urself or yourabilities with any exaggeration but do emphasize any particularabilities or talents you have confidence in. Some skippers shout and use less than flattering terms whenunder pressure - remember he is responsible for both your safetyand his, but it should be only a temporary phase. Do not getinsulted or let these comments go to your head. Never the less,pay attention, ask for guidance, re-visit the situation and/orseek resolution. Warning: There may be the one or two skippers that try to treatyou like a dog, always barking orders and never satisfied. Ifyou run in to one; bail out and bail quick. They are rare butthey are out there. Needless to say, privacy on any yacht is at a premium and in thetropics, nudity is not uncommon, this applies to both sexes andcan be troublesome if not fully confronted. If you've got anyhang-ups about either, ask and clear t...

...he air. Speaking of sex,make sure your own morals, ethics and demeanor are consistentwith the skipper and crew. Never have a rigid time schedule: the ways of the sea are nottimely as weather, a great anchorage, beach bar, breakdowns andrepairs, etc. can eat into schedules. Trying to keep a scheduleusually coincides with s#*t happens. Ladies: PLEASE watch out for crew lists that specifically lookfor single women companions, seems that not all sailors aregentlemen, despite glowing terms of adventure and modestexpectations of your participation in shipboard life! There arehowever some genuine ones out there. SO, do your homeworkcarefully. For the CaptainCrew Wanted Tips: Give voyage details, time span, ports you planto stop at, what is expected of the crew, is it a delivery orcruise. Remember the more information you supply the better yourcrew will be prepared. Treat your crew like you would like to betreated, also respect there privacy. What to Bring and What You Should Do. Personal Gear: PFD with whistle and strobe light, foul weather jacket andbib-pants, sea-boots, gloves, several caps (you'll lose one),ski goggles (handy protection in heavy rain), synthetic fleecevest, shirt, jacket, pants, and quick wash/dry underwear. Youmay also want your own Handheld Chartplotter and Handheld VHFRadio. All the items can be purchased at www.clrmarine.com . Sleeping bag, knowing it will get foul and wet. Large "zip-lock" bags to keep underwear, sox, etc., dry. Waterproof bag for valuables (wallet, passport, etc.) and yourown ditch bag, MP3 player, reading material and journal or LogBook. All should fit in one, soft, sea bag. Bring a small daypack or fanny pack for shore excursions. Food: Individual packages of instant oatmeal, hot chocolate,soups and juice crystals. S/S thermos bottle. Ginger snapcookies & ginger candies, known for there anti-seasicknessqualities. Personal First Kit: any medication you may need, Sea Sickpills(we have found Motion Ease great for this), good scissors,tweezers and magnifying glass, hot/cold compress, butterflybandages, elastoplasts roll, lip balm, skin lotion, after-showertalcum mixture, topical anesthetic pads. Other Items: Fun stuff to wear or do, roll of duct tape (alwaysneeded somewhere), braided nylon twine and about 20' - 30' oflight gauge s/s wire (for securing those little things),binoculars, watch, camera, alarm clock, flashlight & extrabatteries and antiseptic hand soap. A small gift for the skipperand, perhaps a few things to trade, use your imagination. Prior to leaving Home: Become confident and practice preparing One-pot meals. If youcan find it, the Two-Burner Gourmet Cook Book by Terry LSearfoss a departed friend, is great. Also, make sure you are ingood physical shape I am not saying use must have muscles beable to maintain for long periods at a time. If your musical, asmall instrument is great to bring along. Guitars are big andsubject to damage ask the skipper before you bring it. Upon Arrival at the Vessel: Including the usual safety familiarization and with theskipper's permission, check all the rigging possible tofamiliarize yourself with it, check all pad eyes, shackles,shackle pins, winches, blocks, sail tracks and reefing gear -even fresh from the shipyard, pins & bolts can be the wrong sizeor material, loose or missing. Ask about practicing reefing andheadsail changes. A "shake-down" cruise in home waters isessential. Make a diagram of all thru-hull fittings (where they are) and gofind them - also rudder shaft fitting and propeller shaftfitting ie stuffing box. FIND AND KNOW WHERE ALL THE HOLES INTHE BOAT ARE. If possible, secure a crew berth in the aft section ormid-section of the boat the forepeak is very uncomfortable in arough sea. Find and examine all hand-holds (and otherfittings/fixtures that you may grab), especially around thegalley and in the head, to ensure they will take your weightwhen being