Crew

[awol]

Then please feel free not to answer. I don't actually need your opinion and if you don't understand the word "usually" then you'd probably get the answer wrong anyway!

Ah, so there is a "right" answer.

usual adj done, happening, etc most often; customary • took the usual route to work. noun 1 something which is usual, customary, etc. 2 (usually the or my usual) colloq the thing regularly requested, done, etc, especially the drink that someone regularly or most often orders. usually adverb ordinarily; normally. usualness noun. as usual as regularly happens; as is or was usual.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: French, from Latin usus use.

I "usually" set sail with a purpose and "usually" have the number on board suited to that purpose which can vary from moi-même to 7. As to the frequency of each purpose, without consulting the log I could only guess. As to time off the mooring, single-handed cruising probably wins but that's probably 'cos I'm an argumentative, grumpy old codger with little tolerance for sloppy attempts at communication.

 

[lustyd]

Ah, so there is a "right" answer.

I "usually" set sail with a purpose and "usually" have the number on board suited to that purpose which can vary from moi-même to 7. As to the frequency of each purpose, without consulting the log I could only guess. As to time off the mooring, single-handed cruising probably wins but that's probably 'cos I'm an argumentative, grumpy old codger with little tolerance for sloppy attempts at communication.

It isn't a sloppy attempt at communication, I suspect it's more to do with you being grumpy.

Let's make it simple, take the last 10 trips on your boat. Count up the number of times you sailed alone. Now count up the number of times you had one other human on board who helped with the sailing. Now count up the number of times you had more than one other human on board who helped with the sailing.
You should now have three numbers - if you have one bigger than the others then that's your answer. If you have two numbers bigger than the other then either go further back than 10 trips or don't answer. If you have 3 numbers which are all the same then go back to school

 

[deuc02]

It isn't a sloppy attempt at communication, I suspect it's more to do with you being grumpy.

Let's make it simple, take the last 10 trips on your boat. Count up the number of times you sailed alone. Now count up the number of times you had one other human on board who helped with the sailing. Now count up the number of times you had more than one other human on board who helped with the sailing.
You should now have three numbers - if you have one bigger than the others then that's your answer. If you have two numbers bigger than the other then either go further back than 10 trips or don't answer. If you have 3 numbers which are all the same then go back to school

I'm guessing you ticked box number 1

 

[lustyd]

I'm guessing you ticked box number 1

yes as my boat is only big enough for one for any length of time. That said I often sail on other peoples boats and when I do we tend to have a few crew, but that wasn't what the poll was for.

 

[Caliban]

My signature says it all really

 

[rule the waves]

"crew needed" is the main reason why A LOT of boats never leave their berth. A poll in the south of France gave this frightening result: the average time a boat leaves the harbour is...7 minutes. Yes, yes - you've read it correctly. This - of course - is swinging from the "perpetual champaigner-on-deck" to the regatta sailor-type. Reason(s) : no crew, boat too big to handle solo or short handed, no experience and not enough chance to obtain it. That's why I recently switched to a smaller sailing boat, fully fitted for single handed sailing. It's being made right now, just can't wait to sail on my own terms and in my own time again.

 

[laika]

Interesting. So if this poll were representative of the "boating community" in general, over 40% would be single handers and only 1 in 20 boats would have more than two people aboard.

I'll go out on a limb and say that doesn't really tally with what I see when I go sailing. Question is..
* Is this forum read by grumpy old billy nomateses?
* Do people only bother to respond to polls where they feel smug about their answer?
* Do a disproportionate number of forumites sail bathtubs/coracles etc?
* Are there fewer people normally on boats than I imagine?

(I'm in the "2" camp fwiw...)

 

[[70521]]

I could never aford a crew.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Full crew for a day sail is me and SWMBO plus dog - anyone else is made useful if they're up to it but ultimately not needed.
Full crew for a passage of one to two days is 3 or more, perhaps dog.
Full crew for a longer passage or inclement weather is 4 or more, no dog.
CE Max permitted crew is 8 persons (11.5m AWB)

Therefore I sail with a full crew all the time and adjust the passages accordingly.

 

[[3889]]

I think the Qs are pretty straightforward. I'm surprised how high the solo response is - doesn't reflect what I see on the water.

 

[Lodesman77]

I think the Qs are pretty straightforward. I'm surprised how high the solo response is - doesn't reflect what I see on the water.

Possible reasons -

1) solos stay away from people
2) solos avoid marinas
3) solos go below, change jacket/hat, come back up and get counted twice...