Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

5557

Abstract

UqG2n2Es0NcLfL42Q.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="8503"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*QoeHmvcZbVsmHZwp6_oKDQ.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="a0ec"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*lV5A3ztpfqa8Z4cU6wp2NA.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="46bf"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*t0SMX8gO2vwYBH4_Ts21QA.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="df52"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*G2D4oDiIPkwGBq2Wk_wL7A.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="0e80"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*dON_-HQUGzr6jelDvZ5cOA.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="2078"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*RpSTuHtoPhVhGm1s6WRm5Q.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="113b"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*zaotRbPb4FIPasntJ28RQg.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo Credit: <a href="https://instagram.com/LivingLargebylivingLittle">Matt Ray</a>, Global HitchHiking Shots!</figcaption></figure><h2 id="6900">FACEBOOK GROUPS</h2><p id="8dea">Facebook Groups were a pleasant surprise for me as they have been very influential in finding boats while I’ve been out. Simply do searches in google or Facebook for places you want to hitchhike to and you should find lots of places to join and network.</p><p id="76b4">The last boat I’ve been hitchhiking on, from Darwin to Grenada, was found by joining a group on Facebook called Indian Ocean Crossing. I simply posted what I was looking for, a boat heading west, and one of the members told me about this boat, and a few months later I was scheduled to be in Darwin to set sail. Here are some other Facebook Groups I’m a member of on Facebook:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/SailorsandCruisers">Sailing and Cruising</a></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/IndianOceanCrossing">Indian Ocean Crossing</a></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/SailSEAsiaGroup/">Sail Southeast Asia</a></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/718083728355873/">Sailing and Cruising for Sailors</a></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1718150225136181/">Pacific Sailing and Cruising</a></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/919041954934370/">Grenada Yacht Crew</a></li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1428165970745389/">Grenada Cruisers Information</a></li></ul><p id="1660">Be creative in your searches. There are sailing groups for just about every large body of water you want to cross. And don’t be shy about posting in these groups. In most cases, at least part of what they are doing is helping to put crew members and boat owners together.</p><h1 id="df7c">VHF CRUISER’S NET RADIO</h1><p id="2322">In some locations you go to, there will be a strong cruising community and often they will have a dedicated time slot where they come together and discuss cruising at that location across the VHF Radio, which all boats have.</p><p id="9b9c">For example, in Grenada, there’s a Cruiser’s Net Radio slot where everybody gets together at 7:30 AM on VHF Channel 66 to discuss things like who just arrived, who’s departing, weather, information about local businesses and resources, social events, etc. It was on this Cruiser’s Net Radio that I found a boat going from Grenada to Curacao.</p><p id="2ccd">When you arrive at a new location, talk to your sailing neighbors. Check with the local cruising community to see if there is a local Cruiser’s Net Radio slot for cruisers or not. In my case, I sat through a single Cruiser’s Net Radio slot and found a boat going where I needed to go. I know there was one of these happening every day in Panama last year when I was there.</p><p id="aa39"><a href="https://www.cruisingworld.com/cruisers-net">Here’s an interesting article that talks more about Cruiser’s Net</a>. And here’s a <a href="https://www.google.com/search?safe=off&ei=tYTHXOSzDqWJ5wLVjqqwCA&q=cruiser%27s+net+radio+vhf+cruisers&oq=cruiser%27s+net+radio+vhf+cruisers&gs_l=psy-ab.3...9286.14010..17972...5.0..0.191.2126.0j15......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71.TarCFgapiIk">Google Search</a> that lists a lot of different Cruiser’s Net Radio programs around the world.</p><h1 id="8ad0">WALKING THE DOCKS</h1><p id="504b">I have done a little bit of this sort of thing, but so far have had little luck with it. I met two guys in Tahiti who were hustling the docks and they seemed to have lots of success. To clarify, walking the docks is simply walking from boat to boat, introducing yourself, and asking if they or someone they know is heading in the direction you want to go and if they are looking for crew or not.</p><p id="00f4">These guys were very outgoing and gregarious and people typically loved them and their energetic attitude. Once again, selling yourself is half the battle and these guys were definitely good salesmen. I may have never gotten a boat from this method, but I have met a lot of great people who are sailing around the world this way and have seen a lot of beautiful boats. This is a fun way to meet new people and get to know the community around you.</p><h1 id="db45">WORD OF MOUTH</h1><p id="5fad">This is a great way to network and find boats. Either by walking the docks or by pinging your past captains, everybody touches people you don’t touch and maybe the next boat you get will

