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Does the VHF Radio work properly? Is there a Single Side Band Radio? Is there an AIS System and is it working, both receiving and broadcasting? Is the AIS System tied into the navigation system so you can see the boats around you?</li><li>Is there a satellite system? Is there a satellite phone? Does it provide internet access?</li><li>Are there fire extinguishers? How many and locations? Fire blanket?</li><li>Are there life jackets? Do you need to have your own life jacket? Are there safety harnesses and jacklines?</li><li>Are there any first aid kits?</li><li>Does the boat have a decent dinghy and a strong dinghy motor?</li></ol><h2 id="d90b">Real Life Reasons of Why I Ask These Questions</h2><p id="d934">The first boat I was on, I really enjoyed the skipper and all the crew. However, it was my first boat and I didn’t really take the safety questions above seriously enough. And I didn’t put my foot down when there were shortcomings.</p><p id="1b8d">The boat had been in the water for 10 years and the skipper was replacing electrical, plumbing, and the motor was still being rebuilt when I arrived. There was another couple with us, totaling 5 people on board, including the skipper and his wife. They had told us upfront that there was no auto-pilot, but with 5 people on board, it shouldn’t be a problem as there were plenty of hands to take shifts. Hand steering isn’t that hard, but doing it for 12 hours takes a lot out of you. The best crew-member on any boat is the auto-pilot!</p><p id="699f">We were sailing down the ICW and got about half way down when the the couple ended up leaving because they didn’t feel the boat was ready to make an ocean crossing. I agreed with them. There were a number of safety concerns and the alternator had just failed on us. But we were still in the ICW and it really wasn’t a big deal, yet. I looked at it as a learning experience and I was prepared to continue on, despite the concerns. We had to get the alternator replaced as we traveled, which was a bit of a coordination challenge, but it was kind of fun arranging all of that and learning to live with the handicap for a few days. We simply ran the genset whenever we needed to top the batteries off.</p><p id="2f22">When we got to Miami, as we attempted to cross the Gulf Stream to get to the Bahamas, one of the shrouds broke (standard rigging problem) at the chain plate. The bolt that connected the shroud to the chain plate had rusted through. We turned around and headed back to Miami and inspected all of the chain plates and shrouds and discovered they all had rusted bolts. We replaced them all.</p><h2 id="e096">Bahamas Attempt II</h2><p id="c24d">We made a 2nd attempt to the Bahamas a few days after replacing the bolts, and the weather was rougher than we expected so we turned around and came back to No-Name Harbor in Miami. No sooner than we anchored, the steering on the boat went out!</p><p id="0e6b">After further investigation, the hydraulic lines and fittings for the steering were leaking, and enough had leaked that the steering stopped working up on the deck. We spent another week trying to rectify that situation, although we couldn’t get everything resolved because there was a combination of metric and standard pipes and fittings, but we did the best we could. We bought a large container of hydraulic fluid as a contingency plan.</p><p id="65cb">Because the steering went out, it made me ask what the emergency steering situation was on the boat. Turns out there really wasn’t a viable emergency steering option. There were pieces there, but we needed to drill a hole in the deck of the boat, and it had never been assembled and appeared to be missing some pieces. We bought a couple of Home Depot buckets as emergency steering. Google it. It’s definitely an option.</p><h2 id="861c">Even More Issues</h2><p id="6ea9">Another problem with this boat was the mainsail was torn. We only had the jib sail and the motor for moving through the water. It was an older sail and we tore it trying to get it up one day in Florida. At this point you’re probably thinking, “why is he still on this boat?” Also, on our first attempt at crossing to the Bahamas, when the shroud bolt snapped, the owner’s wife snapped, along with the shroud, and decided she was going to fly home to France for the season, and now it was just the owner and myself left.