| 37 Foot Lavida Nueva is being made ready for | | | | off shore. |
| extended cruising. She is a Tayana 37 sailboat built | | | | 4. Is the crew willing to chip in? I figure my boat |
| using the Robert Perry Design. She is perfect for a | | | | would rent for $7,000 a week as a bare boat |
| couple and can handle 4 or 5 with comfort. She is a | | | | charter. I won't rent my pristine Tayana 36. |
| steady boat, with plenty of weight and not much | | | | However, it is important the sailing crew who come |
| tipping power for stability in heavy weather! | | | | with me understand they are getting a heck of a |
| I am getting ready to put La Vida Nueva, my Tayana | | | | deal. Sail on this fully equipped sloop for the cost of |
| 37, to the test again. I am actively looking for crew | | | | the expenses to run the boat! That is a lot better |
| to sail her to Isla de Mujeres or Veracruz or even | | | | than splitting $7K between 4 people! In exchange for |
| sailing to Belize! I learned crew selection was a critical | | | | the opportunity to sail a dingy charter boat. |
| piece of a sailing yacht's success and best chances at | | | | I believe inputting my crew to work. There are |
| sea. Last time, failure to control the boat almost cost | | | | always last minute details to be finished. If I have a |
| both of our lives. I won't make the question about | | | | crew member who won't pitch in now, what will |
| who is in charge again. It is me! That is, until someone | | | | happen when it is his watch and we are in heavy |
| lays down $150,000 to buy my beautiful cutter! | | | | weather sailing? We are all cold, wet and exhausted |
| 1. Know your crew. This was the second piece of | | | | from rough seas and towering waves? Will this guy |
| advice my friends gave me. The first was, don't go | | | | buck up? If he won't put in his share before we |
| at all. It was the wrong time of year and the trip | | | | leave then I leave a huge problem on the dock for |
| was beyond my capabilities. But if I had to go, my | | | | his wife to handle. |
| fiends insisted, I needed to know who I was going | | | | "Geez, Susy, they dumped me off of the crew just |
| with. | | | | because I had other things to do than help them get |
| Could I trust them? Could I depend upon them in an | | | | ready to go 200 miles off shore! I had it figured out, |
| emergency? Were they boat wise? Did they have | | | | instead of taking a shift I would float and watch to |
| any special skills like mechanical skills? | | | | see everything got done just right. Now, I never |
| 2. "Take a couple of test sails before the big | | | | crewed on a boat like that but I have a model of |
| adventure." they told me. Learning to work together | | | | her! They are sure going to miss me!, By the way, |
| is key on a sailboat means everything. I like the idea | | | | now that I am back early, you can cancel your choir |
| of requiring pre-paid tickets back home to be on | | | | practice! I am hungry!" |
| hand. If the crew member turns out to be a problem | | | | 5. Finally, I search every crew member's bags before |
| he gets the boot onto the crowd killer in a shuttle | | | | we leave. This comes from my last voyage in which |
| flight home. Best of all, since he put the bucks up to | | | | a crew member asked if he could bring along his |
| start, it was on his dime! | | | | pistol. He was afraid of pirates in the gulf of Mexico! I |
| There are two benefits to this arrangement. First, | | | | was clear with him, no firearms. They have to be |
| and obvious, you can get rid of problem crew | | | | checked with Mexican customs so what is the point |
| members easily and cheaply. Just stick 'em on the | | | | of having a gun if you can't keep it? Failure to declare |
| plane with the crew member's own self paid ticket | | | | a fire arm in Mexico, especially under the current near |
| and it is "by, by". Just having the tickets puts a | | | | civil war with drug lords, will put the entire sailboat |
| psychological effect on the crew member. He knows | | | | crew at risk. A Mexican prison is not a fun place to |
| he has to go back if he is asked to do so and he has | | | | be! |
| already forked out a ticket for the trip which he | | | | We never made Mexico on that trip. We hit a gale |
| does not want to use. Maybe he had better be on | | | | and had to turn back, that was heavy weather sailing |
| his best behavior! | | | | at it's best. Our sailing voyage to Belize ended in |
| I wish I knew these tricks before my venture into | | | | South Padre Island. When we put into port I put the |
| the teeth of Hurricane Gale. But then, the idea is go | | | | sailor on a plane home. That is when he confessed. |
| learn and fail, and get back on the horse and do it | | | | He had smuggled a gun and two large boxes of shells |
| right this time! I have a good start! | | | | onto the boat! I guess we were lucky our sailing |
| 3. The most important rule is who will be the captain? | | | | adventure through Mexican waters was foiled by a |
| Ships don't run well under anarchy with everyone | | | | near hurricane! I called it Hurricane Gale in an article I |
| throwing their own solution at a dangerous moment. | | | | wrote. The Mexicans don't take kindly to bringing in |
| When it comes to my boat, the question is made up | | | | guns and ammunition into their country! |
| before the crew member gets on. I am captain, it | | | | Sailing is an absolute blast! This Tayana 37 can tackle |
| took me most of my life to afford the boat. It does | | | | anything mother nature has to throw at her! A sailing |
| not matter if Clarence Crestowe has 10,000 miles | | | | adventure to Belize, or sailing to Isla de Mujeres or |
| logged at sea, I am the guy who will make the | | | | Cozumel or Veracruz would be a trip of a life time! |
| decisions. | | | | My dream trip is sailing my sloop, La Vida Nueva, to |
| When I find a crew that is not willing to rally behind | | | | the Rio Dulce! Imagine, living with nature, new |
| the concept then they have a problem. I won't | | | | cultures, friends to make. I can barely wait! Crew |
| hesitate to use the Prue-paid ticket at any time. In | | | | selection is key to sail away fun and safety at sea. A |
| fact, if the person is enough of a problem, I will radio | | | | good crew in heavy weather sailing means |
| the Coast Guard and have him escorted off of the | | | | everything. A bad attitude destroys the whole |
| boat. I am sure he will come up with some excuse | | | | experience and puts all hands in peril! My suggestion, |
| why a private yacht wanted to put him off 100 miles | | | | qualify your sailing crew with care! |