Options

be found by word of mouth. The boat I took from Panama to Tahiti was found by word of mouth.</p><p id="64a7">Paul, the first skipper on this journey of mine, was in Aruba and struck up a conversation with a skipper who was filling up his fuel tanks. He found out that this skipper (Ted) was sailing to New Zealand and looking for some crew in Panama. Since I had just finished helping Paul get his boat to Aruba, Paul energetically shared my information with Ted and later emailed me about the conversation, so I also emailed Ted.</p><p id="b1f8">A month later I was on a flight to Panama and later that week joined Ted and his wife Jenny, and one other crew member, to cross the Panama Canal and then on to Ecuador and eventually Tahiti. So in this case, word of mouth was the best way for me to find a boat.</p><h1 id="7bc0">Bulletin Boards in Yacht Clubs and Yacht Bars</h1><p id="8aab">Everywhere I’ve been over the past 3 years, there are typically yacht clubs or marinas with an area for yachties to hang out. It could be a restaurant or a bar, or simply a lounge where there are books for trade and wifi and other services. In most of these social areas I’ve been to, there have always been flyers up where people are looking for boats to help crew to the next place.</p><p id="f0b9">I’ve done a bit of this sort of thing as well, and although I haven’t successfully landed a spot on a boat using this method, I know a lot of people do, so if you’re going to cover all your bases, this one is worth a shot as well.</p><p id="abe1">So in review, Websites, Facebook Groups, Walking the Docks, Cruiser’s Net Radio, Word of Mouth, Bulletin Boards. Hopefully you’ll be able to find boats quickly and start your Global Hitchhiking in earnest! If you’ve found ways to find boats or crew that I haven’t included, please share by commenting below.</p><p id="c6e1">If you’re interested in more of my writing, take a look at my blog site.</p><div id="e289" class="link-block"> <a href="https://lilliving.com/blog"> <div> <div> <h2>Living Large by Living Little!</h2> <div><h3>Traveling the world in large ways and living minimalistically!</h3></div> <div><p>lilliving.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*zVjzowyV5VeNeBPp)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="3c4d">If you’re interested in what I’ve been doing in the past few years, this Medium article was written about me recently.</p><div id="fe5e" class="link-block"> <a href="https://blog.usejournal.com/the-beautiful-life-of-a-minimalist-living-very-large-by-living-little-89416f6aa863"> <div> <div> <h2>The beautiful life of a minimalist: Living very large by living little</h2> <div><h3>What would you give up to chase your dreams?</h3></div> <div><p>blog.usejournal.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*hGwXL5STPmxHdZi-DHsqRg.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="9bcf">Click on this link to see the next article in the Global HitchHiking Series, Safety Considerations, where I go over how to be safe while doing this.</p><div id="a6ee" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/global-hitchhiking-iv-crewing-around-the-world-on-sailboats-safety-eb4839b78259"> <div> <div> <h2>Global HitchHiking IV — Crewing Around the World on Sailboats</h2> <div><h3>Safety Considerations</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*EQjixZXbdpgvnBubzQk_LA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="277f">As always, I enjoy sharing pictures of my journey. Here are some shots I’ve grabbed in the past 3 years of Global HitchHiking.</p><figure id="5bf4"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*YRB52lVrq_PdAyAu1Ki5dQ.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="443c"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*lsQOcExWN-OdFoWDlBzuDA.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="8f2f"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*mKQBkQAaMk_yukiJ0w9t8A.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="9987"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*lh518Wamhg-hZqEaWsKXFQ.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="ba81"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*_IQ1th-TrLD9XKSks-X7bw.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="4622"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*_uy3jxd2yvvD1ndxTSS6iA.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="3a13"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*cTBOancS0ZGjqxz0qew1oQ.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="5766"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*y94OjrJR3H-Hg_MPTuSJgQ.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo Credit: <a href="https://instagram.com/LivingLargebylivingLittle">Matt Ray</a>, Global HitchHiking Shots!</figcaption></figure></article></body>