</p><p id="76ca">I committed to helping this skipper get the boat to Aruba. And I try to live up to my commitments. And it was mostly a big adventure to me — my first time crewing, my first time sailing to the Bahamas. I was still too caught up in it all to bail on the owner at this point. What’s the worst that could happen? Never ask that question when there are concerns about safety on a boat!</p><p id="0dbe">Something else about this situation was that the skipper wasn’t looking at sailing this boat ever again once he got it to Aruba. He simply wanted to turn it into a bed and breakfast boat. So he couldn’t justify spending 5–10,000 dollars on a new sail, particularly since he really just wanted to get it to Aruba and that was it. He wasn’t looking to sail it around the Caribbean or anywhere else for that matter.</p><h2 id="d5ad">Bahamas, Haiti, and On To Aruba</h2><p id="b444">Our third attempt to the Bahamas was successful. We made it there without incident. The only issues we had in the Bahamas was running aground a few times because it’s quite shallow there in places. We also ended up having to moor for 10 days in Farmer’s Cay because of inclement weather. The only issue with that is there was only a simple blow-up dinghy and an electric motor that wasn’t very powerful. Getting ashore during that 10 days ended up being a challenge with the wind blowing as hard as it was. (Thus the note about a good dinhgy with a good motor above.)</p><p id="678f">In Haiti, we ended up buying some bad fuel. We didn’t realize it was bad until we were 1 day out and both the main motor and the generator stopped running. I attempted to change the fuel filter, but didn’t have the appropriate tools, so I was unable to do so. We were stuck with only the jib sail for propulsion and we were heading into the wind. We were really getting nowhere and we didn’t have clean fuel, nor a way to change the fuel filter. So we did the only thing we could think of at the time, we made a Pan Pan and asked if there was anybody in the area who could assist us with fuel and a tool to change the fuel filter.</p><h2 id="8708">Hard Times On The High Seas</h2><p id="81bf">Hindsight, there were a couple of things I would have done differently. I’ve since learned you can use a large screwdriver to change the filters, by piercing them and twisting. Also, we should have turned back to Haiti rather than continuing on. It would have been slow going, but the wind would have taken us back without any problems, where we could regroup, take care of our fuel issues, and try again.</p><p id="6ea1">We also shouldn’t have been attempting to cross directly from Haiti to Aruba. We should have gone East at least to the Dominican Republic and then headed South, so we could use the trade winds, rather than beating against them the whole way.</p><p id="afac">We definitely didn’t do due diligence of making sure the fuel was okay or having the appropriate tools on board to change the fuel filters. But I think it’s a perfect example of why all of the questions above should be asked, even if they might seem overkill.</p><p id="5cc2">Don’t make the same mistakes I made by not asking those questions . Use the answers to make a safety decision about whether to sail on that boat or not, <b>before committing</b>.</p><p id="4c0b">I’m glad I did sail on this boat. It really brought home how important these questions are, and I’ve never been on another boat with problems like this, so the safety question work and are crucial to your safety.</p><p id="a971">To make a long story short, we got the fuel and the tool we needed, got the bad fuel out of the tanks, the new fuel into the tanks, the filters changed, and we motor-sailed on to Aruba. After the longest passage I’ve ever been on (not in days, but in stress and strain), we arrived 7 days later, worn out and frazzled. (Remember, there was no auto-pilot, and just the two of us to steer for 7 straight days.)</p><p id="6eba">We made it, but there were many times during those 7 days

