Crew Available: Above Average Student

[ohdrinkboy]

I don't recall anyone say join a yacht club. They said reach to local clubs and see if race crew (rail meat) is needed. You learn a lot fast racing. Sail trim, rules of the road, balancing the boat....the list goes on and on. The smaller the boat, the faster you learn as they are so sensitive. Good luck.

[jeanathon]

Do you guys buy plane tickets just to go around the patch hoping one day to travel to a different airport? Why in the world would you tell someone to go race around the cans when they want to go somewhere? Why would you respond to a crew available post when you do not need crew? For that matter why am I reading this drivel?
Cy I did not find your post arrogant. After all you put student in the title.... You might have better luck with crew finder than trying to go somewhere with these marina queens.

[Nekton73]

The suggestion to try and join a racing boat is good advice, it's a common way to get some quick practical knowledge about the mechanics of sailing and, if you're lucky, the chance to learn about some of the many other aspects of sailing. A lot of places this will mean joining the yacht club at some level, even if not as a full member, as there are costs and liabilities associated with racing and most skippers and clubs want to have some basic agreement in place if you are going to sail with them.

You got an offer from another poster to join them in a beautiful part of the world for two weeks of adventure, which is pretty good for a random post on an internet forum.

Something not mentioned yet is taking a sailing course such as ASA, RYA or Cansail. A beginner 'Competent Crew' course will give you the basics that will make it much more likely you can get on as crew with someone actually going somewhere. Sailing schools abound all over the world. Personally I would (and did) travel somewhere else to take a course, just because it is interesting.

Deliveries are a great way to get sea miles, experience, and learn whether long distance sailing is really what you want to do. Boats are being delivered all over the world all the time. Most companies have room for unpaid crew. If you are willing to get to and from the boat, they will feed you and use you on the passage. Professor Google is the best way to find more info, followed by contacting them directly and asking straight out 'What do I need to do to be able to crew for you?'. This is what I did, it was a good experience and taught me a lot.

There are online communities specifically created for finding crew... Crewseekers for example. Again, Google will provide.

Or you could just go buy your own boat and start sailing, like so many do. For someone who is as confident in their abilities as you seem to be it may be a better choice than learning through and with others. No doubt you can see the significant risks and costs associated with this option, but for some it is very appealing. Even just starting with dinghy sailing will teach you a huge amount very quickly, and may be very satisfying for a quick learner.


Good luck, you'll find all sorts out on the water, including people just like you.

[chubby]

Originally Posted by CyTaylor

Yes, the art of sales, starts with an s and sounds like sails, but sales experience is not the reason I posted. Okay, my pitch was dumb, I get it, DUMB. Thank you salesmen!

Now, from posting this dumb post inside this here forum, I can sum the total knowledge as join a yacht club.

if "EE" means electrical engineer.. you'd probably be wecome aboard most ships..
whether locally or in el caribe...so i wouldnt worry.

but as previously mentioned.. "egos" do tend to get checked pretty quickly whenever the seas are concerned (is generally best to just leave "it" at home)


fwiw, amongst the sailing community. ...you will find the best individuals that humanity offers (and also the worst)
..but just beiing nice to your friendly to everyone you meet tends to result..in everyone you meet being nice and friendly to you (funny how that works)


in my opinion..
you already got a pretty darn good lead here...
for many of us.. Antigua is literally the "center" of all that is awesome about cruising and sailing in general.
(again) imo, you it would be difficult to top any of the lesser antilles for an intro to sailing life.
so.. i'd follow up on that.


even if this particular boat does not work out for you.. JUST walking the docks somewhere like Antigua and remembering how to properly use earth's 2 magic words ("hello".. . and "yes"_) would probably open additional doors....

