Hello all, thanks in advance. I appreciate the ability to be able to post here. I started sailing a few years ago and have increasingly been interested. Lately so much that i've sought to become ASA certified, with the hope of cruising, transporting, and racing sailboats specifically. Knowing there must a few salty dogs on here, could you help me out with a few questions? What in your opinion is the best way to go about crewing sailing vessels. Crew agencies or agents, hitting docks, internet, transport companies? What can someone expect to encounter when crewing? (ie pitfalls, common problems, definate no-nos, some things to watch out for) Is it fair to assume pay for certain positions? Could you make a career out of it? Any help, or anything im not mentioning here would be great. Thanks.
That's quite a few questions, so here's my input. Start with crew agencies. Some are free and some will charge you a "registration fee". Prepare a thorough resume with solid references. Hitting the docks at shows and regattas will certainly not hurt. Try some of the Mount Gay Rum and Rolex events. If you are willing to travel try the Heineken Regatta in Sint Maartn in the beginning of March. Then Antigua Race Week, the Saint Barth's Bucket and so on. When travelling, frequent the "Yachtie" bars where you're bound to hear the most recent openings and scuttlebutt.