Let’s discuss choosing your yacht crew. Ultimately it is about choosing a team that will work well together. The teamwork is almost as important as the skills they possess.
What sort of yacht crew do you want?! There are broadly two species of sailor out there – the racing crew who enjoy the hard work of blasting at max speed in all conditions and the cruising crew who want to enjoy the journey as much as getting to the destination. Let’s see who those crew are and what drives them.
Maximising the boat – the race crew
Racing yacht crew will often be extremely good technical sailors. They will be able to trim a sail to perfection and be able to read a right of way situation in a heartbeat. The tacticians will be able to read a fleet as well as the immediate weather conditions well, as well as making demands of the boat that will maximise its potential minute to minute. Those on the helm will be able to steer a course straight as an arrow for as long as you could possibly want.
While technically brilliant you also need the right mix of personalities in a racing yacht crew so their aggression is focused on working together and not into chewing each other apart. Yes, there will be some direct (and colourful!) language used as you blast to your destination marker or waypoint, but sailing is the ultimate team sport and making that team work as well as the sails and rigging they trim and set is as key as having the boat ready for your race.
In looking for your yacht race crew you can often see how they will behave together in the bar. Are they able to get on well and have a laugh, perhaps egging one another into shots or beer drinking competitions at the end of the evening? If you see them behaving as a unit there, there is every chance they will be able to gel well afloat.
Getting there with a smile – the cruising crew
Cruising crew are as much into the sunshine and laughs while getting about as they are into trimming things to perfection. They will tend to set up the autopilot and take it easy, not really bothered about the telltales on the sail as long as you’re pointed in the right direction. You will often find a mix of abilities with some great facets such as an engine mechanic or rigger among them, though someone who can do a one pot meal that blows your socks off could be the most liked yacht crew you have aboard!
In selecting your cruising or racing yacht crew, beer and dinner are a great way of getting the measure of them too. Over a multi-day, multi-stop passage you want people who are good to be around, perhaps more than their expertise in getting from A-B.
Onboard Space – a good way to get yacht crew to dinner!
When you the skipper looking for yacht crew are looking for a crew to sail with, in selecting your crew with us your first port of call will be the local bar or marina restaurant to see what they are like. If they are sober at all times that’s always a good move, but you need to see how people are together before embarking on a trip. Beer / soda and dinner are often a great way of sounding them out. The next step is to get afloat and see what they can do – do they walk the walk as well as talk the talk? At just €5 per crew selection on Onboard Space you can choose your yacht crew well before you set out to sea!