Options

when I wasn’t sure we would. And I learned a lot about asking the right questions before you get on a boat!</p><h1 id="570e">Social Safety</h1><p id="4e1e">Social safety, feeling safe or comfortable with the people you are working with, is also very important. You will be traveling with them for many days, in a small space, where you will most likely be on top of each other half the time. And you’ll get cranky from lack of sleep. You may get tired of eating their food or washing their dishes. So it’s important that you try to make sure that you’ll be comfortable with them.</p><p id="1d38">Spend time trying to figure out if it’s going to be a good fit for you or not, personality wise, and safety wise. Will your personality fit well with the skipper or other crew members? Does the skipper or crew members have a temper? Is it a dry boat or will there be alcohol consumed on the boat? How do they treat other people?</p><p id="24f5">I’m assuming that before jumping on a boat you will take a little bit of time to get to know the people you’ll be sailing with. This isn’t always possible, but sometimes if you don’t take the time to make sure you’re going to get along with the skipper and crew you may find yourself in a situation that you really regret.</p><h2 id="9da6">Sailing With An Asshole for Three Weeks</h2><p id="dcc2">This happened to me. I was in Tahiti and was trying to find my next boat. I was kind of in a hurry because the boat I was on had guests coming and I was either going to need to rent a room somewhere or find a boat leaving soon. Hindsight is 20/20, but I wish I had just rented a room for a few weeks or a month and taken my time to find a boat instead of feeling pressure (self applied, by the way) to get on another boat and head out right away.</p><p id="a5ff">The boat was a beautiful boat and it was mostly well maintained. But I didn’t pay attention to the personality warning signs of the skipper. And because it was just him and me, I really should have paid more attention to how he treated people and his quirks.</p><p id="4866">For example, I noticed when we were eating at a restaurant, there was a boy playing in the pond next to us being a little unruly and his parents were nowhere to be found. The skipper looked at the boy and told him to f*$k-off! I was shocked, but part of me thought, well, the boy was being unruly. But I should have recognized his temper and impatience then.</p><p id="51e4">I ended up being on board this boat for 3 weeks, from Tahiti to Tonga, and we ended up hating each other before it was done. I don’t say that lightly. I get along with almost everybody I meet. You could ask many people about me and most of them would say that I’m good natured and easy to get along with.</p><p id="37cd">But this skipper was cantankerous and mean spirited. He would have a conversation with you, asking you what seemed like genuine questions about you and your history and then he would use them to tear you down and make fun of you.</p><p id="7343">It got to the point when we arrived in Bora Bora, I immediately jumped off the boat with my flippers and snorkel mask and swam from boat to boat, asking if they needed anybody to crew with them. I ended up sailing on with him to Tonga. Due to a family emergency he left his boat there to go home to Australia.</p><p id="ed52">I joined another boat with a skipper and crew member, which ended up being one of the best 3 months of my sailing experience. We not only sailed from Tonga to Malaysia together, but my skipper invited me to stay with him for free in his guest room until I found my next boat.</p><h2 id="f872">Lessons Learned</h2><p id="902a">What did I learn from that experience? That it’s just as important to consider social safety and whether or not you get along with the people you will be sailing with as it is the other safety concerns. Make sure you get along with whomever you’re going to be with, perhaps all alone for weeks on end. And you want to feel safe with them. There were times on this boat where I actually felt unsafe because of the skipper.</p><p id="0146">I’ve also learned to ask most of the safety questions listed above. If a boat isn’t safe, for you or others, then you should reconsider sailing with them. There are times when I have second-guessed myself for staying on that first boat as long as I did. But as I look back on that experience, it was a great learning experience for me, even though it put my safety at risk. Would I recommend it for anybody else? No, I wouldn’t. It’s always better to be safe. But I’m glad I went through that experience, if for no other reason, than to pass on what I learned.</p><p id="7ff8">I hope you enjoyed this installment of the Global HitchHiking series. If you have any question or suggestions, or if you feel like I missed a safety item above, please don’t hesitate to comment below.</p><p id="a39e">Here’s a link to the last installment of Global Hitchhiking:</p><div id="6c6a" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/global-hitchhiking-v-sailing-safely-considerations-for-women-crewing-e3dcae5d00bd"> <div> <div> <h2>Global HitchHiking V — Sailing Around The World by Crewing</h2> <div><h3>Additional Safety Considerations for Women Crew</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*bb1_ww9WMLkbMAiJSYZoSw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="73e5">If you’d like to see more of my articles, here are a few links.</p><div id="7a6d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/reunion-a-beautiful-volcanic-island-73710f26715"> <div> <div> <h2>Reunion — A Beautiful Volcanic Island</h2> <div><h3>France’s Hidden Hawaii — Paradise in the Indian Ocean</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*2lPhnfWBoQw9i3paq6rzdA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="7d30" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/i-sailed-twenty-thousand-miles-to-swim-with-whale-sharks-a58acea7175e"> <div> <div> <h2>I Sailed Twenty Thousand Miles to Swim With Whale Sharks</h2> <div><h3>The first time I thought about swimming with whale sharks was in Roatan, Honduras, in 2016.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*B67UbOmUTREsgDcQoBmiGw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="4993">And here are some pics I’ve taken along my journey, circumnavigating the globe.</p><figure id="a564"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*g1qlu2QuElZrIwaHp4GA4w.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="68dd"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*XI6IhnrA2usiFAsFf27Bqg.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="130d"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*259asgES3WYplf5JkBnQow.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="38ad"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*JsGzwMNB-Ow5li5XoU9amQ.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="d4d3"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*D8B6xkEByE--s4WJ8F_54w.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="f313"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*C2mtMmXTp1-NOPCx4l52Ew.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="5ed6"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*8sW6wCtiYNhbIJSUami33Q.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure id="90fd"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*9qa5FW4Hb3qut60G5EhlVQ.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo Credit: <a href="https://instagram.com/LivingLargebylivingLittle">Matt Ray,</a> Pictures from St Helena and Jacare Brazil</figcaption></figure></article></body>

