Crew Wanted: Hey skipper, wanna sail?

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Paint me irresponsible then.

Well was I irresponsible to sail nonstop from Jacksonville FL to Cape Fear with only two on board? Guess I'm lucky to be alive.

[sanibel sailor]

Third caveat: I'm here to make plans, here to be productive; please reply only if you have something positive to add or have interest in showing up and being the skipper on this vessel.


One response in three pages.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

Third caveat: I'm here to make plans, here to be productive; please reply only if you have something positive to add or have interest in showing up and being the skipper on this vessel.


One response in three pages.

One of the unwritten rules: you get to say what you want in your first post in a thread, but you don't get to say what the responses will be.

And when the first post is as , er, unusual as this one was, a certain expectation of divergent responses is pretty certain.

Only specific, direct and interesting questions are likely to get direct and relevant answers... at least that has been my observation.

Jim

[Adelie]

Jim:
Sanibel Sailor in not the OP, he was just dropping his opinion like everyone else.
A

[sanibel sailor]

This is a bit more audaciuos but I once put an ad on craigslist looking for crew to help sail an engineless derelict from Tampa to Ft Myers. Several unkind responses including from pro skippers, others telling me it was foolhardy or how it ought to be done.


Found a few guys to help, one of whom has been a close friend for many years. Another was a boat carpenter who I wound up hiring to do some work on the boat. Trip went off just as planned. The inexperienced guy who became my friend later bought an Alberg 30 and sailed her down from Mississippi to Ft Myers.

Of course different circumstances, as I am experienced and looking for crew, not a skipper.


What I hope might be a helpful suggestion-
Breaking this trip up into legs with different crew for each might be more feasible. Sail a bit and learn, then do some reading and fixing, sail and learn, etc.

[Paul Annapolis]

Moderator Jim Cate is spot on with his concise and direct reply, with which I totally agree--and if others followed his advice, this helpful and effective forum would be even more helpful and effective. To that, I would add that the OP, in this case and every case, once he or she has read and hopefully assimilated the advice, suggestions, caveats (yes "caveats") from those of us who are trying to be helpful, inject a dose of reality (when needed), encouragement, share our experience, or whatever...would do all of us a service, including the OP, by re-entering the conversation thread and updating us with news, re-thinking of of ideas, perhaps a bit of thanks (when appropriate) or to tell us of progress--or lack thereof. That is especially so in cases such as this, where the original post is a bit, uh, shall we say unusual? So please, OP, in order to make this forum more effective and helpful for everyone, let us know how your search and plans are going. Thanks.

[Kimo_Kai]

Originally Posted by Paul Annapolis

Moderator Jim Cate is spot on with his concise and direct reply, with which I totally agree--and if others followed his advice, this helpful and effective forum would be even more helpful and effective. To that, I would add that the OP, in this case and every case, once he or she has read and hopefully assimilated the advice, suggestions, caveats (yes "caveats") from those of us who are trying to be helpful, inject a dose of reality (when needed), encouragement, share our experience, or whatever...would do all of us a service, including the OP, by re-entering the conversation thread and updating us with news, re-thinking of of ideas, perhaps a bit of thanks (when appropriate) or to tell us of progress--or lack thereof. That is especially so in cases such as this, where the original post is a bit, uh, shall we say unusual? So please, OP, in order to make this forum more effective and helpful for everyone, let us know how your search and plans are going. Thanks.

Indeed, it's the same on an erily similar forum for motor coaches. Folks really appreciate a 2 way dialogue with the OP and are much more likely to hop on an help out, on subsequest threads, those who honor the community with that kind of respect and reciprocity. Some really wonderful folks bailed me out numerous times and saved me thousands of dollars and a pile of aggrivation. Good stuff.

Kimo
Marooned on Maui

[CaptainRivet]

I have 4 recommendations for you


1) get a local surveyor checking your boat inside out, so you have a list what need to be done. the surveyor most likely can help you with local craftsmen and parts supply too. Also a professional rigger who checks your rigging, wrong to save money here and leave it to your "skipper".



2) Triple the time for that list as 1000% other things will show up and everything on a boat takes much more time. eg 2 days for fully servicing the engine the first time on an unknown boat like you plan is hilerious. if you get away with a week you are fantastic. First time I needed two days on my 42ft ketch to identify where everything is, how to approch and what tools are really needed....i am an engine engeneer and was dismantling V10 Lambo engines and had my 3 huge tool boxes with and prepared along with the engine manual...well I ended up ordering a tool at the local chandlery, waiting for 3 weeks to arrive as what was on the engine was not what was in the manual...then when changing the impeller, a screw broke and I needed a full day just to get the screw out. When further servicing I discovered a little crack in the water pump">raw water pump. I just ordered 2 right away (a must have spare for long passages) and waited for them to arrive another week....

3) forget perfectionism on the boat, everything is a compromise and only wrong what brings you in danger...eg crew 10 boats and you will find 10 skippers coiling the lines differently, most likeky none of the 10ways are wrong and all have their own reason why they do it this way.



