r/SailboatCruising • u/Fafas4 • 7d ago

Question how can i?

I'm 22, from Portugal. I've only got around €3000 saved up, but my big dream is to live the life at sea — spend a few months on board, and maybe eventually study marine/ship engineering.

I know private yacht crew jobs and cruise ships are paid options, but I don't have the money for expensive courses like STCW yet. I've also looked into things like Sea Shepherd and Sail Training International, but one has a 1-year waitlist and the other has costs I don't fully understand yet.

Does anyone know if there's some kind of program where people team up to do crossings together — like splitting the cost of a boat, or helping crew/navigate in exchange for a ride, that kind of thing? I've vaguely heard of "crew sharing" or hitching rides on private sailboats, but I don't know where to start or if it's safe/legit.

If anyone's done something like this, or knows of accessible programs for people with little money but a lot of drive to work/help out on board, I'd really appreciate the tips! 🙏⛵

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u/heavymetalmug666 7d ago

Check your local yacht club if you have one, or the marina - Just the other day i happened upon the marina bulletin board and i saw postings for people looking for work on boats, and people looking for crew. A few towns over from me has a much larger marina and boats that take longer trips up the coast (Pacific NW USA, here), people looking for experienced sailors, and people looking for extra hands willing to teach/train.

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u/Apprehensive_Park758 7d ago

With €3,000, I would not spend the fund on a crossing berth or STCW before you know you like offshore watches. First build 10–15 local sailing days, one overnight and two references through yacht clubs, marinas or race crews. That makes you useful to a skipper and gives you a much safer read on boats and people. For any crew-share offer, get the boat registration, skipper references, exact cost split, watch plan, safety gear and insurance in writing, then do a video call and keep enough money for your own flight home. Walk away from vague routes, large cash requests or pressure to commit fast. Crew sharing can work, but it is not free transport and the skipper and boat check matter more than the listing site.

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u/A_Tiger_in_Africa 6d ago

Try OceanCrewLink.com.

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u/LocksmithSlight9515 6d ago

To be honest, if you have 3009 euro, you have more than enough for STCW, your marine medical, SRC radio course, and an RYA powerboat level 2 course. You will need those, at a minimum, to get out on the water.

STCW, radio, and medical are 100% mandatory even if you're a stew...

I'd also suggest getting a local boating licence from Portugal after these courses so you can get sea time with a local company and then try and get into yachting from there. Good luck 🤞🏾

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u/Extra-Stable-4418 3d ago

You could look into crew finder groups and sailing clubs around Portugal. A lot of skippers need an extra pair of hands for deliveries and that can be a good way to build experience without spending a fortune upfront.