tossed about.If "hot-bunking", discuss with your bunk mate, in advance, anypersonal feelings about hygiene, tidiness, privacy that mayconcern you. Report ANYTHING to the skipper that does not feel right and GETRESOLUTION with him, if you have any doubts determine a courseof action, in advance, for those feelings. Additional information:Never walk the deck in shoes you wore on shore, keep deck shoesaboard or go barefooted.You will never have too much money or enough credit resources.Do not flaunt the amount or how to access your private stash.Have you ever met a sailor who cruised under budget or purposelymissed the bargain of the century in some foreign port?Speaking of money - some or most skippers ask or expect acontribution to the food kitty and some shipboard expenses. Thismay be a modest amount or completely outrageous. Assuming youare performing "crew" functions, your initial contribution tooperating the vessel is a foregone conclusion. Sure, you aregetting a free ride, some experience and adventure but payingmore than $30.00 US, a day for the privilege is borderline.Whatever the arrangement, get any agreed amounts noted andmutually signed, preferably in the logbook before you ship off.In addition, this brings up the subject of liability. Are you aguest, passenger or crew? Again, most skippers will ask you tosign a waiver of some sort or agreement for your participation,noting that you must have sufficient funds to repatriateyourself from any distant port (most countries require this to),that you have your own health/medical insurance and that yourdocumentation is bullet-proof. NOTE: Any charge above your own food contribution, personalvisas and permits, etc., constitutes a commercial venture withdramatic insurance and legal implications. Paying for fuel,dockage, etc., makes you a paying guest not crew. Ask to checkthe insurance policies covering paid guests. So, you've found a well-equipped boat, even some toys onboard!Nevertheless, get the use of the goodies cleared up with theskipper before you leave. Satellite phone, a dinghy with anoutboard, some skippers believe the use is for them only! It wasonce said that a skipper would not let anyone use the electricwindlass, risking draining of the batteries ( I hope the crewhad a strong back). It is also a good idea to discuss what, ifany duties, you might be expected to do aboard at an anchoragewhile the skipper or others head for shore. Another thing to watch for is the skipper fond of deliveries. Itis not his boat and regardless of your arrangements with him,any future personal or legal difficulties usually find himwalking and you may be holding the bag. Find the person orcompany who is the documented owner and go over your mutualcrewing expectations and obligations with them. A professionalapproach should be welcomed by all parties, and if not, bailout! Attitude is EVERYTHING: Your new shipmates will includeambitions and skills they may or may not have. Always look forthe best in everybody and be prepared for the sharing of deepestsecrets, and hearing the most outrageous lies and lives stories,when huddled in the cockpit under starry skies. Above all, especially for neophytes and sailors with notoriouslyshort memories, remember that as romanticized as sailing is, youWILL Find Discomfort, fear and a wanting for land. This will beoffset by finding personal strength in challenging yoursurroundings, overcoming fears and perhaps falling hopelessly inlove with the sea, its' shores and our fragile beautiful worldof water.Remember that the boat represents a large investment to theowner, as crew, treat it with respect.In all cases, any signs of incompetence, lack of vesselpreparation, drunkenness, abuse, privacy including sex issues orgeneral incompatibility that make your "red lights" go off,should prepare you to abandon the venture. Express your concernsto the skipper but don't hesitate to bail out if your "level ofcomfort" is going to be compromised. Any serious concerns youhave now, that can't be resolved, will be compounded in the manydays, isolated at sea, despite feelings of disappointment andpossible regret you may initially have when the vessel sailswithout you. Here is a little something to leave you with. On an ancient wall in China Where a brooding Buddha blinks,Deeply graven is the message It is later than you think.The clock of life is wound but once And no man has the power Totell just when the hands will stop, At late or early hour.Now is all the time you own, The past a golden link, Go cruisingnow my brother and sister It's later than you think.- AnonymousThis article may be copied and emailed as is and passed along toyour friends and crew members. >From CLR Marine LLC we wish you luck with your adventure andhope your Dreams Come True.www.clrmarine.com...