Photo Credit: Matt Ray, Global HitchHiking Along the Intra-Coastal Waterway

Global HitchHiking III — Sailing Around The World by Crewing

How to Find Boats or Crew

The past 2 articles have been about what Global HitchHiking is and how to get prepared to start doing it. This article will be more about how to actually find boats to start your journey! If you’ve stumbled across this article and wish to go to the beginning, just follow this link:

Global HitchHiking

Global Hitchhiking is when you crew on sailboats around the world on passages. It’s an out-of-the-box way of traveling…

medium.com

HOW TO FIND SAILBOATS OR START YOUR GLOBAL HITCHHIKING JOURNEY

There are lots of ways to find sailboats to crew on, or Global HitchHiking, all of which are helpful and valid. There are websites you can join, some of which are free and some charge a monthly fee. There are Facebook groups to join.

You could walk the docks in whichever port/town you are in and network with sailors and yacht clubs in your hometown. There are Cruiser Net Radio programs in some locations. There are Bulletin Boards in areas where yachties hang out. And of course, there is word of mouth, which honestly ends up being the most successful opportunities. In this article we’ll cover all of these.

WEBSITES

There are lots of great websites that offer services for Global HitchHikers. Here are some of them:

I could cover them all in detail, but there’s another great site who has already reviewed all of the major sites and given them ratings and associated costs. Lost Aussies is a great blog and I highly recommend you taking a look at what they are doing, which includes documenting their travels and covering topics of Environmentalism. This link will take you to their crewing website ratings.

REAL LIFE WEBSITE EXAMPLE

[Update: Unfortunately, Floatplan.com is now giving me a 404 error when I try to go to it. My story about using Floatplan is still relevant, however, just think of doing it on a different site than Floatplan.]

Floatplan.com is one of the first sites I joined and the first site that actually delivered on its promise to find a boat for me. As I said in the previous article, all of these sites are a little like dating sites. You setup a profile as a boat seeker/crew and boat owners setup a profile as boat owners, and it’s about finding a good match, allowing them to find a good crew member.

A good match is often when your plans and the plans of a boat owner end up being the same. If you’re looking for a boat in the South Pacific, for example, and there’s a boat looking for crew in that area, then there’s a good chance you’ll find a match. Which is why it’s important to use several websites, rather than just one. The nicest thing about Floatplan.com, is it’s one of the few sites that are free and because it’s free, you aren’t restricted by who you can talk to or email.

Paul, who owned a 60 foot ketch sailboat, was looking for someone to help him sail his boat from Virginia to Aruba and found me on Floatplan.com. When he first approached me I had just left my computer consulting job and was trying to consider my next move.

Going to Virginia at that moment and helping him sail it to Aruba would have been the perfect timing for me, but he didn’t realize the amount of repairs he had to do to the boat, and ended up missing the safe window for sailing south because of hurricane season in the Caribbean.

Once he said he wouldn’t be going until later in the year, that opened up an opportunity for me to go to sailing school in Gibraltar and Spain and get my YachtMaster Certificate. Then when I returned from there, he was ready to go and I was now more qualified to go with him and help him get his boat safely to Aruba. So, Floatplan.com was the perfect site to match us up.

Here are some shots from that first trip.

Photo Credit: Matt Ray, Global HitchHiking Shots!

FACEBOOK GROUPS

Facebook Groups were a pleasant surprise for me as they have been very influential in finding boats while I’ve been out. Simply do searches in google or Facebook for places you want to hitchhike to and you should find lots of places to join and network.

