Crew Available: South Pacific timing and location for a crew position?

[Douglas Peacock]

Got a couple of questions I'm hoping someone can help me with as keen to hitch hike around the South Pacific on a yatch during 2017.

1. I'll obviously take into account the non cyclone season but WHEN is the best time to get on a yatch in the South Pacific? I'm asking as they say the beginning of the sailing season is march. But I'm thinking it will take a while for the boats to get to the islands and therefore maybe need crew. So should I leave it a month say and get there for April or May? I need to leave South Pacific by end July.

2. WHERE is best to get a crew position within the South Pacific , early in the season? Was thinking of Fifi or Tahiti? Am keen to wait in one of the South Pacific islands rather than the mainland like , South America, Australia or New Zealand. Although if they are best places then do let me know. Need to take account on which is expensive to stay against a good port.

Any advice on general crewing around South Pacific then please do let me know too.

Thanks
Doug

[savoir]

The best place to get a crew position is Panama in March.

[UNCIVILIZED]

You'd probably be well served by references such as Jimmy Cornell's World Cruising Routes since cruising boats move with the seasons, & seasonal winds. Not to mention that many cruisers use the book as a reference themselves, so you'd both be taking a page from the same book, literally.
There are also other references, like Pilot Charts, which denote similar things. Many of them being available online. And conversations about this are also regular topics here on CF.

[Douglas Peacock]

I'll look up panama. I've already bought Jim Cornell book, which is great but looking for s bit more detail on which is best place to station myself. Suppose I can just fly to another island if the first one I pick doesn't produce the goods. Any other advice much appreciated.......

[s/v Moondancer]

There is a daily Cruisers Net on the VHF each day at the Pacific side of the Canal. From Feb. onwards there are boats looking for crew for the Pacific Crossing.

From April onwards the Pacific crossing boats arrive in the Marqesas, Hiva Hoa and Nuka Hiva. They have just sailed 3,000+mm and probably no longer need crew to cruise French Polynesia. The boats do not head for Points west, Tonga, Fiji and NZ until after July.

You must understand it takes a month+ to get from Panama to French Polynesia, boats need useful crew and not passengers unless you are willing to pay towards the passage. We had friends crew for the long passages but did not need them Marquesas to Tonga, the part you probably want to cruise.

We have just taken-on a crew member for NZ to the US, he is here to learn to sail across oceans and we have just spent a hard week fixing things on the boat before we cruise for for two months before we spend a hard week in a yard fixing more things!

[savoir]

It would not be a good idea to assume that you can just turn up in a port and pick up rides. Things don't work that way. The world is not flush with kind hearted boaters seeking to hand out freebies.

Paying your way would help.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Doug.

[a64pilot]

When I go in a year or two, I will be wanting crew before or maybe in Panama, once I get to SouPac, I don't need crew, but if someone came with us and we had become friends and they weren't costing me much, I'd likely keep them on.

Think of this as a drive across the US, one that you can't stop, you have to keep driving, would you pick up a co-driver after getting to your destination?

[Douglas Peacock]

Thanks all for your advice which I'll take on aboard. So it looks like I'm off to panama in march. I wasn't wanting my first South Pacific sailing ( I have some sailing experience but not a lot) to begin with the longest voyage of some 3000 miles but quite understand that's probably the one that makes sense for an owner. After that I'll probably be of more use to a yatch anyway so might get on shorter routes, or I'll be keen for dry land! No probs paying my way, which I was expecting.

[savoir]

You could always register with the Puddle Jump crew list. They only go to Tahiti and departure dates vary through March.

Latitude 38 Crew List

[Douglas Peacock]

Originally Posted by savoir

You could always register with the Puddle Jump crew list. They only go to Tahiti and departure dates vary through March.



Latitude 38 Crew List

Ah didn't know you could register as crew looking for a yatch. I'll go on the website and see if there is a link .......Tahiti would be great.

[Douglas Peacock]

Originally Posted by Douglas Peacock

Ah didn't know you could register as crew looking for a yatch. I'll go on the website and see if there is a link .......Tahiti would be great.

Just seen you put the link for me, thanks. I'll sign up.

[Douglas Peacock]

Originally Posted by savoir

You could always register with the Puddle Jump crew list. They only go to Tahiti and departure dates vary through March.



Latitude 38 Crew List

Hi again, I've registered with the latitude crew list but it didn't say it was for the puddle jump or even South Pacific sailing. Don't suppose you could point me into the right direction if there is a specific puddle jump crew list? As that sounds ideal for me.

[boatman61]

Googled PuddleJump and this popped up.. so guess like most crewing sites you need to provide info about yourself and the area's/events you'd like to participate in..

About the Pacific Puddle Jump