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Supplement to "Around the World by Thumb": More Info For High-Seas Hitchhikers
The following is extra information for potential hitchhikers, including useful books, websites, and insurance resources to help you along your way.
BOOKS
INSURANCE: WHAT EVERY HITCHHIKER SHOULD KNOW
Useful books include: World Cruising Routes by Jimmy Cornell;
Ocean Passages and Landfalls: Cruising Routes of the World by Rod
Heikell and Andy O’Grady; The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Oceans:
Crewing Around the World by Alison Muir-Bennett; and Chapman
Piloting & Seamanship, 64th Edition.
The Crew Clause: Who Needs Whom?
YACHTING ASSOCIATIONS
For information about crewing qualifications, licensing, and
maritime law, contact yachting associations both national (such as
Britain’s Royal Yachting Association) and local.
YACHTING RALLIES
Race and rally organizations are also good sources of information.
Try the World Cruising Club, Antigua Sailing Week, and such
sequential regattas, which start where/when the prior event
finished, as the Singapore Straits Regatta, the Brunei Bay Regatta
Series, the China Sea Race/San Fernando Race, and the President’s
Cup.
WEBSITES
Dedicated
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crewing websites include:
Crewbay (crewbay.com)
Crewlife (crew-life.com)
CrewSeekers International (crewseekers.net)
Cruiser Log (cruiser.co.za/crewfinder1.asp)
Findacrew.net (findacrew.net)
The Float Plan (floatplan.com)
Offshore Passage Opportunities (sailopo.com)
Sailingnetworks.com
(sailingnetworks.com/boats/needed)
7knots Sailing & Cruising Database (7knots.com).
Many skippers will demand that hitchhikers pay for more than just
food expenses, but consider this: Does the insurance company
issuing the coverage for the boat on which you’re about to sail
require the owner to carry crew? Before you agree to hand over
any money, consider the following responses from three major
yacht insurers.
From Admiral Boat Insurance: “For a typical cruiser, we prefer the
boat to be crewed by three or more, including the skipper.
However, for a highly experienced two-person team, we do like to
see a sailing C.V. for each individual.”
From Noble Marine Insurance: “Typically, Noble Marine would ask
that there be three able-bodied, experienced adults on board for all
voyages in excess of 250 nautical miles and/or 24 hours.”
From Pantaenius Insurance: “We do not dictate that a skipper has
to sail with a crew.”
Many boat owners continue to take the risk of sailing shorthanded,
but crew must realize that experience aside, their very presence on
board is far more valuable than they may be led to believe. As a
hitchhiker, are you still willing to pay a “bunk fee”?
- Clive Webber