[Harborless]

Hello SailNet!

Some of you may remember me, others will not. For each and all however I would like to share my sailing plans for next summer, 2015. I need a lot of advice on how best to proceed so I look forward to your input. I will be done with my education in May and then I will commence operation 'Grand Adventure.'

Some relevant info: I have owned my own sailboat which I rebuilt and solo-sailed in the Jacksonville and Daytona Beach area hundreds of hours. I lived on said sailboat over a year full-time. I know navigation using old school methods (sextant, maneuvering board, ect) as well as new school (GPS, chart plotters, ect) methods. I know how to wire anything electrical on a sailboat, do any plumbing work and most carpentry blah blah blah- the point is by the time of departure time I will be a 27 year old able-bodied seaman who can reef, steer a course, and keep a watch to say the least.

Here is the plan: Drive truck to California middle of May and enjoy the scenery on the way. Take two or three weeks- however long I feel really but I will make a pretty straight trip across with a few stops along the way perhaps.
Stay with a good friend who is getting his PHD at UCI which is right near the pacific coast while I sell said truck to complete my financing for this operation.

***Here is where you all come in***

My goal is to find a sailboat which is making the sail to HI or further in the Pacific Islands. I can always leave the truck with Joel to sell if I find the boat before the buyer but my goal is to find this set-up. Basically I provide a reliable and knowledgeable crew member who only ask for room and board. Just wondering- is food usually included in these sort of arrangements? I will have 18k or more so money will not be a factor so early on but I would think food would be included with a passage of this duration and nature would it not?

I think it would be best to start searching for potential opportunities after the new year before I even start the drive. Either way your input in to how to get myself on a sailing vessel pacific bound next June would be very welcome.

Once in HI or wherever else my goal is to make Indonesia where I will start the back packing portion of my adventure with the ultimate goal of finding a paradise to stay for the foreseeable future- Looking to start rural development programs but I digress. With how I live and travel 18k or more will last at least two years. If you factor in sailing time with possible money making or saving scenarios throughout I have every confidence I can make 3-4 years without worry. Besides my education will allow me to find opportunity wherever I may go. The sailing portion of this adventure looks to be 40+ days from CA to HI plus another year perhaps to make it all the way to Indonesia by way of crewing and with cyclone season and what not. Time is no factor! I am confident once I make the first passage from CA I will be adequately able to continue finding my way to Indonesia. If all else fails I can easily board a plane and travel via air but again I would prefer to just let the days carry me along with the sea breeze. I love seamanship.

I look forward to your helpful comments.
-Harborless

 

[caberg]

Have you looked into what it takes to arrive in Indonesia and stay for the "foreseeable future" in terms of visa requirements. Not sure you can just arrive, and stay indefinitely.

But, sounds like a Grand Adventure indeed.

 

[Harborless]

I have yes. I have spent countless hours planning so no need to worry about the bureaucratic aspects. I only need to find the best no-scam minimal hassle way to offer my self as a crew on a pacific bound sailing vessel leaving from California in June of next year.

 

[capta]

There are a half dozen crewing sites on the web that I have used from time to time to find crew for crossings. You sign up for the situation aboard you wish to have; either as a contributing crew member, an all expenses paid crew member or a paid crew member.
My one suggestion is to not over advertise yourself. Supply only enough information to get a captain interested in you as crew, not give him the impression you are much more qualified for his job than he is.
Also, no captain wants someone aboard like Rock Dog, who will question his every decision, so be low key. Your skills with a sextant and maneuvering board are not in the job description for a deck hand, but could be of interest to a vessel seeking a navigator, so have several responses to ads ready.
Pacific crossings are often long, open water sails, so choose the vessel and crew wisely, for there is nowhere to get off, should you find out that you have made a mistake. Good luck.

 

[killarney_sailor]

A good way to plan is to start at the destination and work backward. The common route to Indonesia is to go via Darwin, Australia. About one boats a year go in the Sail Indonesia rally since it makes the incredible bureaucracy a little less incredible. Most boats going to Oz are crossing the South Pacific so you may be better off looking for a boat that is going from California to the Marquesas (long way) or to the Galapagos and then onward to French Polynesia and eventually Australia.

 

[Harborless]

May I ask what these sites are that have been used by some of you here and are proven not to be scams?
Where should I be advertising/seeking myself or a boat for this trip?
Thanks all and your points are well taken.

 

[jameswilson29]

Some of you may remember me, others will not... Basically I provide a reliable and knowledgeable crew member...

Is it really possible to erase every post you have ever made here?:laugher

 

[Donna_F]

May I ask what these sites are that have been used by some of you here and are proven not to be scams?
Where should I be advertising/seeking myself or a boat for this trip?
Thanks all and your points are well taken.

This seems to pop up frequently: Find Crew® - findacrew.net by NAUTYCAL - SSL Secure, Worldwide matching of Marine Crew and Boats.

If I can get enough of these sites I'm going to make a sticky post with a running list.

 

[Frogwatch]

If I remember right, you're the guy from Man o War in the bahamas who had weird diesel probs.

I cannot address your sailing plans but, for your "backpacking " adventure you might consider something called HelpX (or something like that). My daughter (your age) and her BF went all over Europe and parts of Australia working for 2-4 wks at places fro room and board.
Eventually, they accepted real jobs in a very remote mining town (Newman, Au) where they made a lot of money for two years before coming back with $100,000 saved. After leaving Newman, they spent 4 months travelling all over SE Asia and NZ. Finally they came back here and are about to be married and she has a good job and he is buying fixing and selling houses using their savings.

Most people do not get "good" jobs on such grand adventures but high paying jobs are available. For example, In Newman, she could have learned to drive huge mining trucks and made a lot of money but instead she opted to be a barrista in the town coffee shop because she liked it.
My 23 yr old son keeps going from FL to Aspen, Co to work for Starbucks at $15/hr just because ti gives him free lift tickets to all the areas there. I tell him to go to WY to work in the oil field where the pay is very high but he would rather ski.

So, go on your adventure but do not turn down "nasty" jobs or jobs in less desireable places because in the end it is all an adventure.