Crew Available: Mexico to Panama (Jan 2012 onwards)

[tom1986]

My girlfriend, Yaz (23), and I (25) are currently in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, looking for a boat to crew with from here (or nearby port) to Panama and potentially then onwards across the Pacific to Australia or New Zealand.

We sailed here from Los Angeles as crew delivering a Catalina 42 and have great experience in sailing (about 1,500 miles), night watches (100+ hours), cleaning (inside & out), cooking (inc. planning meals & cooking on rolling seas) and provisioning as well as being hard working and willing to try our hands at anything from cleaning the hull to engine maintenance and more. We've also circumnavigated Antigua on a Beneteau 40.7 as 2 of 6 crew

We're qualified to RYA Competent Crew level and very keen to progress our skills and learn from more experienced sailers as one day we hope to get our own boat and potentially into the industry too. Before this adventure, I studied Advertising (1st class honours BA degree) and worked in Social Media whilst Yaz studied Journalism (2:1 honours BA degree) and then worked in PR and Events - both in London, England.

We're both friendly, easy going, trust worthy and reliable. Our interests range from photography, art & street art to surfing, wakeboarding, snowboarding and skateboarding - not to mention sailing and travelling. I speak conversational French and we're both currently learning/practising our Spanish, which is progressing nicely here in Puerto Vallarta.

If you're looking for crew (or know of other boats looking for crew) and in/near Puerto Vallarta please get in contact through Cruisers Forum or e-mail tom[dot]harvey[at]me[dot]com

In the mean time, feel free to check out our posts on the The Bloggiest Bloggy Blog

[nhschneider]

Consider trying to find a sympathetic boat owner somewhere in Banderas Bay and ask if you can use their VHF for the morning Cruiser's Net. There's a section on the Net every morning (except Sunday) for 'Crew Positions Desired or Offered'. Also, I suggest that you attend some of the seminars for the Pacific Puddle Jump and do some networking there.

Good luck, fair winds and calm seas.

[John A]

Most, if not all West coast cruisiers depart for the South Pacific from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the futher south you travel down the coast the further you get from your destation. Puerto Vallarta has excellent repair yards who cater to cruisiers.

If you have no compelling reason to go tp Panama, I'd suggest you hook with the mass exodus in April.

[tom1986]

Thanks guys, we've managed to get in he cruisers net with a hand held a couple of times but really need a decent VHF to catch conversations from all three marinas so we're going to find a see if we can borrow someone's at some point.

Worst comes to worst and we'll just enjoy PV for a few weeks until we did what we're looking for.

Thanks again,

Tom

[tom1986]

Thanks to everyone for the help and advice in Puerto Vallarta.

We're now currently in Panama staying in Bocas Del Toro for the whole of February, diving and learning to surf with friends before heading to the canal in early March to pick up a boat heading across the Pacific.

From what I can gather, we may benefit from offering ourselves as line handlers for boats transitting the canal. Does anyone have any tips on doing this? (Name of Marinas, yacht clubs, where to go, where not to, etc?)

Thanks!

[Dave852]

Post a message at shelter bay marina.

[Mantus Anchors]

Originally Posted by Dave852

Post a message at shelter bay marina.

Yeah, Go to the Shelter Bay Marina, talk to the boats on docks and leave a note, on the pacific side go to Balboa Yacht Club and Anchorage by the Flamenco Marina, leave a note in Casa Luna Hostel Panama City.
You should easily be able to find a boat. If you are having problems contact me...
Greg and Good Luck

[tom1986]

Thanks Dave and Gregg! We'll put some notes up in those marinas before heading to Bocas Del Toro.

We've heard good things about Casa Luna Hostel and were thinking of moving there in a couple of days. Is it somewhere that sailors frequent specifically or just a good spot generally to meet people?

Cheers!

[Jason Welsh]

Casa Luna Hostel is part owned by a guy who runs trips to the San Blas islands. I was there for a few days last year and it's a nice place, very active, and quite friendly. Didn't meet anyone sailing onward and outward, but wasn't really looking at that point (I worked a cargo boat to carry on to Colombia, which was an interesting journey and a nice entry into Colombia, one of my favorite places in the world). Good luck!

[tom1986]

That's interesting to know, thanks. We were there today and noticed a whole load of posters for those trips to Cartegena via San Blas and now it makes sense why so many of them were from the one company!

How did you get the ride on the cargo ship? Is it something you need specific skills for to work on it?