4) the skipper is the captain on the boat and he/she is responible. and in your case that cannot be you but your post 1 indicates you want to be. That means you buy that stuff he/she requests or he/she will walk away. There must be trust from the beginning and who has the repsonsibility (which is the skipper/captain in your case) have to make the call.
Had exactly that situation on our my last delivery being a crew of 4 and each of us put down on the list what is a must have on the cat for the delivery from LaRochelle to Antigua. Owner started to discuss and our skipper (a rescue boat captain) told owner no discussion order list or we disembarge...and we were happy we all requested what we needed for saftey of our mind as we needed nearly all and even more from that list to reach Antigua, together with the know how of a rescue boat captain, a retired Navi Testpilot, a retired naval engeneer and me the engine engeneer to get that brand new 50ft catamaran there. That was a hell of crew and know how plus we trusted each other from minute one (we didn't know each other before)...when there was a question it was why this is off/wrong/broken/decision to learn from each other and better understand what is going on. Well cat was renamed by crew to MS Gaffa at arrival...the tape...you can imagine why...

[KP44]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

Third caveat: I'm here to make plans, here to be productive; please reply only if you have something positive to add or have interest in showing up and being the skipper on this vessel.


One response in three pages.

I thought asking the OP to consider the Intracoastal Waterways was something both positive and hopeful. Even a novice can probably wend his way, motoring along protected waterways. This would cut down on his times off shore. He might even manage solo after he get to Panama City, or wherever the southern waterway begins. And any part of this voyage that he does solo will do wonders for his experience and his confidence.

[rsailorbob]

Your proposed journey is a significant voyage.
A 42 ft. ketch has many complex systems which provide propulsion, watertight integrity, living accommodations, sanitation and safety. All should be inspected, tested and repaired as required prior to departure.
On older vessels, many systems may have been altered or modified and may appear to function when they do not.
Areas of concern: Seacocks, Engine and prop, high loop vents, bilge pumps, float switches and discharge, battery switches, electrical panel, propane safety systems, pressure water pumps, manual bilge pump, damage control bungs, steering systems, autopilots, radio, emergency steering, navigation lights, compass and compass light, windlass, anchoring systems, standing and running rigging, sails, preventers, lifelines, interior lighting, marine toilets, sink drains, holding tank and discharge and USCG required items.
You will need a life raft, jack lines, pfd’s and tethers, man overboard marker, life ring and spare halyard.
Once your vessel is in order, you need probably at least 2 days of sea trials to operate systems, sails reefing, and other systems. This provides a chance for the crew to operate everything and gives systems a chance to fail in service and make repairs.
A crew of three is sort of a minimum for this journey unless you plan to go into port frequently to catch up on rest. If the Autopilot fails, it will be difficult for one person to handle the sails under all circumstances as well as maintaining watch standing schedules.
You also need to consider insurance aspects of your journey as far as scheduling. You will have to keep the boat somewhere so there is plenty of time to get it to Texas.
Once, I set sail on an old boat and the owner had worked on it for 3 months prior to departure. It took 6 weeks and $ 15,000 to get out of the Chesapeake as one failure after another occurred.
That being said, some of us realize that Georgia is, in fact, on the South Atlantic Coast though not on the coast of the “South Atlantic”. Follow your dream!

[BobHorn]

Originally Posted by Mrfish

Certainly not safe doing the Gulf crossing with two crew.

My wife and I have done it three times and lived to tell about it.

[captlloyd]

In defense of the op and other op’s who ask a specific question and get everything other than an answer to their question, he is looking for a qualified sailer to captain his boat to a destination. That is the question. He is not asking what route to take, how to provision, how to prepare the boat, where and how to get a surveyor, on and on. It sounds like he is going to be generous with some of the costs like travel expenses, provisioning, etc. Not a bad deal if you would like to take a sailing trip on someone else’s dime. Yes, it’s an open forum and everyone is free to chime in, but keep in mind that you might not be answering the damn question or providing some sort of avenue for him to accomplish what he wants to do. I see this very frequently on this forum.

[gatorman49]

The best response yet.

Originally Posted by Larry Florida

Best to wait a few weeks or you may miss hurricane season

[MagicBeans55]

26 years Moorings’s Barr boat captain..live in Pearland Texas..would love the opportunity//non smoker non drinker//sabbath keeper//available 3034084180

[dcruz99801]

Three cheers for Captlloyd; I noted the OP was not responding as the discussion devolved into a typical barstool debate on everything but.



Buying a boat far away on any sort of budget or time constraint is...shall we say, difficult. Doing it without sailing experience makes it near impossible, but it can be done if the OP is reasonable.


That said, I agree the OP's request is not realistic in its time frame. I bought our current trimaran in San Diego; to sail it to La Paz took several weeks in a boatyard getting it ready and the engine quit by Ensenada (another 3 weeks lost). Something <will> go wrong on a boat, just have backup options.



And yes, you can find experienced sailors who may be at loose ends or looking for a teaching challenge, a 'pay it forward' moment. Just do a compatibility check (short trip) or have a Plan B.