Photo Credit: Matt Ray, On a river near Jacare, Brazil

Global HitchHiking IV — Crewing Around the World on Sailboats

Safety Considerations

This part of the series is about safety considerations when doing Global HitchHiking or crewing around the world on sailboats. Note, there will be a separate article that covers safety issues and concerns when crewing as a woman. This article is mostly about general boat safety and making sure the boat you choose to sail on is a safe boat for you to go thousands of miles on, if you so choose. It will also cover social safety, or being safe with the skipper and crew you sail with. To read previous articles, please go to the following publication:

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

Experience and Qualifications of the Skipper

The first thing you have to ask yourself is whether you’ll be comfortable, from a safety perspective, sailing with the skipper who owns the boat you’re looking to crew on. There really are no minimum qualifications for a skipper who buys a boat and starts sailing around the world. Most skippers will want to become proficient sailing their boat since they have invested time and money in it, but there is no guarantee of their proficiency.

Just as they will be interested in your experience and qualifications, you should be equally interested in what experience and qualifications they have. Find out how long they have been sailing and where they have sailed. Ask if they have any certifications such as ASA or RYA certifications or perhaps a 6-Pack (US-based) or a YachtMaster (International).

I wrote a little about these qualifications in Part II of this series as something you could consider doing yourself, but it’s equally important for the skipper to have pursued some technical knowledge to sail their boat.

Substance Abuse?

Another thing to consider is whether or not the captain has a substance abuse issue. I have been on a boat where the captain was unable to control his drinking. It only led to one mishap, where he dropped the anchor on some coral, but not knowing whether he was going to be safe with the boat or not was nerve-wracking.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to know up front whether a captain has a problem or not. If you interview him and he’s drunk, maybe ask for a second interview to see if it’s a pattern or not. In my case, the skipper didn’t show his tendencies until we had been together for a month or two. He did have a dry boat, which in hindsight might have been a signal for me that he had a drinking problem.

The Boat Itself

The next thing you need to know about is the boat itself. Here are a list of things you should be curious about. For you to ask about these things is not only good from a safety perspective, but it will also let the skipper know you are aware of important safety features and you have knowledge of sailing. Note, all of these items should be covered in a safety briefing once you actually board the boat and before you set sail, but it’s good to know that they are a consideration before deciding to join the boat.

For you to ask about these things is not only good from a safety perspective, but it will also let the skipper know you are aware of important safety features and you have knowledge of sailing.

