Hey!

Bit of a weird one. Been offered a cabin on my friends yacht for a trip around the world, first leg Capetown > Caribbean via St Helena and Ascension in March next year. Problem is at the moment it's me, and two guys - one with a year of experience and completed Ocean Yacht Master, the other with 20ish years of experience and 4 circumnavigations so far. But i'm not 100% comfortable with only 3 crew, and being the only girl on the 38ft steel monohull we'll be sailing on. Personally i have minimal experience, but i'll be spending the next 3 months upskilling as much as i can before March and sailing every week, hopefully going out for multi day journeys if possible. I grew up on boats and in the ocean, Dad always had a boat of some description (mostly yachts) and i sailed in high school, but only ever as crew.

Bit odd i know, to ask to share a bunk - but provided we get on it may actually be pretty fun, and it would certainly make me feel more comfortable. No costs involved, only what you eat and choose to do on land. Cook every now and then, share chores, watches, etc. It would be excellent if you have completed a round trip previously, specifically crossing the North or South Atlantic.

If you know any international roaming women who this might sound perfect for, please pass on to them. Could be the crazy adventure of a lifetime for the right person :)

It all depends how well you know the other members of the crew. Close quarters, isolation, sexual tensions, needs excellent interpersonal skills from all parties. Maybe try a couple of weekend cruises, followed by a week or so together on the boat, to get a feel of the dynamic.

An airfare to Capetown is expensive, but it could turn out to be nice holiday if nothing else.

These things always sound sooo good. But reality is different. I second that you do a weekend trip.

Interesting little doco


Yep, good idea to go on a few weekend trips or longer together before, & the ground rules (or do ground rules get thrown out the door at sea??) need to be set now, rather than 300nm out.
If your friends already that's a huge advantage already I reckon, could be an awesome trip.

Please, please, please, do at least a week living with the guys on board including some sailing, and check them out carefully. Ask other people's views too.
(This is assuming you've just recently met them.)

I won't bore you with the detailed stories, but I lost two young friends who did a short-notice Durban-Mauritius (against my advice) with a skipper who turned out to be crazy and shot both of them. The boat was found drifting about 100nm from Mauritius with the bodies in the cabin and the skipper in a catatonic state in the cockpit.

Then there were the two English girls I'd met a few times who left Cape Town crewing on a big steely with a German skipper heading for Brazil. They were bullied and sexually assaulted and ended up shoving him overboard in mid-Atlantic. Managed to make landfall in Brazil and straight into a legal nightmare.

It's a big lonely ocean, any size boat is a very small place, be sure who you're going to be out there with.
Good luck. The Cape-Caribbean run is a wonderful trip if done right.

What everyone else has said.

Remember. ..after three days there are no secrets.

And no way to get off

Select to expand quote

Sectorsteve said..

Sorry, but I do not understand the significance of the numeral 8 in an octagon. As she said......"please explain??" ...

HI Yara,
I think it's an 8 ball, like "behind the 8 ball"..ball.
??? I think i jutht twithted my toungue..th.

geekayceebee

For advise you need to get on facebook to

"Women Who Sail Australia"

They will have the experience and advise you need.

Select to expand quote

geekayceebee said..
Hey!
Bit of a weird one. Been offered a cabin on my friends yacht for a trip around the world, first leg Capetown > Caribbean via St Helena and Ascension in March next year. Problem is at the moment it's me, and two guys - one with a year of experience and completed Ocean Yacht Master, the other with 20ish years of experience and 4 circumnavigations so far. But i'm not 100% comfortable with only 3 crew, and being the only girl on the 38ft steel monohull we'll be sailing on. Personally i have minimal experience, but i'll be spending the next 3 months upskilling as much as i can before March and sailing every week, hopefully going out for multi day journeys if possible. I grew up on boats and in the ocean, Dad always had a boat of some description (mostly yachts) and i sailed in high school, but only ever as crew.
Bit odd i know, to ask to share a bunk - but provided we get on it may actually be pretty fun, and it would certainly make me feel more comfortable. No costs involved, only what you eat and choose to do on land. Cook every now and then, share chores, watches, etc. It would be excellent if you have completed a round trip previously, specifically crossing the North or South Atlantic.
If you know any international roaming women who this might sound perfect for, please pass on to them. Could be the crazy adventure of a lifetime for the right person :)

Seeing next month is March... how are you going with this deal GK?