Looking to sail around the world as crew like us for a few years or maybe just take a week or two and have the adventure of a lifetime? When we started this journey of sailing the world by working on other people’s boats we had a really hard time finding information to get started. Though the world of cruising is incredibly friendly and inviting, it’s hard to find information on the internet about how to get into it.
So this part of our blog is dedicated to helping you find out about the world of crewing and how you can have the adventure of a lifetime for the cost of groceries. Check out the table of contents below and ask us questions!
Crewing Resources
Races, Rallies & Sailing Schools – This is where we list all the cool stuff we find that you can do!
Volunteer Crewing
Getting Started – For those of you who, well, are.
- Volunteer crewing 101 – “You sail around the world for FREE!? I wanna!” Well, this is how you do that.
- Sailing – How to test the waters – How to test out this whole sailing thing for cheap to nothing.
- Getting your first crew gig – Some easy ways to start your search
- Find a fleet – What to do to find your 2nd gig
- Coastal Cruising – Ups & downs of sailing coastal waters.
- Bluewater Cruising – The pros and cons of losing sight of land
- The Dark side of Cruising – On powerboats, they have ice cream every night!!
- Is it safe? – Well, is it!?
Money – making, keeping, spending & budgeting
- But how much does it cost!? – Do you have any advice for savings needed for say, 1 year of volunteer sailing?
- It really is everywhere you want to be – A cautionary tale for those who live in the modern age.
- Working for a bed – A way to save a few grand when you’re between boats.
- Backpacker Jobs How-to – A beginners guide to making money abroad.
Livin’ the dream – What’s it like?
- A day in the life – A sample of a typical daily schedule in the life of crew.
- Keeping busy – So, um, what exactly do you do for fun in the middle of the ocean?
- The truth about food on boats – Eating well is important
- Proximity – The sailing life leads to odd relationships.
- Semper Gumby – Sometimes you hurry up, sometimes you wait. Sometimes you hurry up to wait.
- Passing the Poo – It’s not always sunsets and cocktail parties.
- Traveler’s Tax – Something you may not think about when you’re flying to meet your ship,
Seasickness – What it is and how to prevent it.
- Sailing and Seasickness – As long as you’re prepared, it’s not as big of a deal as you might think.
- Seasickness – Prevention is the only cure – The list of exact items Greg uses to keep motion sickness away.
- Seasickness – When all else fails – Chronic seasickness explained, and what to do if you didn’t read the second article.
Hey great blog and thanks for the tips about the volunteer sailing. I am considering doing it for some of the legs on my own trip around the world. I am curious from the title of your blog if you two were ever in the U.S. Coast Guard. I recently left that organization to travel and pursue other dreams but am proud to have served. Take care and safe sailing!
Glad to help Jared, feel free to let us know what other info you may need.
Yes, both Tiffany and I are former USCG officers.
Im really interested in traveling and i would like this opportunity to sail around the world
Hi Greg and Tiffany,
I’ve been given your blog details by Jerri at DIWYY and she suggested that you might be interested in some info for people thinking about starting out as crew on superyachts. I’d be happy to send through a recent article I wrote for people wanting to travel the world on a superyacht.
Hey guys,
I’m interested , email me of spot are available within the next year
Thanks a lot
Hi Greg and Tiffany,
My name is Patrick, I’m a 26 year old brit about to embark on my world travels, specifically I’m going to walk the Pacific Crest Trail on the west coast of the US. I will hopefully finish the PCT in october and my plan then is to travel down to central america, hopefully by sailing there. Your blog is really inspiring and it is giving me all sorts of ideas, I did a lot of sailing in my youth, mostly dinghys (lasers, catamarans and the like) and but some bigger yachts as well, and would love the opportunity to volunteer on a yacht if I could find someone to take me. I have heard there is a ‘fleet’ of sorts that sails down to central america from the US around october and would love to know how to get in touch with someone looking to take on a volunteer. Any info/help you could provide me with that would help me getting in touch with the right sort of people would be most helpful would be very much appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Patrick
Patrick,
We are aware of a “fleet” of about 200 boats that departs San Diego in late October to sail to Mexico. From there the fleet goes different directions but since there are a lot of boats there’s a good chance of finding continuing rides as long as you’re competent and a nice guy. The really is the “Baja Ha-ha” and is coincidentally how we started our round the world trip.
Also, the sailing magazine “latitude 38 ” has an online crew list that focuses on the exact areas you are looking for. I would recommend checking out both the rally and the crewlist.
You can find links to both, along with some other rallies and events you’ll encounter while traveling south, on our races & rallies page.
https://coastguardcouple.com/how-to-crew/races-rallies-and-sailing-schools/
hello my name is Emma from England
i wanted to ask your advice on something because its so difficult to be linked to the right place.
i have been travelling through south america over land for 6 months now and still carrying on. my plan was to to end my journey by crossing the atlantic ocean to the the uk from columbia a typical dream but i am actually a keen sailor . i have some basic exprience i did a months course with tall ships rya and have made some basic saling around islands in the carribeen, nothing much but i need to learn more and im passionate about sailing . i just would love to sail across the atlantic and become part of it but i dont know how to be linked to the right people that do atlantic crossing. i have joined one or 2 sailing websites ie sailing networks and crew finder but i have found nothing for 6 months or more now. i can only find people that want helpers with the full degree on sailing or a relationship , i dont have what they want in qualifications, not yet anyway. it is as know a lot of money and i dont have the right kind of work to support me on that.
so i struggle to come part on some adventure sailing.
what can i do ?
tiffany and greg
best regauds
Emma
Emma,
Have you checked out our races and rallies page?
There’s a lot there that you can get into to get leads and volunteer gigs.
Also, google the ARC rally. I think they go Europe to the US though.
We are not aware of any rallies from South America to Europe / Africa however the Eastern seaboard of the US & Canada, along with the Caribbean islands will likely provide you better opportunities. Both the US and Canada are active sailing countries and the Atlantic crossing is the dream of many sailors.
Also if all else fails you can take a re-positioning cruise on a cruise ship and live the high life for pennies!
Does that help?
Hy just wondering wat I’m doing wron I’m recistert at finde a crew.ned and I’m traveling all-around asia but efry boat and efry tying I aply for or send a wave I get no reply ..bin traying to get on a boat now for about 7 months and I’m starting to give up hope thad I find a boat somewhere. . Any thing I can advise me about .. alredi done latitude 101 and moste of all the links I can look for