Crew Available: 17 year old looking for passage From west coast to East Australian coast

[Jim Cate]

G'Day Dragontype,

Well, you already have heard about the visa problems and the cash problems that you will face in order to start your new life in Oz. Those are high hurdles to jump, mate, and there isn't any way to avoid them.

What no one has yet gotten into is the likelyhood of your finding the ride that you are looking for. Speaking as a long term cruiser, you simply are not yet very desirable crew. I know that this is a harsh judgement, but look at it from the skipper's point of view: you are asking to be taken on for a very long passage, one that most folks take the best part of a year to accomplish. There are a few likely stops along the way that most cruisers want to enjoy, thus extending the time period for the voyage. So, you are gonna be on the boat for a long time. You have no marketable skill as a sailor. You claim to be "charismatic", which is kinda hard to self-evaluate. You have not any sea time, so you don't know if you get sea sick... and lots of folks do, and to a non-functioning degree, too. You would be required to stand watches, during which you have the direct responsibility for the safety of the vessel. I personally want watchstanders to have some knowledge of the sea, the Colregs and of how to sail the boat. You have none of these as yet. I expect that I will be criticized as a "nay-sayer" by many of the forum regulars, but Dragon, I wouldn't take you on as crew, and I doubt if other responsible skippers would either. The possible exception would be on a boat with a large enough crew where a non-performing "apprentice" could be absorbed. A sort of sail training vessel situation, but not your normal cruising yacht.

So, what to do? First, if you really want to get to Oz, buy a plane ticket. You will get there a year or more sooner, you will still be in good nick, and the girl won't have absconded with some other bloke whilst waiting for you wend to your way across the ocean. (You won't be having daily chat sessions with her while at sea, you know.) Compared to the other inescapable expenses for the trip the ticket isn't very expensive.

If you are determined to sail, get cracking with the learning process. A "charismatic" young bloke shouldn't have any trouble getting on as crew for short term sails in your local area. Racers are always looking for strong and willing crew. If you can spend every weekend for the next year sailing on someone else's boat you will have begun the learning process that would make you more desirable for a cruising passage crew. You will also meet some cruisers, folks like the ones that you will be asking for a ride. Learn how they think about voyaging... this will help you become more attractive as crew. Go to the library and get into sailing literature. There's a ton of info out there to help your learning process and lots of it is great reading.

If you spend a year like this perhaps you will be as good a crewperson as you think you are now. I wish you luck and the courage and energy to achieve your very worthwhile goals.

Cheers,

Jim

[DDabs]

So what happens if you see her in the flesh and you change your mind?

[Teknav]

Jim Cate! Reality checks hurt, but are a bargain by comparison to not knowing any better. Dragon, Jim provided you with a lot of good advice. I would heed to it, if I was you. Good luck! Mauritz