atlantic crossing as crew?

[halyardmonkey.]

Dear All,

Given it is unlikely in the near future that I will be able to buy my own yacht or take the necessary year off to complete at atlantic circuit, my mind has now turned to the idea of a one way trip across the atlantic as a crew member.

I would generally say I have the skills to be a useful crew member, notching up a fare few offshore miles, in all sorts of horrible conditions, so wondered how difficult this may be to arrange and how one may go about this?

I obviously don't have any sailing friends who are about to do this in the near future so doing this with a friend is not possible. I also don't have the time to hang around in a mariner in the Canaries hoping to thumb a lift across, so a more organised approach my be needed.

I wondered if any of you had attempted to cross as crew and how you went about this? Also, what cost implications may be involved?

All the best

H.M

 

[Tranona]

Many ways of achieving it. You could join a crewing agency, aim to crew on a delivery trip, hang around the departure points such as the Canaries, look for a berth on an ARC yacht or pay to join one of the many organised charter type packages. No doubt others will come in with more ideas.

 

[V1701]

Trawl the crewing web sites - Findacrew, Sailing Networks, Float Plan, Crewseekers, Crewfinders amongst others. I got to crew across Indian Ocean Thailand to Maldives using Findacrew. Trip was on shared cost basis (1/2 food, fuel & ports of call expenses which I think is quite common & a fair deal) with skipper...

 

[capnsensible]

Dear All,

Given it is unlikely in the near future that I will be able to buy my own yacht or take the necessary year off to complete at atlantic circuit, my mind has now turned to the idea of a one way trip across the atlantic as a crew member.

I would generally say I have the skills to be a useful crew member, notching up a fare few offshore miles, in all sorts of horrible conditions, so wondered how difficult this may be to arrange and how one may go about this?

I obviously don't have any sailing friends who are about to do this in the near future so doing this with a friend is not possible. I also don't have the time to hang around in a mariner in the Canaries hoping to thumb a lift across, so a more organised approach my be needed.

I wondered if any of you had attempted to cross as crew and how you went about this? Also, what cost implications may be involved?

All the best

H.M

Hiya, if you are interested in Eastbound next May, I have a friend who will be returning on a 45 foot yacht, cost sharing only. He has done loadsa transatlantics.

PM if you like

CS

 

[wotayottie]

Had a number of friends who have done this, and maybe half of them have "jumped ship" even when sailing with people they have known for years. Getting on together in a small boat requires a very tolerant personality. TBH I could never do it.

 

[Carduelis]

+1 - take care who you crew for

Had a number of friends who have done this, and maybe half of them have "jumped ship" even when sailing with people they have known for years. Getting on together in a small boat requires a very tolerant personality. TBH I could never do it.

Remember, you will be 'cooped up' with a small group of people for 3 weeks or so, probably over-tired and possibly a bit stressed. My advice is to take great care who you are crewing for - it can be a hellish experience ...

Not a lot of opportunity to 'jump ship' on an ocean crossing!

 

[capnsensible]

Remember, you will be 'cooped up' with a small group of people for 3 weeks or so, probably over-tired and possibly a bit stressed. My advice is to take great care who you are crewing for - it can be a hellish experience ...

Not a lot of opportunity to 'jump ship' on an ocean crossing!

On the other hand, it is mostrly brilliant, most people are quite tolerant and you may well make friends for life.

Done plenty of offshore trips (10 transatlantics too) and as skipper I reckon its down to me to make it work. Rarely a problem!!

 

[Kilter]

The Cruising Association have a service

http://www.cruising.org.uk/crewing/introduction

 

[dslittle]

On the other hand, it is mostrly brilliant, most people are quite tolerant and you may well make friends for life.

Done plenty of offshore trips (10 transatlantics too) and as skipper I reckon its down to me to make it work. Rarely a problem!!

But you never do a crossing when the football is on!!!

All true but it is worth bearing in mind WHY the skipper is looking for crew they don't know... That being said, it is definitely an adventure worth having.

 

[wotayottie]

Not a lot of opportunity to 'jump ship' on an ocean crossing!

Azores for one, Bermuda for the other and somewhere in Argentina for the third.

Maybe I'm a crabby old fart but I find it difficult to tolerate my best sailing buddy for more than a week on board. Stuck in my ways I guess.

 

[capnsensible]

But you never do a crossing when the football is on!!!

All true but it is worth bearing in mind WHY the skipper is looking for crew they don't know... That being said, it is definitely an adventure worth having.

The Lord said 'Let There Be Short Wave Radio And Iridium Phones' and his sailors on the Mighty Oceans were at peace with the Rolling Deep and content with the footy results.

 

[Carduelis]

Sadly some Skippers can't keep a regular crew for very good reasons... It can be tough to find this out when you are a couple of days into a three week passage.

As has been said above, it can all be great fun and 'just enough' of an adventure. All I'm suggesting is that you take a bit of care to check out your prospective Skipper and the other crew members before you set off.

 

[tat27]

ARC

I did the ARC in 2006 on an Italian Swan and although the food was fantastic, the crew got on fine, from a sailing perspective it was a lot of time spent reading (5 books in 15 days) and there were one or two sailing highlights, for the most time it was dull. One gybe till Barbados...