Yachty Crewing...

   I'd quite like to get into a bit of 'big boat' crewing at some point, to add a bit of variety to my sailing, and I'm looking for some advice to go about doing that...

I'd say I'm a competant dinghy sailor and racer (by no means great!), having done a fair bit of Laser sailing, then 29er stuff and have recently bought myself and race an MPS. I recently passed my Senior Instructor course too. I'm only 18 so fairly inexperianced but eager to learn as much as I can while I have the time. 

So... as someone who's never done any big boat sailing, what can I expect to be able to do? How do I go about getting some experiance? Is it a case of starting at the very start? Where is the start?... Everything I could possibly need to know in laymans terms would be appreciated.

Apologies for my request for advice being pretty vague, but to me its all a bit vague as to where to begin!

Thanks in advance
Ferg

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29er397 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 02 Feb 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 505	Post Options Post Reply Quote 29er397 Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Yachty Crewing... Posted: 03 Apr 09 at 10:08pm
	I'd quite like to get into a bit of 'big boat' crewing at some point, to add a bit of variety to my sailing, and I'm looking for some advice to go about doing that... I'd say I'm a competant dinghy sailor and racer (by no means great!), having done a fair bit of Laser sailing, then 29er stuff and have recently bought myself and race an MPS. I recently passed my Senior Instructor course too. I'm only 18 so fairly inexperianced but eager to learn as much as I can while I have the time. So... as someone who's never done any big boat sailing, what can I expect to be able to do? How do I go about getting some experiance? Is it a case of starting at the very start? Where is the start?... Everything I could possibly need to know in laymans terms would be appreciated. Apologies for my request for advice being pretty vague, but to me its all a bit vague as to where to begin! Thanks in advance Ferg
	Kielder Water Sailing Club

radixon Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 27 Oct 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2407	Post Options Post Reply Quote radixon Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 04 Apr 09 at 9:02pm
	Sorry been a "Southerner" I don't know your area of water that well. The first thing to do would be to find yourself a yacht club to go along to and see if you can get a sail. Then try and get a regular crew position. Or you could do your competent crew course onboard a yacht, don't dive in for the Day skipper, it will be out of your depth. The Comp Crew gives you an insight into the boat how to get one ready for sailing and the sailing itself. If you booked onto a comp crew, you are likely to have day skipper students on the boat, its a good way to see the next step without paying for the headache.

olly_love Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 18 Jan 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1145	Post Options Post Reply Quote olly_love Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 04 Apr 09 at 10:42pm
	just ask around find out what race series are on and then just post on the websites. say how experience ur, when we get muppets on board who say how amazing they are then are sh*te they dont get asked back
	TWO FRANK-Hunter Impala

ASok Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 26 Sep 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 739	Post Options Post Reply Quote ASok Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Apr 09 at 4:01pm
	I have no idea about your part of the world, but the best bet would be to drop down to your nearest yacht club and have a chat to a few people. From my experience people are always in need of bods and its pretty easy once you have been tapped in to the network. The best time will be to head down on the morning of racing and just start asking people on the pontoons. As said above - be honest about your experience

29er397 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 02 Feb 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 505	Post Options Post Reply Quote 29er397 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Apr 09 at 5:33pm
	I'm very honest about my experiance, there being non of it. As of september I'll be down in Southampton for Uni. It's the summer of 2010 that I hope to fill with some big boat sailing after I've finished Uni for the year. I'd like to go abroad if possible and do a bit of travelling, whats the likelihood of getting a position on a boat heading overseas with little experiance? Thanks again. Ferg
	Kielder Water Sailing Club

ASok Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 26 Sep 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 739	Post Options Post Reply Quote ASok Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Apr 09 at 7:10pm
	The Solent is perfect for you. Head for the Hamble first thing on a Sunday and you'll get snapped up. Not sure about very overseas, but once you build up some round the cans experience you may be able to hook up with crews doing one of the many cross channel or coastal races that leave the Solent over the summer months. Also, join the uni yacht club. They are bound to be tapped in with contacts racing around the solent and probabaly arrange cheap training courses. Thats one of my big regrets - not taking my yachtmaster at uni when it was cheaper!

29er397 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 02 Feb 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 505	Post Options Post Reply Quote 29er397 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Apr 09 at 2:58pm
	So basically its a case of building up experiance by doing as much 'round the cans' stuff as possible and taking it from there? Thanks for the advice. Ferg
	Kielder Water Sailing Club

ASok Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 26 Sep 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 739	Post Options Post Reply Quote ASok Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Apr 09 at 12:59pm
	Short answer - yes. But it will rely on a bit of luck and networking down at the club. Throw yourself in the mix, chat to people in the bar after racing and you'll soon find out who's who and what people have plamnned for the season. Then you can get involved in the round the cans, coastal racing, deliveries etc. In my experience enthusiastic students with a bit of free time on their hands are valuable resources!

tgruitt Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 02 Dec 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2479	Post Options Post Reply Quote tgruitt Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Apr 09 at 1:25pm
	When I first started sailing a was taken yacht racing on a J30, the skipper basically taught me everything I know, I was almost a complete novice. For the first few races he let me do small jobs until I learnt the ropes so to speak. Once I could prove I could work well in the team I was allowed to do more, we went on to win many regattas and offshore races. You just need to take it one step at a time, I presume by you being able to sail a Musto Skiff that you are a pretty competent sailor, my advice would be not to be too fussy, you can learn just as much (maybe even more) on a small yacht than you can on a flashy large one. I would start with round the cans racing, progressing onto offshore once you have some miles under your belt, loads of dinghy skills are transferable to yachts so you should find it no harder!
	Needs to sail more...

bovlike Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Far too distracted from work Joined: 07 Mar 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 221	Post Options Post Reply Quote bovlike Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 13 Apr 09 at 10:51pm
	Hi Fergus. In the short term give Dicky or Boatman a ring at Sunderland (pm me if you need there numbers) and they should be able to get you out on some boats from down there. (there's nothing to big but it gets you started!) What Uni are you going to, Solent or Southampton? You can sail a musto so you will be fine on a yacht! Edited by bovlike
	Ian (Bov) Turnbull 18ft Skiff Ronstan UK Chandlery, tapered ropes and specialist solutions for sailors who demand the best - BovBoats.co.uk