Frequently Asked Questions

What would it cost to join as crew?

The captain and crew will equally share the costs of fuel, food, and marina fees. In 2015, these costs averaged about 150 euro per person per week, not including occasional meals and drinks ashore. In addition, to help offset the high costs of sailboat maintenance, winter storage, and the Croatian sojourn tax, a contribution to the “Geja Fund” will be requested.


Do I need to know how to sail?

Sailing experience is not necessary - you will be instructed as needed. Knowing how to have fun is a more important trait.


What’s a typical day aboard Geja like?

After breakfast and possibly a morning swim, the boat sets sail for a 15 to 25-mile voyage to the next destination. This should take between four and six hours, preferably broken up along the way with a lunch/swim stop. By sunset, Geja is moored for the night, sometimes along the quay of a quaint village or in a town marina. If peace and/or privacy is preferred, Geja would just drop anchor in a quiet bay, making the dinghy necessary for shore access. Dinner can be cooked aboard or the crew can dine out. Nighttime can vary between complete tranquility and all-night partying.


What’s it like to travel by private boat?

Sea travel is one of the world’s oldest forms of transportation, and many towns, especially in the Med, are built around their harbors. You will often find yourself parked smack in the middle of the action. There is no hotel to find, no bag to unpack, and no transit schedule to follow. Often these coastal towns are flanked by a medieval fortress. In some locations, one can skip the town in favor of an isolated natural harbor, with your own personal swim platform. In between destinations, transiting crystal clear Med waters under wind power alone isn’t so bad, either.


What are the disadvantages of traveling by private boat?

One must prepare to sacrifice personal space when spending time aboard a sailboat. Conveniences like fresh water, electricity, and refrigeration are available, but in limited supply. There is no full-length mirror. Travel by sea is slow – about 6mph/10kph on average.


What are your crew needs? How many can be on the boat at once?

Andrew will be the only permanent crew for the summer. Being the social person that he is, he will be actively recruiting crew among my friends and acquaintances. If there are gaps in the crew schedule, he will seek outside crew, preferably younger, backpacker-minded folks who have been on boats before. For the comfort of everyone, the captain and three crew are the maximum aboard Geja. Having just two crew members is optimal.


If I join as crew, how will I find Geja upon arrival?

Geja has a black mast, USA flag, and is not quite as white as the rest of the sailboats that you will see. In any given place, there are few, and possibly only one, places for a pleasure yacht to “park.” I will give you a general idea weeks ahead of time, with some fine tuning by SMS in the days leading up to your arrival. It is important that I receive your flight itineraries as soon as you’ve booked them. (Note to Americans: Join the 21st Century by traveling with SMS capability).


Are you and the boat always on schedule?

Despite the popular belief that “cruising” can’t be done on a schedule, not to mention the captain’s own less-than-timely traits, Geja has always met its incoming crews on time. Still, crew should arrive with a flexible spirit, as weather and mechanical problems can cause delays.


Is it true that the captain is a bit, say, particular?

In some ways, yes. His preferred method for keeping the boat clean is to not make it dirty in the first place. Neither shoes nor dirty feet are allowed on board or in the dinghy, nor are metal utensils allowed anywhere near teflon cookware. He expects crew not to, for example, lay directly on the interior cushions with bodies covered in sweat and sun lotion. If he’s too fussy, let him know. He’s thick-skinned.


Are there good websites that tracks all of those useful little budget airlines in Europe?

http://www.skyscanner.net/

http://www.kayak.com/