Safety Checklist

Does the boat have a lifeboat? Is it regularly serviced? Does the boat have any grab bags / emergency bags in case you need to leave the boat in a hurry? Is there an extra container of water near the grab bags for the same purpose?
Does the boat have an EPIRB ( Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon)? Is the battery okay on it?
How old is the standing rigging on the boat and when is the last time it was inspected? (The standing rigging is what holds up the mast.) Grab a hold of the rigging to see if it’s taut or not. Also, take a look at the shackles and inspect for rust. When you see rust stains, you must always look closer and ask questions.
How is the condition of the running rigging (the lines that control the sails)? Are there frayed lines?
Does the boat have a working engine? What is the horsepower? Is it maintained properly? Have the oil and fuel filters been changed recently? What about the water cooling system? Does it have any issues you should be aware of? Does the engine start without any special requirements? Just as important, how do you kill the engine in an emergency situation?
What is the capacity of the fuel tank? Is there a generator in addition to the main engine for generating power? All the questions from 5 are relevant to the generator as well. Does the boat have the appropriate tools for performing maintenance on the boat, such as changing the fuel and oil filters?
Is there a fuel cleaning system on board, that allows you to check and clean your fuel? Are there spare jerry cans of fuel on board?
Do all the sails work properly? Are there sail patching tools and materials? Does the boat have any spare sails? If you can, inspect the sails to see if they are worn or not.
Does the boat have an auto-pilot? Does it also have an alternative auto-pilot, such as a wind vane?
Does the boat have hydraulic steering? If so, is the hydraulic steering maintained properly and has it been checked lately for leaks? Is there extra hydraulic fluid on board?
Does the boat have an emergency steering system and has it ever been used or at least ensured that it can be used in an emergency? Have they considered alternative emergency steering systems, such as buckets or sea anchors?
How many seacocks does the boat have? How and where are they opened and closed? Are there bungs for emergency stopping of water coming into the boat?
How is the electrical system working? Are the batteries functioning at full capacity? Is the solar/wind/engine able to keep the batteries topped up so the boat doesn’t have any electrical problems? Are the battery charging capabilities able to maintain the navigational instruments and the lights? Are you able to also charge your devices without any problems?
Does the boat have spare parts for all the systems on the boat? Electrical, Propane, Engine, Plumbing & Waste, and WaterMaker.
How is the bilge and how do the bilge pumps work? Has the boat ever had problems with the bilges not emptying properly?
Does the boat have a water maker? Is it working and in good condition? Has the water been tested lately?
What is the capacity of the water tanks? If no water maker, what are the plans for water? Is there any emergency water (separate bottles in case something goes wrong with the water tanks or water maker)?
Does the boat have propane systems for cooking and other things? Does it have safety shutoff valves?
Does the boat have flares? Are they current or expired?
How big is the anchor? Is there a backup anchor? Stern anchor? How much chain and rode are on the main anchor?
Does the boat have a drogue or sea anchor?
Navigation: Is there a GPS? Is there a backup GPS? Is there a Chart Plotter? Backup Chart Plotter (iPad with Navigation software, for example)? Are there paper charts? Compass? Sextant?
Does the VHF Radio work properly? Is there a Single Side Band Radio? Is there an AIS System and is it working, both receiving and broadcasting? Is the AIS System tied into the navigation system so you can see the boats around you?
Is there a satellite system? Is there a satellite phone? Does it provide internet access?
Are there fire extinguishers? How many and locations? Fire blanket?
Are there life jackets? Do you need to have your own life jacket? Are there safety harnesses and jacklines?
Are there any first aid kits?
Does the boat have a decent dinghy and a strong dinghy motor?

Real Life Reasons of Why I Ask These Questions

The first boat I was on, I really enjoyed the skipper and all the crew. However, it was my first boat and I didn’t really take the safety questions above seriously enough. And I didn’t put my foot down when there were shortcomings.

The boat had been in the water for 10 years and the skipper was replacing electrical, plumbing, and the motor was still being rebuilt when I arrived. There was another couple with us, totaling 5 people on board, including the skipper and his wife. They had told us upfront that there was no auto-pilot, but with 5 people on board, it shouldn’t be a problem as there were plenty of hands to take shifts. Hand steering isn’t that hard, but doing it for 12 hours takes a lot out of you. The best crew-member on any boat is the auto-pilot!

We were sailing down the ICW and got about half way down when the the couple ended up leaving because they didn’t feel the boat was ready to make an ocean crossing. I agreed with them. There were a number of safety concerns and the alternator had just failed on us. But we were still in the ICW and it really wasn’t a big deal, yet. I looked at it as a learning experience and I was prepared to continue on, despite the concerns. We had to get the alternator replaced as we traveled, which was a bit of a coordination challenge, but it was kind of fun arranging all of that and learning to live with the handicap for a few days. We simply ran the genset whenever we needed to top the batteries off.

