How to sign up crew

[ausiejohn]

I'm trying to get 2 crew to sail with me from Virginia to UK in May. I advertised and received quite a few answers but none could meet me before the sailing date. I asked some of the hopefuls to send a contribution for food as a guarantee of their commitment but they went cold on the idea. I realize my ads were appearing to sound like a scam.
How do you get a commitment from crew you can't meet?

[TLombardi]

For a trip like that, are you sure not meeting the crew beforehand is a good idea?

[ausiejohn]

You're right, and I would prefer a local so I could meet them but time is short and it might come down to sailing with strangers or sailing alone.

[brokesailor]

Try opo.com. It's a captain-crew networking organization. Crew is always anxious to sail.

[WanderingStar]

I strongly recommend interviewing in person first. Also scheduling a stop early on in case of trouble. If people are unwilling or unable to meet before sailing, I don't believe they are seriously committed. I delivered my boat from Fl-NY with volunteer crew from Sailnet, but I met them all, as well as other prospects, first. They also came down to inspect the boat. I hope this works well for you. I would offer to help, but I think my wife would object to an extended absence.

[jjablonowski]

That's sailopo.com Offshore Passage Opportunities: Halesite, New York.

[PaThomas123]

Hello
Just a hypothetical question I can’t go and wish I could but what kind of experience would you look for in a crew person for such a trip? It would seem to me that it would be a great way to get real world experience real fast
Thank you

[ausiejohn]

Thanks jjablonowski, I'll give them a try.
To the other question: It's probably more important to get on well with the other crew members than lots of experience. Provided you have the ability to learn and there's someone on board who can instruct.

[CharlesCook]

Originally Posted by WanderingStar

I strongly recommend interviewing in person first.

You really need to talk to the person first. But you can do it over the phone. Most of the time the boat owner is asking the crew to pay for their own travel, plus a share of food and sometimes a share of fuel. To make them travel to the boat for an interview is too much.

Originally Posted by WanderingStar

If people are unwilling or unable to meet before sailing, I don't believe they are seriously committed.

It just depends on where the boat is and where the person is. Many times this is just to hard to pull off. Not all sailors live near you and your boat.

I crew on a few yacht deliveries a year. Most of the time I have not meet the Captain and crew until the night before we leave. I talk to them (the Captain) on the phone and exchange emails first. This has worked fine for me.

[WanderingStar]

And there's the counterpoint.