Hi All,
Wife and I decided it would be fun to sail around the Med for a few months, may have got some inspiration from these guys:
Are you buying or hiring in the Med??
if the later you will need a minimum of the ICC. So make sure who ever you do the course through is accredited to issue that. I thought (but don't quote me on it) that these days only an RYA accredited school could issue it.
Research that a little bit because as I said it may not be 100%.
Common sense is what's mostly required. The more you have of it at the start, the less you have to be taught. Things which are obvious to one person need to be taught/shown/explained to another. It's not about who's clever or dum.
Sailing a boat isn't just about trimming sails. It's also about knowing the implications of your current actions or your next action. Whether it be sailing motoring into an anchorage, anchoring, getting pissed while anchored, noticing what other boats around you are doing and allowing for their lack of common sense.
Unfortunately common sense can't be taught, but there are plenty of courses out there to help fill in the gaps for things where you may need some help.
The Med. Full of charter boats and some people on them have absolutely no common sense. So you need to be well prepared for your own situations as well as some brought on be others. In the Whitsundays a crowed anchorage may be 40 boat, in the Med 200.
Crusoes on the money. Learning how to be a good sailor comes with time on the water and the number of blunders you encounter and perform and making sure you dont repeat them. Its hard to get that quickly.
Its possible to fast track a bit by doing basic seamanship courses theres a few. They teach knots, port starboard stern and bow stuff.
Or to learn good efficient boat handling get on a racing boat or go in some races yourself either offshore or around the buoys inshore. If you get on someone elses boat to learn make sure the skipper is actually competent and not a loud mouth or someone who sails by old wives tails first. For me, nothing teachs tacking, gybing, sail trim and when and how to change sails quite as well as having someone behind you trying to beat you to the finish line.
To learn docking, mooring and coastal sailing look in the classifieds and get yourself a crewing job on a boat going up or down the coast on weekends or maybe your racing skipper above might teach you how to park the boat etc 
I went and did my RYA day skipper and coastal skipper in bunburry. I can't recommend it enough. The bloke I did it with is very knowledgeable and keen to teach as much as he can. These courses cover navigation. Chart work and GPS. Boat handling/ berthing/ anchoring etc. Once you do day skipper he can provide paper work for an ICC that will allow you to hire boats around the world. http://www.oceanwest.net.au/dayskipper.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwrIa9BRD5_dvqqazMrFESJACdv27GuuafgIJPXIH3Y9QxQqAWcdkaEbq5PTmjt8t_Dz8pfxoCweDw_wcB
+1 common sense.
when its real windy, decrease sail area.
Go slow in anchorage and marinas. get it down to a fine art so you stop at the mooring.
Be observant. look everywhere all the time. know the weather and the tides.
Thanks for the replies, appreciate the thoughts, 100% agree on common sense, and the other boaters at moorings is the part that makes me the most nervous! Plan is to anchor, and anchor at remote places, I don't like other tourists so the part of this that appealed was being able to go to the quiet locations, might be unrealistic but with 1200 islands in Greece alone I'm confident I can find a few deserted ones.
Had power boats for years so not new to boating but furtherest I went was diving at rotto. The cost and cruising limitations to chartering have made the buying option more appealing, cost of 90 days of chartering is almost the same as to buy a decent yacht and I'm not restricted to one country.
Experience and exposure will always teach you more than education so I plan on putting a lot of hours at sea between now and when I leave, also bought an old 20ft yacht with the intention things will break on her so I will learn how to deal with issues in her in the safety of waters I know and close distance to shore. Also practice the Nav, docking, anchoring, etc on a boat that if I break it, I won't break the bank.
Agree competition does refine skill and push the limits quicker than one would normally go, anyone have any ideas on how to break into crewing in blue ocean races around Perth?
If you have the time, you can register as crew available for the upcoming Dirk Hartog Race and Cruise.
http://www.sopyc.com.au/on-water-list/dirk-hartog-race/
Maybe consider doing a Safety and Sea Survival Course and/or Senior First Aid. Longer offshore races (Cat 2) require SSS for 30% of crew I think. and one First Aiders. Added to a bit of experience, it can be a good way to get onto some good race boats (worked for me) at short notice, replacing sick regulars etc.
Most clubs have crew lists. Pick a club that has an offshore series and get involved and work your way up. I race out of HYC, we have Cat 4 offshore races (Down to Freo, Rotto) etc. At our club, just turn up at race day briefing and you'll get a ride.
If you crew on racing boats just be wary you aren't taught bad seamanship habits. Not giving way when required to, overstressing the boat to get 1/10 of a knot, cutting close to land to gain an extra metre, pushing crew beyond safe limits. I've seen them all and there have been posts on here that have all these factors in accidents and incidents.
Racing can teach you a lot about making a boat go fast and good sailing practices, it can also teach you how to be a very poor seaman.
as many others have said time on the water and common sense (though it never seems that common on the water ) if you can get on a well sailed race boat you will learn a lot though there are probably 20% good sailors and the rest probably not much better than you so be careful who you listen to the same goes for advice on forums and marina dwellers who are always ready to offer advice
Have enjoyed extended sailing as 'paying crew' on 3 occasions in the Med.
Each trip was for a total of 3 months which, on an Aussie passport, is all the time allowed in EU.
Had great experiences with excellent skippers and at abt 30 euro a day was a very cost effective fife time way to explore many of the Greek islands.
Will be back again next year.
Select to expand quotemarkje4 said...
Have enjoyed extended sailing as 'paying crew' on 3 occasions in the Med.
Each trip was for a total of 3 months which, on an Aussie passport, is all the time allowed in EU.
Had great experiences with excellent skippers and at abt 30 euro a day was a very cost effective fife time way to explore many of the Greek islands.
Will be back again next year.
You're actually allowed 3 months per country. Uk =6(min we get on border). Only thing is you need to get stamps which is a hassle. If you dont get them, ( like i didnt for the years i was there on nz passport,) you may have to explain yourself-( like i did). If your legit , it's never an issue. Talked customs into giving me a work visa on the border once in dover.
Hi Mark, Thanks for the info, that sounds amazingly cheap, all the places I have looked at going through are far more expensive, what company is this? Can you share any more info?
Select to expand quoteSectorsteve said..markje4 said...
Have enjoyed extended sailing as 'paying crew' on 3 occasions in the Med.
Each trip was for a total of 3 months which, on an Aussie passport, is all the time allowed in EU.
Had great experiences with excellent skippers and at abt 30 euro a day was a very cost effective fife time way to explore many of the Greek islands.
Will be back again next year.
You're actually allowed 3 months per country. Uk =6(min we get on border). Only thing is you need to get stamps which is a hassle. If you dont get them, ( like i didnt for the years i was there on nz passport,) you may have to explain yourself-( like i did). If your legit , it's never an issue. Talked customs into giving me a work visa on the border once in dover.
stay in Schengen Visa countries for non-EU residents is limited to a total of 90 days in a 180-day period. You could do 3 months sailing in the Med but then have to exit and go to a non-EU country where you could possibly stay another 3 months.
The only thing you wont get needed experience in here in OZ is stern to mooring. It's not always easy in a cross wind even with willing helpers, so if you can crew on a boat in the Med for a couple of weeks before chartering or buying, that might be a good idea. Tides and currents are not a problem, but winds can be.
