Dream of sailing the seven seas? Or cruising local waters? Don’t have your own boat? No problem!

Finding a ride as crew for local daysailing, inland or offshore cruising is relatively easy, as there are many boat owners who would welcome another person to grind the winches, hoist the sails or take lines ashore. While racing skippers are usually looking for someone with at least a modicum of experience, day sailors and local cruisers are often happy to take someone who is willing to learn. On the milk runs to and from Mexico or Hawaii, you will find skippers looking for crew on a number of web sites such as Latitude 38, 7knots, and find-a crew.

This article will give you some tips to help you get that first ride and, most importantly, ensure that you get invited back!

The first thing to understand is that crewing for someone is a very cost-effective way to get out on the water, but it should not be considered an all-expenses paid vacation. There is a difference between being a guest on a boat and being crew. For example, last summer I invited my sister to join me for two weeks of sailing on the BC coast. Every time I go to Virginia, she has hosted me in her home, and she took care of my aging parents when I was living 3000 miles away. As sisters, we had a relationship of reciprocity, and I wanted to treat her for a change. Because she did not sail, I was happy to single-hand the boat; because she was my guest, I was happy to provide linens and a well-stocked galley.

Being crew is different. Crewing is most likely a relationship of convenience, more like a business arrangement than a personal one. Running a boat is a big responsibility, and it is not free. Every person aboard the boat is an additional responsibility for a skipper, so a good crew person understands that their role is to lighten the skipper’s load. The more you offer a skipper, the more likely you are to get invited aboard and to get invited back.

So start by thinking about what you can offer a skipper. In what aspects of sailing or boating are you competent? Make a list, this can form the basis for a cruising or racing resume that you can build on. Giving or e-mailing your boating resume to a skipper is a good way to introduce yourself and gives the skipper a takeaway that will keep you in mind. Boating resumes don’t have to be formal, but should give a skipper an idea of your personality and skills.

Now, what are some other ways you can lighten a skipper’s load?

Provisioning, cooking and cleaning are a big part of cruising and an area where just about any skipper welcomes help. If you offer to bring food, make sandwiches, cook, or help clean up, you are sure to be welcomed on any boat. For a daysail, ask the skipper what provisions you can bring. An extra batch of fresh-baked cookies, a 6-pack of the skipper’s favorite drink, even a bag of chips, are always welcome. Offer to contribute to the cost of fuel and you will earn additional points.

For overnight cruising and passages, take the initiative and ask the skipper how they want crew to contribute to fuel and food costs. Don’t wait for the skipper to bring this up, as new skippers may not have thought about this. Some skippers ask crew to split the consumables like food, fuel and moorage; others prefer that everyone simply contribute a daily amount to the kitty, $15-30/day seems about standard. It’s uncomfortable to all involved if people have different expectations of what to contribute, so asking the question will make easier for everyone.

Just because you have contributed to the cost of food does not mean that the skipper will now be doing all the work of preparing it. Don’t want to be asked to pitch in and help. Offer to make sandwiches. Ask the skipper to show you how the dishes are to be done, and do them. Take the initiative to learn where things are in the galley, and offer to cook before everyone is hungry. Get out the whisk broom and sweep the floor, wipe up spills. Act as you would if you were staying in someone’s house and wanted to be invited back.

When you arrive back at the dock, don’t grab your gear and walk away, leaving the skipper to clean up after you. Depending on how long you have been out for, the boat will need some attention, so ask the skipper what needs to be done and plan to stick around to do it. Remember, this is not a paid vacation, and you will learn a lot that will help you when you get your own boat.

Other things to think about:

Gear and clothing. It goes without saying that crew should not expect any skipper to provide personal gear, clothing, or hygiene supplies. You should come aboard with your own PFD, clothes and footwear for anticipated weather, and, for overnights, your own bedding, towels and shower kit. You are not lightening the skipper’s load if you are huddled below trying to keep warm or leaving sheets and towels to be washed. And, while we are on this topic, ask the skipper where your gear should be stowed and keep it there!

Alcohol and drugs. Ask before you bring alcohol, or any recreational drugs, on a boat! If a boat is stopped with illicit substances aboard, even an open bottle in some jurisdictions, a skipper could lose his license or the boat. Some skippers run a completely dry boat, others insist that no drinking happen until the anchor or dock lines are set, and you should know this in advance.

Medical conditions. Tell the skipper if you have a medical condition that might require attention. Carry any drugs you might need, such as epinephrine or insulin, in your day pack with instructions for their use. Your day pack should also include identification, your health insurance card, and contact information in case you are incapacitated.

Boat maintenance. Most skippers have a list of boat maintenance chores that need to be done. There is the semi-annual haul-out, deck washing and waxing. Sometimes a skipper needs help taking the sails down for the winter, bringing the dinghy home, or other heavy lifting chores. If you are a frequent crew, you will score big points by letting your skipper know that he can call you for help on occasion. Waxing a boat goes a lot faster with two people and you will learn a lot about what it takes to have our own boat.

Personal space. Sharing a boat overnight with people you don’t know well can be delicate. So, be respectful of people’s personal space. Ask before you connect the iPod to the radio. Don’t expect to have a rapt audience for all of your stories. Be respectful of personal styles and let the introverts have their space and time to themselves.

Remember who the skipper is. This is one area where I have seen many crew and skippers get sideways with each other. Skippers generally care deeply for and about their boats. They know what works and what does not work on their boat and they take a good deal of pride in their vessel. Good skippers also are particular about where things go, and they want things to be put where they belong. This is a safety issue, not just an issue of preference: if you move the rigging knife and the skipper is looking for it in an emergency, you could have a problem.

So ask the skipper how they want lines coiled, where things should be put away, and how they want the boat secured to the dock. Offer suggestions only if invited, and then understand that the final call is the skipper’s. Some skippers welcome suggestions for a better way to do things, but others don’t. If you are not comfortable with the skipper’s way of doing things, perhaps you need to find another boat.

The key thing to remember in all of this is that good crew make the skipper’s job easier than if you were not there. When skippers finds crew who respect the boat and what it takes in time, money and attention to run it, they invite them back. And, after all, that is what you want.

Mary Campbell, Sonrisa II