Skills
People say, “cruising is fixing your boat in exotic places”.
Whether your boat is new, or as old as Rhythm (1979), this statement is true. Being aware of this is a good place to start, but having a handy crew member is a must! And I am not handy.
I never would have agreed to this lifestyle if it wasn’t for the fact that John is one of the handiest, most self-sufficient people I have ever met. I think he actually takes some sick pleasure in solving the mystery of a repair. He often gets the attention of neighboring captains when he drops parts from our boat on the deck for inspection or maintenance.
Being the less handy of the crew, I do my best to play a supporting role. Sometimes that means handing tools into tight spaces, cleaning parts for reuse, roaming stores in foreign towns looking for parts, or just making cookies.