[Fore and Aft]

CYTaylor we have all been around that "Above Average" person and when you put a ball or a tool in their hand, they suddenly find out they are nothing special at all (I love Helicopter parents). No one here has said your pitch is dumb. I loved it when you doubled down and shouted DUMB again. Reminds me of that kid running home to mum with their tail between their legs.
You don't have to join a yacht club and race, personally I hate racing. Our yacht club does a green fleet day every second weekend and lots of people come down for a taste of sailing in a low-key environment. It's a good introduction and some of the people come back for race day and crew on one of the club boats that are usually at the back of the fleet and are more about learning than racing.

Cheers

[OldManMirage]

I don't hate racing, I just have never done it and I have zero interest in doing it. I would imagine that you would learn things fairly rapidly doing it though - as long as the people of the boat you're on are willing and able to teach you and communicate that well.

If you have no plans to race then I don't see it as a plus. I would try to do what CY is doing and just get on as crew with someone. Much more relaxed enviroment and probably more time to soak up knowledge.

Keep looking, an opportunity is bound to come along.

[Tortuga's Lie]

I agree about the local racing idea, that's where you quickly learn that a little tweaking of the sail trim can make a huge difference in speed, you learn that a boat can heel over a lot further than you think and still not capsize, and you learn that the rules of the road keeps boats from slamming into one another, although that does still happen when you are talking inches apart!

[Salmogdw]

Cy. I am new to this forum thread and new to sailing in general.
I have a lot to learn every day I am out there. I would take you on in a flash, as I believe in the faith and your belief in yourself. Sadly I am on the opposite side of the continent as you and am on Vancouver Island Canada.
I joined the forum as I am planning a south trip in June 2024 towards Mexico. Slowly sailing down the US coast.

[jeanathon]

Originally Posted by Salmogdw

Cy. I am new to this forum thread and new to sailing in general.
I have a lot to learn every day I am out there. I would take you on in a flash, as I believe in the faith and your belief in yourself. Sadly I am on the opposite side of the continent as you and am on Vancouver Island Canada.
I joined the forum as I am planning a south trip in June 2024 towards Mexico. Slowly sailing down the US coast.

Rock on Salmo!

[lestersails]

C'mon, cut the guy some slack. For many young people still in school, the entire world seems to revolve around education and grades and because of that, people commonly identify themselves by those metrics. If that is what he did, it is not notable and certainly not warranting any snark. If a person has gotten any significant education in electrical engineering, they are probably no dummy - I have the impression that engineering is the least susceptible to faking smarts than just about any other (with literary criticism being the most!).
Give him a break!

[Rainbow48]

Where are you located, Cy?

[Auklet]

An “Above Average” student in today’s world may be a student who has mastered (learned) somewhere between 70 and 75% of the material given to learn; versus the threshold of 80% of the material. Would anyone want an “above average” doctor, especially a surgeon, working on you who knows only 75% of what she/he is doing? What about an airline pilot? It takes most students several hours of study (or practice) a week to get above 80% during initial learning.

Adults are generally not good beginning learners when under instruction. They wish “credit” or substitution for material they’ve mastered in general areas of knowledge (e.g., “common sense”) for portions of the specialty, and do not like starting with the basics. Most of the time, forgive, the “teacher” is functioning as a low-paid entertainer for dilettantes looking for something to do. It’s likely to be a long time before an “above average” student might be of help on a sailboat if still around after a few months.

I’ve known a few “experienced” sailors who cannot hold a low course on a broad reach w/o luffing the headsail, or getting off course to weather, etc. Do not understand what they are doing or trying to do.

[KayZee]

Originally Posted by paulajayne

The worrying thing is that 50% of the population is below average.

The late great George Carlin said it best:


"Think just how STUPID the average person is...now realize that half the people are even stupider!"

[toda]

I have had luck finding crew on https://www.findacrew.net You can join for free... list your wants/dreams and what you have to offer... and it seems to work well... a dating service for boats and crews...

Good luck

[NormanMartin]

I did that, sort of, in 1970.
Went down to the marina and got a on a yacht that needed crew for a delivery. Sailed all over the world and had a great time. Also worked in NYC (which I did not enjoy) had three kids, etc. Went to college.
It helped that I was a sailor. Mostly it helped that I worked hard and accepted responsibility.