Any Red Flags Here?

[Winderlust]

I've posted my availability as an ocean passage delivery crew. I received today an email saying:

"Have a catalina 36ft sail boat leaving miami to bahamas/bermuda/azores/uk in around two weeks, if you are interested please email"

I responded asking for more details about boat, captain, crew and contract. I'm new to this crewing stuff and I was hoping my first bluewater would be something like a 2 week passage to/from Hawaii/W. Coast.

I live in Los Angeles and this would be a blind start for me in Miami.

By my guestimation (if all goes well) this would be about 32 days on the water and I think 2 or 3 days breather after each leg; something like May 27 to July 9 total (nothing goes all well).

It's a lot to consider and prepare for (logistically) in just 2 weeks and I can't really afford to many false starts or delays.

Is this schedule pushing it or am I just a big weeney?

I Sure could use an opinion out there.

[mrwuffles]

Whos taking a catalina 36 across oceans?

[JohnRPollard]

I don't know about the schedule, but as much as I admire the Catalina 36, it's not a boat I'd want to cross an ocean in. Sure, it can make it provided weather is fair to moderate. But if luck runs out, it's not designed to withstand the long term, extreme stresses experienced in an ocean storm.

Have a read of This.

[CharlieCobra]

Winderlust, I'm talking to the owner about a delivery from SF to Seattle that may leave real soon to hit a weather window. We may need a third but I won't know until later tonight. The owner is paying for travel to and from the boat plus food etc.. PM me if interested. Note, this is not a real fun trip unless your idea of fun is a beat up a nasty Lee shore, like mine... See my SF to Seattle thread for more info.

[hellosailor]

I think the reply meant that they would be departing in two weeks--not making the trip in two weeks.

By all means, ask them what their schedule is, how many crew they intend and what kind of watch keeping, what safety equipment is on the boat (to ORC standards? life raft plus more, one hopes?) and see how clearly they communicate back to you. Also, how rigid is their schedule, can or will they wait a week or two for weather window if necessary?

Some folks just don't do well with email, you might want to use Skype and set up a time to speak with them for free that way. Get a better feel for the details.

[Omatako]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

I think the reply meant that they would be departing in two weeks--not making the trip in two weeks.

I think the OP intended it to mean "preparation time is two weeks". I guess the prep time depends on how the boat is normally used. I could prep my boat for an extended voyage in three days.

I have mentioned in earlier posts that we prepared a new-to-us boat that we'd never been aboard before for a trans-Pac crossing in two weeks.

[hellosailor]

Two weeks for prep reminds me on what they used to say about the reliability of a Land Rover: You can get anything fixed, anywhere in the world, in under a week. They even had standard field repairs for obtaining and preparing [read: hunting, skinning, and tanning] fresh game to make a field replacement for a blown head gasket from the fresh skin.

To which some folks said, yes, you can fix any Land Rover anywhere in the world in only a week. And if you're in downtown London or New York...it will still take a whole week to fix ANYTHING that has gone wrong with it.

I love the way [not!] so many vendors quickly misdiagnose a part that only they can supply, rush out a replacement by overnight shipping [usually to the wrong address or the wrong part] and then drag a simple three day replacement of the most mundane things into four weeks. Even without international shipping times. Heck, I had to wait six weeks for a muffler for my car once--and that was after the dealer escalated it to "parts critical" status instead of the 8-12 week normal order time.

Then they wonder why the global economy is in such a mess. Or why the boats with the least "stuff" on them can be the most fun to sail!

[Mimsy]

The red flag for me would be "Catalina 36" for a trans-Atlantic passage. We almost bought a Catalina 400 so I'm not prejudiced against Catalinas, just don't know that I would be comfortable doing serious blue water work in one.

[Winderlust]

Problem solved. It's been 24 hours since I asked my basic questions in response to the crew position and there's been not a peep back. Curious for such a tight schedule.

My guess is the crew offer email went out to multiple candidates and the first one who responded "will do", no questions asked, is in. So be it.

[imagine2frolic]

hellosailor,

Not to drift, but what kind of car was that? For 20 years I fabricated for Rolls, Maserati, Ferrari, and even beat up Chebbies ......just curious.....i2f