Once we get the basic information about your crew needs we will send out a "crew request" to our membership. The crew will respond to you directly with a written sailing resume via e-mail only. You then contact them with questions and makes plans accordingly. We kindly ask you to respond to any OPO member who contacts you even if it is only to let them know you are all set with crew and do not need them. One of the benefits of our system is that the posting does not sit on a message board with contact information so you will not continue to get e-mails. Once we send out the crew request you will hear from potential crew right away since most people check their e-mail once a day of not more.
Newport or Bermuda – Boat owner and skipper xxxxxxxx has signed up for the NBR. He has two other crew so is just looking for one more. The other crew are his wife and another fellow racing friend. xxxxxx admits another woman aboard would nice to compliment his wife, but a competent pleasant 4th crew is the ultimate goal. The boat is a 2000 Pacific Seacraft 37 S/V named xxxxxx. He and his wife have owned the boat for two years and have cruised over 4,000 miles together.
Of course, this is a race, so you will want to meet the other crew and sail the boat before the race. The race itself is only 630 miles, but there is the passage up from Norfolk. The boat will sail from her home port at least two weeks before the race and will return to Norfolk from Bermuda after the race. The ideal crew will have offshore experience, but also have time for the sail from Norfolk to Newport for the start of the race, if not the return passage from Bermuda to Norfolk. He plans to stay in Bermuda for a week or more after the race, but plans to treat the wife and stay ashore. You do not have to make the final sail from Bermuda to Norfolk as they will be able to sail double handed.
I spoke with him and he seems like a very nice. He knows the boat would be tight for four crew if this were not a race, since this is a small boat even for a 37 footer, but the Pacific Seacraft is a well know and strong offshore boat. He adds:
The Pacific Seacraft 37 is cutter rig, safe and well-equipped sea kindly ocean cruiser (info below). The four-person crew includes me as captain, my wife who is a life-long sailor, and xxxxxxxxx member xxxxxxxxx who have thousands of ocean miles and crewed several times previously on xxxxxxx. You will be the fourth to round out the crew. The trip is a race, but we will be sailing more for the fun of participating and learning, albeit with some effort toward boat speed and smart navigation.
xxxxxxxxxxx, Captain: Lifelong Sailor, 4000 miles sailed in 2020, many trips in prior years, ASA and RYA coastal and offshore certificates, RYA Yachtmaster-Offshore planned, International Offshore Safety at Sea certificates, CPR, AED, First Aid, and Wilderness First Aid certificates, UK VHF Radio Operator Permit, US FCC License. The captain's wife has also sailed 4,000 miles sailed in 2020, many trips, International Safety at Sea Certifications, First Aid, CPR, AED Dean A - prior offshore and coastal crew on Destiny, thousands of miles logged offshore since 2019.
xxxxxx is looking for a non-smoker, someone fully vaccinated for overseas travel and has been offshore before. A percentage of all crew in the NBR have to have attended a "safety-at-Sea" Seminar and one person has to have some EMT or First Aid Training so this would be a plus for any OPO member looking to participate in the NPR, not just the return.
The opportunity is free with all onboard expenses included, but you need to get to and from the boat and have money for meals and drinks ashore. If interested please send your sailing resume and contact information to me at xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.com.
You can look at real "Crew Requests" we have sent out in the past on our message board to see what other information we like to include. The more information about you, the boat and any other crew aboard, the better. Remember we want to convince someone to take time off from work, buy a plane ticket and join you to help safely move your boat from point A to point B. The more information we have from you and the better the opportunity looks, the more responses you will get and a bigger pool of possible crew candidates.
If you are looking for crew on short notice or are looking for crew with more experience then you may want to offer a travel stipend or small per diem. However you will see that most of the crew requests we send out are 100% free and no money changes hands. The owner pays for the boat expenses and onboard provisions and the crew pay their own way to and from the boat and sail for free. We will be happy to write up a crew request for you and send it out to our hundreds of OPO members eager to help you with a passage.
