singlehanders or looking to crew too?

[Jen]

Hello everyone,
I was wondering, are all these sailing singles singlehanders or open to potential crew opportunities too?
You see, I generally singlehand, when my other arm is twisted ;)
However, since I'm still a novice, I do enjoy having company and perhaps a little extra hand of help, especially when exploring new territory or sailing at night.
I've been in search of the best way to find persons with little to some or more experience that don't mind sailing on someone else's boat.
For example, I'm planning a four day sailing trip to a new place over thanksgiving. It's an annual raft-up for some of my sailing friends, but this will be my first year. Would love to have company for the trip, but how does one go about finding trustworthy company...

[Mitchell]

Hi Jen,
Mitchell here. Love night sailing and always up for gazin at the stars.
Been sailin for years and just moved back to Florida within the past year.
Lookin for a boat that I can moor in front of my home in Crystal Beach Fla. Thats about 10 miles north of Clearwater.
Own a Hobiecat and a Hobie Sailyak now but lookin for a weekender to enjoy trips around the Gulf.
Sold my O'day in NJ before I moved down here. Always lookin for a sailing mate. Have access to a friends 25' Bristol up here.
I've studied the stars and would love to night sail again,
Wind at your side,
Mitchell

[zeehag]

i have found some yacht clubbies are more drunk and stumbling than are the more sedate yet rowdy nonmembers, so far---there are many non members seeking cruising sailing situations than there are members seeking same---the snot clubbies seem to be seeking racing sailing---i donot twist o flex my boat in that manner--i owned one had been--hard to fix afterwords.....i am in san diego and i find there are many souls male and female seeking to sail with those sailing south and some for northern sailing---list yourself in a crew list --out here we have lat38--but i know thereis something on the east coast...just keep loooking---and screening well prior to departure--take short sails first before a long passage or know the person very very well first.......a small boat gets very tiny with the wrong soul.....

[Joel Wilkins]

Hi Jen,
I think for short trips like you mention you can probably find many that will be both suitable crew and company. Here is just as good a place to find such crew and I think your post will get several interested. I used to crew on a friends boat here in Gulfport before I got my own and even after too.

Perhaps we could do some sort of Meet and greet some weekend and get interested local sailors introduced to each other. The Strictly Sail here in St Pete is next weekend and would be an ideal meeting spot. I know I will be there and a few others as well.

Joel in St Pete
m/s Miss Magoo
Columbia 451, #98

[___/)ances With Sails]

Sorry I missed the opportunity. Just now seeing this!

Cheers!

[Gary B]

Next time you feel like you could use a deckhand, ping me. I'm thinking of coming down to FL for a few days sometime soon. I need some SUN!! WARM!!! or at least warmer...

[Francis lashway]

How to find trust worthy person is a good question.

I just joined a few groups through seanots and most of the people I've been in contact with like pretty nice people

How ever before I would trust anyone with anything( including my safety ,life and boat) Id get to know them well enough to feel comforable, Id know thir background mett/call take withfamily,wife/husban boyfrind girlfriend kids home address where they worked you name it. Get refrences a lot of face to face time.
Im a middle age guy can handle my self , studied martial for 30 years an ex boxer and thats what i would do and even then if my"gut" makes me feel something is not kosher with this person I wouldnt trust them on small boat offshore.
Your an attractive young women so double everything I'd do and you should be all right.

On the positive side most crusing sailors Ive met have been kind conciderate people with genuine concern for their fellow mariners
best of luck

[Dalton Williams]

Hi Jen,

The best place I have found for off shore sailing crew is a web site called Find A Crew. I have had six people join me from there and it has always been a good experience. The web site is www.findacrew.net Note that it is .net NOT .com

[Sailbad the Sinner]

Hi Jen
I joined recently and am a little late in responding. You have gotten a lot of good advice. Z's last statement, something like "a boat gets real small, with the wrong person aboard" is probably the best.

I singlehand almost all the time now. Some reasons are; I live in Amish country. can't get Amish anywhere close to water. The women in my age group are more interested in joining the "proper" bridge club, or country club. The women here, that I asked to go sailing has responded. "do I have to work?" "is it hard?" "what kind of wine do you have aboard/"

So, you are a real treasure and you won't have any difficulty finding sailing partners.

[Serenity]

WOW! No wonder so many think of women as the 'weaker' sex, although I have met men who have the same mind set. Sad how much fear limits people! I get strange responses all the time because I do things myself, it strikes me as odd how helpless so many people choose to be.
Sailing on a lake I got to the point where the mention of alcohol and boat in the same sentence made me want to run, nothing like a bunch of half drunk boaters :P

Fair winds!

[Jen]

I don't see it as a weakness. I see it as protecting my investment from the dock. LOL. although I've been sailing for about 5 years now. I don't get out often enough to feel like I'm an expert when coming into the dock. I've also had times when I've been very happy I had crew because I don't think I would have gotten out of certain situations on my own... and... I also like to be able to turn and say to someone other than my cat, "Isn't that sunset just awesome!" I like to share the experience :)

[Serenity]

Jen not sure if you were responding to my comment about "weaker sex" it was only in response to
Sailbads post:
"The women here, that I asked to go sailing has responded. "do I have to work?" "is it hard?" "what kind of wine do you have aboard/" The "do I have to work" and "is it hard part."

I think if I had the opportunity to choose I'd have a boat rigged for single handing but would prefer to have crew, for all of the reasons you mentioned, and more.

Sailing with my friends one lovely day some serious freak wind came out of nowhere, and we were all glad to have crew, within 30 min we were in the second reef on the main sail and a storm jib, not in the forecast at all, and even watching all the weather signs it came super quick. That was an Aquarius 24, on a lake, not really rigged for single handing, but doable, sure would have been a challenge alone!

[Jen]

oooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
no! I hadn't noticed that post by Sailbad....
hmmmm...
sounds like that woman was offering to be a different sort of crew member....
I understand your response now.
It is unfortunate that some comments are sometimes misunderstood.
Probably when looking for crew, all of these expectations should be indicated upfront.
because I'm sure there are sailors that take on crew purely for "company" and not to work...
hmmmmmmmm.......
;)