Tall Ships?

Question

I want to work aboard a tall ship!

Do i need to go to any kind of college or school after highschool?

Do you know a good ship I could start off on?

Care to give any other information I may need to know?

Answer 1

Congrats on deciding on the best job in the world.

The American Sail Training Association (ASTA) has information and contact info on loads of tall ships on their website (www.sailtraining.org), but programs vary from boat to boat regarding training and experience.

Some boats do not sail train any further than vessel specifics (i.e., you can only crew if you have experience), other boats charge varying amounts of money for sail training. Many have youth training programs in particular. Some have long off-boat training that requires a certain number of volunteer hours before you get any hands on sailing experience. And a few (small few) will hire you as a deckhand with no experience necessary.

I started sailing (with no experience whatsoever) on the Lady Washington, a 112 ft. brig (square-rigger = cooler than schooners). Her program (as well as her sister ship, the Hawaiian Chieftain) is thus: you pay $500, you come on board for two weeks, we feed you, give you a place to sleep, give you a crew/family, and teach you how to sail a tall ship. You'll be handling lines and going aloft your first day. If you get a good eval (learn, try, and get along with your mates), you're welcomed back (I've only known one person who hasn't been). You can come on as long as you'd like, any time you'd like with no fee and eventually work you way up to a paid position.

Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority (the operating organization) is disorganized and flakey. They'll lose your application. They will forget to send you your contract. You'll have to call them dozens of times. Just keep that in mind.

My only experience so far is with Lady, but you might also check out Adventuress, Picton Castle (more expensive), the folks at the Los Angeles Maritime Institutes, San Diego Maritime, and San Francisco Maritime. (I'm a west coaster -- really don't know many east coast boats).

Stay the away from the navy.

Good luck, and feel free to contact me for more info.

Answer 2

the American Sail Training Association has a list of the hundred or so Tall Ships that work American waters so start with them......

Coast Guard's EAGLE is for officer training so unless youre at the USCG Academy or very very lucky to be assigned as crew thats not an option.

Crew slots are tuff to come by.......lots of competition for low pay long hours....so plan on showing up somewhere and having to do donkey work for a while...you'll be judged on attitude more than skill.....

If you have a Red Cross Lifesaving Cert for advanced swimming that helps; you will have to get something called an STCW certificate along the way; look at the Sea School website for what that is and maybe you can get it in advance; and you will also have to pass a drug test.....

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Try a visit to Mystic Seaport CT. Check boating magazines for ads from Barefoot Cruise Lines. New England has more tall ships than other ares. Near the end of the season now.

Answer 4

Capt. John, you've back given a robust and succinct answer. If i can in basic terms upload somewhat to what you've suggested concerning labour. Labour expenses will quite frequently be above the cloth expenses significantly. in case you'll construct a timber boat then you will opt for important expertise. Shipwrights prepare for a lengthy time period before being totally qualified. timber boat construction isn't something you go away for your community chippie. yet another strong social gathering to look at is the restoration of the "Cutty Sark" John, you also suggested the position the boat might want to be outfitted, ie a deliver backyard. that is rather maximum ideal, you aren't any more going to construct a very rigged deliver on your back backyard.

Answer 5

Join the coast guard. the coast guard training ship is the "eagle' and is a true "tall ship". you can work towards becoming a full time member of the crew, but would have to work other ships and boats till you got seniority enough to make a spot on her crew full time.

Answer 6

just go to tortuga after you graduate highschool, and hang around the taverns until you spot a man with bushy gray sideburns and a man with long dreadlocks.
the gray-sideburned man will be signing up a crew for the dreadlocked man, who will be staring at a compass and muttering to himself.
sign up on their crew for the adventure of a lifetime .... the ship will be the best one imaginable to start out on - the fastest ship in the caribbean - the Black Pearl.
take your seasickness medicine, and learn to live on hardtack and rum, and you should be okay.

have fun!
;o)

Answer 7

There are wind jammer cruises that allow the passengers to work the sails. This would be your place of likely employment the other places would be museums that own such vessels that go on tours.

Answer 8

you might consider the navy or the coast guard. that would be my best guess on how to get into that field. then you can go work in the private sector after a few years.

Answer 9

HMS Eiffel tower

Answer 10

The Coast Guard has one, I saw it in Savannah Ga.
http://www.cga.edu/display.aspx?id=2558