When we got to Miami, as we attempted to cross the Gulf Stream to get to the Bahamas, one of the shrouds broke (standard rigging problem) at the chain plate. The bolt that connected the shroud to the chain plate had rusted through. We turned around and headed back to Miami and inspected all of the chain plates and shrouds and discovered they all had rusted bolts. We replaced them all.

Bahamas Attempt II

We made a 2nd attempt to the Bahamas a few days after replacing the bolts, and the weather was rougher than we expected so we turned around and came back to No-Name Harbor in Miami. No sooner than we anchored, the steering on the boat went out!

After further investigation, the hydraulic lines and fittings for the steering were leaking, and enough had leaked that the steering stopped working up on the deck. We spent another week trying to rectify that situation, although we couldn’t get everything resolved because there was a combination of metric and standard pipes and fittings, but we did the best we could. We bought a large container of hydraulic fluid as a contingency plan.

Because the steering went out, it made me ask what the emergency steering situation was on the boat. Turns out there really wasn’t a viable emergency steering option. There were pieces there, but we needed to drill a hole in the deck of the boat, and it had never been assembled and appeared to be missing some pieces. We bought a couple of Home Depot buckets as emergency steering. Google it. It’s definitely an option.

Even More Issues

Another problem with this boat was the mainsail was torn. We only had the jib sail and the motor for moving through the water. It was an older sail and we tore it trying to get it up one day in Florida. At this point you’re probably thinking, “why is he still on this boat?” Also, on our first attempt at crossing to the Bahamas, when the shroud bolt snapped, the owner’s wife snapped, along with the shroud, and decided she was going to fly home to France for the season, and now it was just the owner and myself left.

I committed to helping this skipper get the boat to Aruba. And I try to live up to my commitments. And it was mostly a big adventure to me — my first time crewing, my first time sailing to the Bahamas. I was still too caught up in it all to bail on the owner at this point. What’s the worst that could happen? Never ask that question when there are concerns about safety on a boat!

Something else about this situation was that the skipper wasn’t looking at sailing this boat ever again once he got it to Aruba. He simply wanted to turn it into a bed and breakfast boat. So he couldn’t justify spending 5–10,000 dollars on a new sail, particularly since he really just wanted to get it to Aruba and that was it. He wasn’t looking to sail it around the Caribbean or anywhere else for that matter.

Bahamas, Haiti, and On To Aruba

Our third attempt to the Bahamas was successful. We made it there without incident. The only issues we had in the Bahamas was running aground a few times because it’s quite shallow there in places. We also ended up having to moor for 10 days in Farmer’s Cay because of inclement weather. The only issue with that is there was only a simple blow-up dinghy and an electric motor that wasn’t very powerful. Getting ashore during that 10 days ended up being a challenge with the wind blowing as hard as it was. (Thus the note about a good dinhgy with a good motor above.)

In Haiti, we ended up buying some bad fuel. We didn’t realize it was bad until we were 1 day out and both the main motor and the generator stopped running. I attempted to change the fuel filter, but didn’t have the appropriate tools, so I was unable to do so. We were stuck with only the jib sail for propulsion and we were heading into the wind. We were really getting nowhere and we didn’t have clean fuel, nor a way to change the fuel filter. So we did the only thing we could think of at the time, we made a Pan Pan and asked if there was anybody in the area who could assist us with fuel and a tool to change the fuel filter.

Hard Times On The High Seas

Hindsight, there were a couple of things I would have done differently. I’ve since learned you can use a large screwdriver to change the filters, by piercing them and twisting. Also, we should have turned back to Haiti rather than continuing on. It would have been slow going, but the wind would have taken us back without any problems, where we could regroup, take care of our fuel issues, and try again.

We also shouldn’t have been attempting to cross directly from Haiti to Aruba. We should have gone East at least to the Dominican Republic and then headed South, so we could use the trade winds, rather than beating against them the whole way.

We definitely didn’t do due diligence of making sure the fuel was okay or having the appropriate tools on board to change the fuel filters. But I think it’s a perfect example of why all of the questions above should be asked, even if they might seem overkill.

Don’t make the same mistakes I made by not asking those questions . Use the answers to make a safety decision about whether to sail on that boat or not, before committing.

I’m glad I did sail on this boat. It really brought home how important these questions are, and I’ve never been on another boat with problems like this, so the safety question work and are crucial to your safety.

