Skipper asking for personal info.

[originalchoice]

Hello,

So it seems that I've finally found a ride for this autumn, but the skipper is asking for very sensitive information, imho (posted below). Do you think that I should send all of this? I'm very concerned with identity fraud and stuff like that, so will be waiting for your advice. Thanks!

"Please send your full name and date of birth, passport no and expiry date, address and emergancy contact details."

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by originalchoice

"Please send your full name and date of birth, passport no and expiry date, address and emergancy contact details."

This information is normally needed to ensure you are eligible as crew and is required to put you on a crew list. That is the information I normally would require from a prospective crew member.

John

[Lexx]

"Please send your full name and date of birth, passport no and expiry date, address and emergancy contact details."[/QUOTE]

Yep thats pretty standard information for most cruising skippers to need from you. I also would want to know of any medical conditions you have or have had recently as well as any current medications and health concerns.

Think of it this way, you are not just jumping onto a yacht for a ride. You are actually joining the yacht to assist with sailing her as well as living on her for the duration. So in effect its like an employment situation as well as moving house. Prospective employers want to know all sorts of things to "match" you to the job and prospective "house mates" will want to know something about you as you will be living in close quarters with them for a period of time and some compatibility is needed.

The skipper besides wanting to know a little about you will also "need" to know all sorts of things for visa applications, customs clearances and immigration purposes for any countries you might visit on the yacht.

I usually ask those travelling on my yacht to complete a questionnaire and I give them an information and expectations information sheet so we are clear on what is offered and expected of crew. I also require that all crew when travelling internationally with me, have adequate funds for their repatriation to their home port should it become necessary.

A skipper needs to know all sorts of things in order to keep his yacht and crew safe.

[originalchoice]

Alright, that pretty much clears the waters for me. Thanks, guys and girls, if any)))

[mico]

I'm not sure what it's like for other countries, but here in Oz the buck stops with the skipper as far as the authorities go. Any problems re visas, entry, quarantine etc - the skipper is held responsible in every respect. This is so rigidly enforced that many Australian vessels taking on crew to return to Oz are asking for a cash deposit of $1000 to be kept in trust until clearance is achieved. In Australia the skipper is responsible for the repatriation of errant crew members, not to the point of embarkation, but to their place of birth as per their passports. As you can appreciate - this can be an extremely costly affair for a skipper who simply wanted some company to help sail the vessel back but then, upon entering home waters, discovers that something is amiss with the crews visas or immigration status and now has to pay for repatriation to the other side of the world - let alone any additional fines or penalties.

While I appreciate your hesitation, what your skipper is asking is the bare minimum.

Fair winds,

Mico

[originalchoice]

Mico, I got the picture already. I read an article about skippers and boat owners that said that they (you) don't need crew per se, but that it's, sometimes, a bonus. Therefore, we (crew, if not paid) should feel as privileged guests, etc, etc.

But the personal info request did raise an eyebrow at first for reasons I mentioned earlier.

[Lexx]

I don't have "privileged guests" on my yacht. When I take on "crew" for passages etc its a share costs re food etc kind of arrangement and each of the crew learn something about sailing and watch keeping as well as sharing in shipboard experiences and responsibilities. I prefer not to sail alone when making passages from a safety standpoint.

Lex

[redbopeep]

Originalchoice--

Even if you end up working long, hard hours on a cruiser's boat as crew, and you are paying for your share of the food aboard, you are indeed "privileged" to have been invited to do so. A cruiser's boat is often his/her only home. The boat has been invested in terms of time and money beyond that which you or any other non-cruising-boat-owning (and I consider such crew "privileged") crew can imagine. Do consider yourself very, very lucky if someone has invited you to join their crew for a passage. Do treat the skipper and other crew with as much respect as you can muster--even if they turn out to not be the sort of people you would like to spend your time with. Enjoy this privilege which the skipper is GIVING you.

[Monty4271]

Given we have just been in Thailand and we managed to find a couple of females to help crew a 54ft cutter for a few weeks. I turned one lady down when she arrived. I asked her direcly does she do recreational drugs and did she have any on her. She said yes to both and I told her to find someone else. In the pursueing conversation I was astounded to find out she did not know about the drug laws in that country and being American she said Quote "My country would allow a female to be imprisoned in a third world country." Given what she told me she had on her I left her to it. Thank god she was no where near the boat. So yes you must ask a lot of questions.
I also ask to do a luggage search after I tell them what may happen to me if we were searched. One couple left, one guy said I had no rights to ask and left and one lady was happy to oblige and put on a bikini without being asked, she was a great sailor and a very nice person. You have consider your self always
Rosso

[mico]

Geeze Monty,

That's a pretty scary scenario - just as well they were honest with you although it would have been easy for them not to have been. All you would have needed then is to be boarded by the authorities, the drugs found and even though you had no idea they were aboard, your vessel would have been impounded and we'd be chatting with you via prison skype. In Malaysia you'd have the possibility of a death sentence hanging over you.

Fair winds,


Mico

[Coyote]

What a delusional woman.

It is my belief that our country shouldn't allow a woman to be imprisoned in a third world country if she is not guilty.

But if you show up and start violating their drug laws, our country has no reasonable responsibility to protect you. To the contrary, when and if she ever gets out, she should have to answer for making the rest of us Americans look bad.

Kinda like when I was a kid. The worst part about getting in trouble at school was coming home and 'splaining it to mom.