The last boat I’ve been hitchhiking on, from Darwin to Grenada, was found by joining a group on Facebook called Indian Ocean Crossing. I simply posted what I was looking for, a boat heading west, and one of the members told me about this boat, and a few months later I was scheduled to be in Darwin to set sail. Here are some other Facebook Groups I’m a member of on Facebook:

Be creative in your searches. There are sailing groups for just about every large body of water you want to cross. And don’t be shy about posting in these groups. In most cases, at least part of what they are doing is helping to put crew members and boat owners together.

VHF CRUISER’S NET RADIO

In some locations you go to, there will be a strong cruising community and often they will have a dedicated time slot where they come together and discuss cruising at that location across the VHF Radio, which all boats have.

For example, in Grenada, there’s a Cruiser’s Net Radio slot where everybody gets together at 7:30 AM on VHF Channel 66 to discuss things like who just arrived, who’s departing, weather, information about local businesses and resources, social events, etc. It was on this Cruiser’s Net Radio that I found a boat going from Grenada to Curacao.

When you arrive at a new location, talk to your sailing neighbors. Check with the local cruising community to see if there is a local Cruiser’s Net Radio slot for cruisers or not. In my case, I sat through a single Cruiser’s Net Radio slot and found a boat going where I needed to go. I know there was one of these happening every day in Panama last year when I was there.

Here’s an interesting article that talks more about Cruiser’s Net. And here’s a Google Search that lists a lot of different Cruiser’s Net Radio programs around the world.

WALKING THE DOCKS

I have done a little bit of this sort of thing, but so far have had little luck with it. I met two guys in Tahiti who were hustling the docks and they seemed to have lots of success. To clarify, walking the docks is simply walking from boat to boat, introducing yourself, and asking if they or someone they know is heading in the direction you want to go and if they are looking for crew or not.

These guys were very outgoing and gregarious and people typically loved them and their energetic attitude. Once again, selling yourself is half the battle and these guys were definitely good salesmen. I may have never gotten a boat from this method, but I have met a lot of great people who are sailing around the world this way and have seen a lot of beautiful boats. This is a fun way to meet new people and get to know the community around you.

WORD OF MOUTH

This is a great way to network and find boats. Either by walking the docks or by pinging your past captains, everybody touches people you don’t touch and maybe the next boat you get will be found by word of mouth. The boat I took from Panama to Tahiti was found by word of mouth.

Paul, the first skipper on this journey of mine, was in Aruba and struck up a conversation with a skipper who was filling up his fuel tanks. He found out that this skipper (Ted) was sailing to New Zealand and looking for some crew in Panama. Since I had just finished helping Paul get his boat to Aruba, Paul energetically shared my information with Ted and later emailed me about the conversation, so I also emailed Ted.

A month later I was on a flight to Panama and later that week joined Ted and his wife Jenny, and one other crew member, to cross the Panama Canal and then on to Ecuador and eventually Tahiti. So in this case, word of mouth was the best way for me to find a boat.

Bulletin Boards in Yacht Clubs and Yacht Bars

Everywhere I’ve been over the past 3 years, there are typically yacht clubs or marinas with an area for yachties to hang out. It could be a restaurant or a bar, or simply a lounge where there are books for trade and wifi and other services. In most of these social areas I’ve been to, there have always been flyers up where people are looking for boats to help crew to the next place.

I’ve done a bit of this sort of thing as well, and although I haven’t successfully landed a spot on a boat using this method, I know a lot of people do, so if you’re going to cover all your bases, this one is worth a shot as well.

So in review, Websites, Facebook Groups, Walking the Docks, Cruiser’s Net Radio, Word of Mouth, Bulletin Boards. Hopefully you’ll be able to find boats quickly and start your Global Hitchhiking in earnest! If you’ve found ways to find boats or crew that I haven’t included, please share by commenting below.

If you’re interested in more of my writing, take a look at my blog site.