To make a long story short, we got the fuel and the tool we needed, got the bad fuel out of the tanks, the new fuel into the tanks, the filters changed, and we motor-sailed on to Aruba. After the longest passage I’ve ever been on (not in days, but in stress and strain), we arrived 7 days later, worn out and frazzled. (Remember, there was no auto-pilot, and just the two of us to steer for 7 straight days.)

We made it, but there were many times during those 7 days when I wasn’t sure we would. And I learned a lot about asking the right questions before you get on a boat!

Social Safety

Social safety, feeling safe or comfortable with the people you are working with, is also very important. You will be traveling with them for many days, in a small space, where you will most likely be on top of each other half the time. And you’ll get cranky from lack of sleep. You may get tired of eating their food or washing their dishes. So it’s important that you try to make sure that you’ll be comfortable with them.

Spend time trying to figure out if it’s going to be a good fit for you or not, personality wise, and safety wise. Will your personality fit well with the skipper or other crew members? Does the skipper or crew members have a temper? Is it a dry boat or will there be alcohol consumed on the boat? How do they treat other people?

I’m assuming that before jumping on a boat you will take a little bit of time to get to know the people you’ll be sailing with. This isn’t always possible, but sometimes if you don’t take the time to make sure you’re going to get along with the skipper and crew you may find yourself in a situation that you really regret.

Sailing With An Asshole for Three Weeks

This happened to me. I was in Tahiti and was trying to find my next boat. I was kind of in a hurry because the boat I was on had guests coming and I was either going to need to rent a room somewhere or find a boat leaving soon. Hindsight is 20/20, but I wish I had just rented a room for a few weeks or a month and taken my time to find a boat instead of feeling pressure (self applied, by the way) to get on another boat and head out right away.

The boat was a beautiful boat and it was mostly well maintained. But I didn’t pay attention to the personality warning signs of the skipper. And because it was just him and me, I really should have paid more attention to how he treated people and his quirks.

For example, I noticed when we were eating at a restaurant, there was a boy playing in the pond next to us being a little unruly and his parents were nowhere to be found. The skipper looked at the boy and told him to f*$k-off! I was shocked, but part of me thought, well, the boy was being unruly. But I should have recognized his temper and impatience then.

I ended up being on board this boat for 3 weeks, from Tahiti to Tonga, and we ended up hating each other before it was done. I don’t say that lightly. I get along with almost everybody I meet. You could ask many people about me and most of them would say that I’m good natured and easy to get along with.

But this skipper was cantankerous and mean spirited. He would have a conversation with you, asking you what seemed like genuine questions about you and your history and then he would use them to tear you down and make fun of you.

It got to the point when we arrived in Bora Bora, I immediately jumped off the boat with my flippers and snorkel mask and swam from boat to boat, asking if they needed anybody to crew with them. I ended up sailing on with him to Tonga. Due to a family emergency he left his boat there to go home to Australia.

I joined another boat with a skipper and crew member, which ended up being one of the best 3 months of my sailing experience. We not only sailed from Tonga to Malaysia together, but my skipper invited me to stay with him for free in his guest room until I found my next boat.

Lessons Learned

What did I learn from that experience? That it’s just as important to consider social safety and whether or not you get along with the people you will be sailing with as it is the other safety concerns. Make sure you get along with whomever you’re going to be with, perhaps all alone for weeks on end. And you want to feel safe with them. There were times on this boat where I actually felt unsafe because of the skipper.

I’ve also learned to ask most of the safety questions listed above. If a boat isn’t safe, for you or others, then you should reconsider sailing with them. There are times when I have second-guessed myself for staying on that first boat as long as I did. But as I look back on that experience, it was a great learning experience for me, even though it put my safety at risk. Would I recommend it for anybody else? No, I wouldn’t. It’s always better to be safe. But I’m glad I went through that experience, if for no other reason, than to pass on what I learned.

I hope you enjoyed this installment of the Global HitchHiking series. If you have any question or suggestions, or if you feel like I missed a safety item above, please don’t hesitate to comment below.

Here’s a link to the last installment of Global Hitchhiking: