Need to clock up the miles to gain experience.

Molteni

Molteni

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Just back from two weeks of theory and practical with Trysail in Falmouth, (a great outfit!) and am now a Day Skipper!

Before buying my first yacht in the 28 to 35 foot range, I'd like to clock up miles as a crew. Partly to gain much more experience and partly to get to know what to look for in a future boat purchase.

What's the best approach? I've just written to two fairly local yacht clubs and am hoping for a positive response. I' based near north Bristol.
 
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Where are you planning to keep your boat, when you have it?

People are always looking for crew. Ask about - I know several people in the Bristol area that have boats on the south coast, you might get a lift down.
 
rivonia said:
Look up any delivery skippers and ask them if you can be paid crew. When I did deliveries I always wanted crew.
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Not many delivery skippers pay for crew. You might get flights paid and food. They are usually short notice.

Better to put an advert in portishead marina and contact local yacht clubs
 
You don't really learn about sailing until you skipper your own boat. Get a boat then coax an experienced sailor to come out with you. I found that a good supply of bacon sarnies and unlimited cups of tea was suitable bait. I was very lucky to have a very knowledgeable sailor who was keen to pass on his know-how and took me under his wing.
 
ghostlymoron said:
You don't really learn about sailing until you skipper your own boat. Get a boat then coax an experienced sailor to come out with you. I found that a good supply of bacon sarnies and unlimited cups of tea was suitable bait. I was very lucky to have a very knowledgeable sailor who was keen to pass on his know-how and took me under his wing.
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+1.

Being a good skipper is about making safe decisions and you only learn to make decisions by getting out there and doing it! You'll get some of them wrong, but boats are pretty forgiving and DS theory & practical should keep you from any really dire cock-ups.

However, it's worth doing a bit of different kinds of sailing to find out what you like doing, or you could end up buying the wring boat. If you like pootling about spending comfortable nights at anchor and don't mind putting the engine on if the wind's in the wrong direction, an old Centaur or its equivalent in your budget would be fine; if you decide you want to do offshore racing, it won't (and you'd better have a bigger budget!)
 
ghostlymoron said:
You don't really learn about sailing until you skipper your own boat.
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I dunno about that. Certainly you don't really learn about skippering until you skipper your own boat with nobody more experienced to turn to, but someone who has just done a Day Skipper with no prior experience still has a lot of capacity to usefully learn about sailing - exactly as the OP is planning to.

Variety is good - crewing on different boats with different people doing different kinds of sailing in different places will teach a lot more than staying in one place and just racing with the same crew, or just cruising to the same local ports with the same skipper. Although obviously repeat trips are easier to arrange, and perhaps at this point it's just a case of the more experience the better :)

Pete
 
I keep my boat nr Falmouth, and will have opportunities for someone keen from now onwards. She's not the most exciting vessel in the South West, but if you can string 3 or 4 days together now and again let me know.
 
Molteni said:
Just back from two weeks of theory and practical with Trysail in Falmouth, (a great outfit!) and am now a Day Skipper!

Before buying my first yacht in the 28 to 35 foot range, I'd like to clock up miles as a crew. Partly to gain much more experience and partly to get to know what to look for in a future boat purchase.

What's the best approach? I've just written to two fairly local yacht clubs and am hoping for a positive response. I' based near north Bristol.
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As far as I can see your doing everything right get your name about ask notices in clubs... Once you get your foot on a boat it normally rolls from there...

If your going to do as other suggest and buy a boat to get skippering (not always good idea). Buy something cheap and small 18-24 foot that will not break the bank play on that for a whilst (a season) if you can get a mooring.... Do not go straight in at the 28-35 foot range you might find you never have the time to use it.... Many have grand plans of ownerships but find in reality it does not fit with there dreams...

Its not all about miles its about time afloat on boats... In and out of harbors navigating playing any experience on anything is worth whilst and should be fun!!!
 
prv said:
I dunno about that. Certainly you don't really learn about skippering until you skipper your own boat with nobody more experienced to turn to, but someone who has just done a Day Skipper with no prior experience still has a lot of capacity to usefully learn about sailing - exactly as the OP is planning to.

Variety is good - crewing on different boats with different people doing different kinds of sailing in different places will teach a lot more than staying in one place and just racing with the same crew, or just cruising to the same local ports with the same skipper. Although obviously repeat trips are easier to arrange, and perhaps at this point it's just a case of the more experience the better :)

Pete
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I agree with Pete. There is a lot you can learn about sailing before becoming a skipper. I crewed many times on dinghies and during the less frantic bits learned a lot about colregs etc which all came in useful later on. If you are with a good skipper take the opportunity to ask lots of questions .... but not after you hear "Ready About"!

Richard
 
All depends on what sort of person you are. Are you a 'club' type? Would you genuinely enjoy crewing with others you do... or do not... know ? I don't fit in to either category. 30 years ago, with only limited canal and Broads experience, I bought my Sadler29 in kit form. After building and launching I taught myself to sail in Chichester Hbr. The next year made several cross channel trips. Still happily sailing same boat and have had no mishaps. 'Qualifications' for their own sake mean nothing to me.

Do whatever feels right for you.
 
I had exactly the same thought process this spring having re-done day skipper due to many years gap, and a plan to buy a boat..

I was advised to contact local yacht club ( where I was an inactive member) offerings to crew in races, as I would get more experience of frequent sail and course changes, and has worked out well. I spent time with an (on the whole) experienced group of sailors and picked up a lot of knowledge.

Now have my own boat and keep declining invitations to crew as otherwise engaged!
 
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