Greetings

[StevenHorstmann]

Hello everyone,

I wanted to introduce myself, and hope this is the correct manner in which to do so. Thanks for having me.

I am an American, but am currently living in Berlin. I work as a scenic designer and carpenter for the theatre.

I have sailing small dayboats (under 14') for my entire life, and have only recently had the pleasure of sailing some larger boats in Puget Sound, and was hooked. I have since moved to Berlin for the winter, but am interested in joining a crew, or several, as soon as possible and beginning to log some experience and knowledge on larger vessels. My goal is to end up back in Puget Sound in the summer of 2009, where I am considering attending the NW school of wooden boat building.

Any advice on where/when to start? How to get involved? I am extremely flexible and willing to travel most anywhere.

Thanks again,

Steven

[redbopeep]

Welcome aboard, Steven! Once spring comes 'round, you might consider making your way to the local yacht clubs and volunteering to crew. Further, if you'll be at the NW School of Wooden Boat Building, you'll have no problem finding your way aboard the numerous boats around Port Haddock and surrounds

Also, be sure to check out the crewfinder section of our Cruiser Log-- you might find a skipper looking for crew before next summer.

Best of luck to you!

[Lighthouse]

A big welcome aboard from me too Steven. Good luck with your plans and please keep us up to date on how you're getting on.

[imagine2frolic]

WOODEN BOATS?

My you must have a twisted soul? You must love working on boats more than sailing?

WELCOME, and of course I am just kidding. Imagine herself is all wood. Although it is cold molded she is still all wood. BEST WISHES in finding a berth. Sailing small boats is more difficult than sailing large ones. This experience will serve you well finding a berth.......I2F

[StevenHorstmann]

Thanks for the welcome. To answer your question Imagine2frolic, above both sailing boats and building boats would be sailing a boat i built .

I found some temporary work here in Berlin, and am now looking more towards an eventual cross-atlantic passage out of Europe back to US. I have been doing some reading on common departure locations/dates, and notice that the majority of the Atlantic crossings occur later in the year - October, November-ish out of the Canaries.

Is it uncommon to find something headed west earlier in the summer, say may or june? Any suggestions on where to look (other than these forums of course)? I have seen some information on something called the Cross-Atlantic Challenge...

Thanks again,

Steven

[JeanneP]

Hurricane season in the North Atlantic is from June 1 to December 1, with the early tropical storms usually originating off the western coast of Africa. You won't find many boats other than delivery skippers crossing the Atlantic towards the Caribbean in the beginning of the summer and hurricane season. That's why you find crossings in November, sometimes late October, with the skippers keeping their fingers crossed that a hurricane won't develop or cross their path.

It's possible you'd find a boat crossing at that time, though I would expect it to be a boat heading for the NE U.S.

Have you checked this forum's Crewfinder yet? Looking through it might give you a better idea of when/where boats will be and where they're looking to go.

Fair winds,

Jeanne