Hitchhiking the Oceans as Sailing Crew
From CruisersWiki
Hitch-Hike the Oceans as Sailing Crew
Hitch-hike the oceans of the world as sailing crew on cruising yachts as they sail with the trade winds around the world. These seasonal wind patterns are what govern the movement of the cruising fleet and if you wish to hitch a ride as sailing crew it is important to know these schedules in order to place yourself in the right place at the right time.
Cruising yachts most often take on additional crew to assist with sailing on long passages (i.e. ocean crossings). The MOST successful method of finding a crew berth is to be at the various points of departure and ready at the right time. Hang around like a bad smell at the marinas and anchorages and offer assistance in preparations to ALL the yachts and mention that you are keen to join a boat for an onward passage. Be seen to be useful, reliable and likeable. Remember, all the cruisers are in close contact with each other so make sure that you will be recommended for a crew position. Place notices at all of the marinas, yacht clubs, boating shops and around the anchorages in the area. Also post your details on a reputable online CREWFINDER board.
MANY cruisers take on sailing crew at the last moment due to a breakdown of prior arrangements. Make sure that you are on hand, ready and contactable when crew is wanted. Work hard, respect the boat and enjoy the ride!
Below is a rough guide to the movement of cruising yachts sailing around the world.
| | | |
| | ||
| * Mombasa | Med South East Asia | Aug - Sept Sept |
| * Dar es Salaam | Med. | Aug - Sept |
| * Durban | Indian Ocean Cape Town | Apr - Aug Nov - Mar |
| * Cape Town | Indian Ocean Caribbean, Brazil | Jan - Mar Dec - Mar |
| | ||
| * All areas | Caribbean | Jan - Mar |
| | ||
| * St Lucia | South Pacific U.S. West Coast U.S. East Coast Europe | Jan - May Jan - Mar Apr - May Apr - May |
| * Beguia, Grenada | South Pacific U.S. West Coast | Jan - Apr Jan - Apr |
| * Virgin Isles, St Martin, Antigua | Europe U.S. East Coast | Apr - May Apr - May |
| | ||
| * San Diego | Mexico South Pacific Med. | Jan - Mar Dec - Mar Dec |
| * Ft. Lauderdale | Caribbean | Oct - Nov |
| * Newport | Caribbean Europe | Oct - Nov May - July |
| | ||
| * Panama | U.S. West Coast South Pacific Caribbean | Jan - Apr Jan - Apr Jan - Jun |
| | ||
| * All areas | South Pacific | Feb - Apr |
| | ||
| * Golfito | South Pacific Caribbean | Feb - Apr Feb - Apr |
| | ||
| * Hawaii | U.S. West Coast South Pacific | Feb - Jun Feb - Jun |
| * Guam | U.S. West Coast South Pacific | Mar - Jun Mar - Jun |
| * Tahiti | Hawaii New Zealand | May - Jul May - Jul |
| * Tonga | Indian Ocean New Zealand | Sept - Oct Sept - Oct |
| * Fiji | North Pacific Indian Ocean New Zealand | Sept - Nov Sept - Nov Sept - Nov |
| | ||
| * All areas | Fiji & Tonga Australia | Apr - Jun Apr - Jun |
| | ||
| * Sydney, Brisbane | Fiji & Tonga Indian Ocean | Apr - May Apr - May |
| * Cairns | Indian Ocean | May - Jun |
| * Darwin | Indian Ocean/South East Asia | Jun - Aug |
| | ||
| * Bali | Indian Ocean/South East Asia | May - Aug |
| | ||
| * Singapore | Indian Ocean Thailand | Oct - Dec Jun - Dec |
| | ||
| * Phuket | Indian Ocean Red Sea, Med | Dec - Mar Dec - Mar |
| | ||
| * Galle | Suez, MedS. Indian Ocean, Chagos | Jan - Mar Jan - Mar |
| | ||
| * Suez | Med. Indian Ocean | Feb - Apr Sept - Nov |
| | ||
| *Turkey, France, Spain, etc. | Caribbean | Sept - Nov |
| * Gibraltar | Caribbean | Oct - Dec |
| | ||
| * England & Channel area | Caribbean | Sept - Nov |
| | ||
| * All | Caribbean | Oct - Jan |
Also See
- ON-LINE CREWFINDER
- Yacht Crewing Information - Hints and tips for crew.
 Contributors to this page |
|---|
|
Names: [[User:SomeUser|SomeUser]], ... (add your user name by typing ~~~) |
.
