In early 2020, I joined a sailing boat as a crew member and crossed the Southern Atlantic from Capetown in South Africa via Namibia and St. Helena to Salvador in Brazil. My captain was sailing around the world as part of the World ARC. My trip was wonderful (ping me if you want to read my diary of the trip).
Many people have asked me how to find a boat to join. Here are some tips:
Get RYA certified
Internationally, the golden standard for sailing certifications are those of the Royal Yachting Association. You can find their sailing-related courses here. Before looking for a boat, I completed the Competent Crew Practical Course, which meant sailing and living on a yacht for a few days while doing all sorts of exercises. I took the course in the Netherlands, but if I had to do it again, I would probably try the Canary Islands, for example.
To be honest, I did have some experience as a crew member (with quite a few nautical miles under my belt), but never in such a structured way as the RYA course.
Read the book Ocean Nomad
Suzanne van der Veeken’s book, Ocean Nomad: How to Catch a Ride & Contribute to a Healthier Ocean, helped me tremendously in understanding what I could expect and what I had to look for (get the book at Amazon or Bol ← affiliate links). Incidentally, my captain had read the book, too, which meant that he knew what questions to answer. I wrote the following short review of the book (in 2019):
Close to a perfect guide for one particular niche audience: people who want to make an Atlantic crossing, hitch-sailing their way to the other side. Van der Vreeken methodically answers all the questions you might have about doing this: what are the main routes, when do boats sail these routes, how do you find a boat (at which harbours and using which online platforms), what should be your packing list, what can you actually expect during those days at sea (how do you sleep, eat, stand watch), and what things should you pay attention to when it comes to doing a safety and happiness check before you commit to a boat. She intersperses her own personal adventures and anecdotes throughout the book. After reading those, I can’t wait to cast off and do my own version of the trip.
Van der Veeken is now running a travel community that might be worthwhile to check out.
Hit the “Tinder-for-sailors” sites
There a multiple “dating” sites for captains and crew trying to find each other. None of the good ones are free to use (which makes sense for such a niche). They allow you to state your preferences for when and where you will be available, whether you want a smoking or non-smoking boat (or don’t care), what food you want or need, what special skills you have and whether you are looking for romance or not.
I quite liked how Findacrew worked as a platform, but I found my boat via Ocean Crew Link; they are the “World Cruising Club’s preferred sailing crew match service and [have] a special focus on voyaging rallies like the ARC and World ARC.”
Do let me know how you get on… 🙂