage.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by pinkfloyd

I feel like you probably haven’t spent much time on a cruising boat, so I’ll be nice.

Not all cruising boats have a perpetual slots to be filled by strangers either. However, there are many cruising boats who take on crew to offload the cost of cruising and maintenance. Those boats advertise as 'opportunities to 'take a vacation' or 'get sea miles'. Some are just thinly veiled charters trying to fly under the radar.

Considering the large number of people who traipse through here with such 'opportunities', and its your second post here..... and it opens with "Good News", like we were all sitting around waiting for this opportunity to transpire, maybe you can understand why some folks are cautiously cynical.

[Simon.Sails]

Sounds great, if I could sort the visa / travel restrictions I'd be interested. But it doesn't look very feasible right now.

As for the cost sharing thing, I think the above sounds really reasonable, I'd even agree to a cost sharing amount to general maintenance, parts etc.

[EarlWer]

Originally Posted by pinkfloyd

I feel like you probably haven’t spent much time on a cruising boat, so I’ll be nice.

Does that mean you are usually not nice to people who have crewed a lot?

Originally Posted by pinkfloyd

The contribution is very reasonable, like less than rent (while including food and drink) reasonable. It’s less than 10% of what it costs to run the boat.

"Reasonable" to one person may be ridiculous to another...
...and you still haven't answered the question.

10% of what? Depreciation? Interest on the purchase?

Originally Posted by pinkfloyd

Happy to provide references to serious candidates.

I would be serious if you would answer a simple request...

[pinkfloyd]

Thanks all, have a few inquires. Happy sailing!

[TimBradd]

Originally Posted by pinkfloyd

Ahoy potential crew! Good news, we have some crew slots opening in mid February!

We are currently in the Caribbean heading as far as St Martin before May/June (crew can join anywhere along the way) and then returning to the northeast US for summer.

Our Voyage 430 Catamaran is well equipped for cruising with plenty of food, drink, kayaks, paddle boards, snorkeling/spearfishing gear, musical instruments, etc.

We generally anchor out and cook on board, but it would be fair to say we enjoy exploring the local beaches, hiking trails, restaurants and watering holes as well.

You will have your own queen sized cabin and share one of the two bathrooms.

Crew are responsible for a share of on-board expenses (food/drink/etc) and expected to help in sailing, provisioning, and regular maintenance responsibilities.

Ahoy Captain,
I would be interested in the return trip to the Northeast in May/June. I am flexible as far as when it happens. As far as how long I can stay on board is flexible as well as long as I have internet capabilities. I am 56 years old fairly handy, decent cooking abilities but do not have any large boat crewing experience. I have an ASA 101 sailing certificate and willing to help out and learn whatever I can.
Tim