How I got into sailing. It was mainly because I was abroad in Spain, and I didn't speak much Spanish, and didn't want to work in Irish Bars. (Normally I work in architecture.) Sailing across the oceans seemed a lot more fun.

So a good friend of mine who was in Palma at the time gave me this sage advice.

"Don't worry if you don't know how to do it. Just think of how quickly you'll learn once you're in the middle of the Atlantic storm." Sure.

So that started me on my first voyage across the seas, working for a 85 foot sailing yacht where most everyone spoke not Spanish, but Catalan. (A much trickier dialect of Spanish.)

So I was learning to sail in Catalonian. All I can say is, life is full of challenges and surprises. If there's something you've ever daydreamed about, please, go and do it.

I've found from experience that even the most difficult times (like storms in the middle of the ocean) become great stories and happy memories in hindsight.

Brief backround.
Every year, more yachts are being built. These yachts are the playgrounds of the rich and often famous, and while they are cruising around beautiful islands and visiting the Cannes film festival etc. they provide employment for many people. The work can be hard, but the pay is often good and experience interesting.

Other smaller (much less glamorous)yachts are owner/occupier boats. These owners frequently need extra crew for long passages. eg. crossing the atlantic. This is often unpaid work. However, the schedule is often more laid back, you sometimes have more choice where you are going, and again, the experience can be unforgettable.

It's mostly about being in the right place at the right time. The best places to pick up a yachting job...Antibes and Palma de Mallorca in the Mediterranean season. (Antibes is in France, Palma is on the Spanish island of Mallorca.)

The Med season is approximately March/May to October/November.

The Caribbean season is November to March. The best places to pick up a yachting job are Fort Lauderdale in Florida, and St Maarten and Antigua in the Caribbean. Many boats then head to the Mediterranean or the NE coast of the US during the Caribbean summer. This is because of the hurricanes.

Once you get to any of these locations, here are the recommended steps.

1. Register with all the crew agencies. These agencies are there to get you a job - they earn their living by commission. Talking to them will also help you understand the world of yachting and the opportunities out there.

2. Make a one page cv. This can include any yachting experience, hospitality experience and character reference.

3. Go talk to people on the docks. This is known as 'walking the docks.' You walk along where all the boats are moored, and say 'can I speak to the captain/person in charge of hiring crew.' Then give them your cv with contact phone number, smile, and have a talk. If they don't have any openings, give them a cv anyway, as captains tend to talk to each other. If you make a good impression, chances are a captain will be happy to give your cv to a friend of his who is looking for crew.

4. Hang out in yachtie bars. This can be a tricky one. If you are someone who can socialise effectively in a bar setting and not get drunk and disorderly, this is a killer. Every port has at least one yachtie bar - places where the crews of yachts go to when they're in town. This is where people catch up, meet old friends and yes, look for crew.

This can be at times dodgy if you are a young and attractive female, so I would suggest keeping your wits about you. Refusing suspicious invitations to 'come see my yacht' is a good start. However, many people have found jobs by hanging out and 'networking' in bars.

So - happy sailing and good luck

Another way to be in the right place at the right time.

Every year in different parts of the world, yachts, yacht agents, crew and prospective yacht buyers gather.

Boat shows are a great place to pick up work, get to know people, and go to lots of parties.

In fact, if you know the right people, you can be invited to some very interesting parties. If you don't know the right people, you'll have to get creative.