Crew Wanted: Female Late May to Aug Caribbean cruise

[socaldmax]

Sounds like you're going to have a great time! Good luck to you!

[Charmindth]

Oh, by first mate I am refering to the responder of this crew request.

[Tingum]

Perhaps you should list your sailing qualifications rather than academic ones and health problems.

[Charmindth]

Sailing qualifications start with 37 years of engineering experience that provided all the sit down knowledge of mechanical, electrical and navigational systems experience. My actual sailing experience consists of periodic (7-10 times) crewing on 28 and 32 footers as rentals. The last year and half training as capt on my 45 ft Morgan with a sailor who has 12 years experience that is when the boat was not on the hard for bottom, prop & shaft replacement (4 -5 months). This is the modest experience discussed in the first message. I don't pretend to know it all and will be very conservative when making decisions that could expose the crew and boat to safety concerns. I don't have a planned agenda and will avoid, sitout or hove to any storms.

[Spirit Quest]

Hi, After perusing your message and the following comments I would like to investigate the situation further.

I would love to get some experience sailing on a Morgan and joining you on your trip sounds like a great opportunity to me. You sound like a gentleman and I am certainly not interested in complicating my life with a relationship that is more than friendship and camaraderie.

Unfortunately the down side is that I would not be available until early June as I am presently committed to a house sit on Nevis and don't fly back into Miami till June 9th.

If the dates suit you you could read my profile and if you are interested in making contact drop me a line through this site and we can organize further discussion.

Wishing you the best in your endeavour,

Cheryl Ann

[Sailgeek]

I'm throwing my hat in the ring. I'm a 38 yr old female nursing grad student, and I'm taking a hiatus from my program starting May 5.

I have no sailing experience (other than being on a boat), and I'm super excited at the idea of sailing the Caribbean.

I speak fluent Spanish, have my Open Water divers for 15+ years, love to travel and always have a good time. I'm not a smoker, and drink in moderation.

I don't play poker but play euchre and canasta. I am an avid reader, solo traveler, educated, somewhat cultivated, yada yada.

[mottseng]

Originally Posted by Charmindth

Sailing qualifications start with 37 years of engineering experience that provided all the sit down knowledge of mechanical, electrical and navigational systems experience. My actual sailing experience consists of periodic (7-10 times) crewing on 28 and 32 footers as rentals. The last year and half training as capt on my 45 ft Morgan with a sailor who has 12 years experience that is when the boat was not on the hard for bottom, prop & shaft replacement (4 -5 months). This is the modest experience discussed in the first message. I don't pretend to know it all and will be very conservative when making decisions that could expose the crew and boat to safety concerns. I don't have a planned agenda and will avoid, sitout or hove to any storms.

Are you a registered professional engineer or just have engineering experience? I am asking because after reading this thread I question not only your qualifications but your sanity.

I think you might have gotten a better response if the thread and the request read differently. How many kids you have, their education and your education means nothing when it comes to who you really are.

[SV Windrush II]

Originally Posted by Charmindth

Sailing qualifications start with 37 years of engineering experience that provided all the sit down knowledge of mechanical, electrical and navigational systems experience. My actual sailing experience consists of periodic (7-10 times) crewing on 28 and 32 footers as rentals. The last year and half training as capt on my 45 ft Morgan with a sailor who has 12 years experience that is when the boat was not on the hard for bottom, prop & shaft replacement (4 -5 months). This is the modest experience discussed in the first message. I don't pretend to know it all and will be very conservative when making decisions that could expose the crew and boat to safety concerns. I don't have a planned agenda and will avoid, sitout or hove to any storms.

Based on your sailing experience, I would find someone that is very experienced sailing offshore. as it sounds like whoever it is will be sailing the boat for you, Which means your equipped Morgan should be set up for single-handed sailing.

Also I am a Aerospace engineer and boat builder, but none of that equates to sailing experience. It just helps me fix stuff when it breaks
Also you cannot always predict the weather and you better plan on getting into some rough seas. If you or your future first mate thinks you are not ready to handle storms, then don't go, its when you think it will not happen is when it usually happens.

At best, if I were you, do some short trips with your crew for awhile and see what happens before you venture into the Caribbean.

[Charmindth]

Actually people get into trouble when they overestimate their capabilities, underestimate mother nature or bad luck. My wife has shown me many articles of super experienced sailors meeting disaster, her argument for me not doing this. AS to your concerns to my sanity or not that is judgmental and you are welcome to your opinion. As to whether the accomplishments of my children factor into who I am, you are wrong. There is not a better character reference for anyone then who their children are. You are wrong on the engineering experience but this as far as I go since it does no one any good to argue opinions with so called experts especially since you do not even know my engineering discipline (process control). You don't know me and without that information you can only assume based on your level of knowledge and we all know what happens when you start making assumptions. Safety will be first, in equipment and in logistics, if we need to sit in port for weeks, we will venture out in clear sailing through our destination and a day beyond.

[mottseng]

I didn't know process control was a degree in engineering?

[engine1218]

It is not really a degree in Engineering (the main catagories get the titles; ie Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace) but it is a registered professional engineering discipline. I am also a process controls PE in many states including FL.

Charmindth, I unfortunately would not be available to crew on your entire trip, but maybe PM me if you need someone for a longer passage. I may be able to get away for 4-5 days.

Mike

[SV Windrush II]

Well I see that this thread is getting offtrack because of the above statement by yourself,

Sailing qualifications start with 37 years of engineering experience

I am not going to argue about your engineering experience (I am sure you are good at what you do), but that is not going to help you much in sailing except when something breaks, hopefully you have the tools and parts on-board to be able to fix it. Otherwise your engineering experience will not help much.

What I am concerned with is your insistence on that you will only sail in fair weather. I do not think you can depend on that, and weather predictions are not always true.

But at the same time, I do not want to discourage you from your goal, but you must be prepared for ALL situations as much as possible. And part of that means looking for an experienced sailor. not someone that is just coming along to cook and clean for you. I think that would be a mistake in your situation.

My friend just recently crewed on a yacht in the Caribbean and started out nice weather. by the second day they were in heavy seas and gale force winds that battered them for several days. If it was not for the experience of EVERYONE on-board, they would have been in trouble. Evenyone on-board was doing their part.

Last year I went out sailing for a day with a crew on a "Fair Weather Day" and got into a gale, The good thing it was just in Puget Sound where we could tuck in within a few hours as I was left pretty much with single-handed sailing it in.

[a64pilot]

A three hour cruise? If not for the fearless crew the Minnow would be lost.

[SV Windrush II]

Hey that was my favorite TV show hahahah

[Sailgeek]

There's a lot of haters on this forum! I've read that Caribbean waters are fairly easy to navigate. Let the man have his dream. And you know what they say about opinions? They're like a** *oles, everyone has one.

At any rate, I'm a risk taker and so far nothing has happened to me, just good experiences.

I did have a friend that joined a crew in the Pacific and the boat owner made them sail into a typhoon - but he did that despite weather warnings. My friend bailed when they got to the Phillipines.