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Getting started?

Discussion in 'Yacht Crews' started by coastwise, Dec 2, 2005.

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  1. coastwise, Dec 2, 2005
    #1
    coastwise

    coastwise New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2005
    Messages:
    2
    Location:
    Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
    hello,

    I would like some advice please...

    as you may have noticed in my last post, I am seeking work; yesterday, I had a contact from a crewing agent with an offer of work: a permanant, year long commitment. all sounded nice, but I am not in a position for so long a term of work. She told me that all work is of a long term nature and my idea of finding work of the 2-3month variety is unrealistic. Further, she told me that my plan to go to Fort Lauderdale in January to personally find a berth was equally "unrealistic" (i.e. a waste of time).

    is there not any Rotary crewing on yachts? what do captains do when their regular crew take holiday or need unforseen leave? I would like to do shorter terms and 11th hour placement in Yachts. How can I find such work? Is my plan to go South a sound?

    I would value any comments or advice;

    thank you,

    Marco J. Khalil
  2. AMG, Dec 2, 2005
    #2
    AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2004
    Messages:
    5,380
    Location:
    Sweden
    Hi, just to give you a short answer.

    There are yachts with two captains working 3 or 6 months each. It is not so common yet for many reasons. Boats are used so differently and captains can sometimes live onshore with their family close to the yacht.

    It is also a Catch 22 situation where you probably need more yachting experience to get the position you like. It is in fact very little about running the yacht and more about running a high maintenance hotel!

    But going down and talk to captains and crew to learn more and get the full picture can not be wrong. If they like what they see, they might also find a position for you? Or you´ll find out that yachting is not for you after all...
  3. Garry Hartshorn, Dec 2, 2005
    #3
    Garry Hartshorn

    Garry Hartshorn Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2005
    Messages:
    504
    Location:
    Directly above the center of the earth
    Every job I ever had in yachting was through personal contacts and networking. Yachting is also very different from any other marine industry as is the SAR diffent from fishing or commercial shipping. If it's what you want to do have a go and just get into it.

    All the best
  4. sailronin, Jan 3, 2006
    #4
    sailronin

    sailronin Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2005
    Messages:
    111
    Location:
    North Palm Beach, Fl.
    While some jobs on yachts last only a couple of months, most of the time when a captain hires you he does so with the expectation of long term employment. It takes a lot of time and effort to go through resumes, interview, hire, train a new crewmember, integrate them into the existing crew and finally get them up to speed where they don't need direct supervision for every task. From my standpoint (a captain) it makes no sense to go through all of this effort for someone who only wants to stay with me a couple of months.
    If you want to work on a large yacht, go to where the yachts are, walk to docks offering day work, then go to the crew agents. Many times I hire dayworkers from agencies as temp help and if they work well may keep the dayworker as a long term crewmember.

    Good luck but plan to give the industry enough of a chance to decide if this is what you want to do.
    Dave