From the Editor: Pick a Job, Any Job

I’ve been racing aboard a brand new boat this summer season, and it’s gotten me considering so much about crew dynamics and what makes a very good teammate. Truth be informed, I’ve sailed with numerous nice individuals over time, but it surely’s onerous to pin down precisely what makes somebody nice to sail with. I’ve liked crusing with individuals who have been chill as a lot those that have been as excessive vitality, quiet or chatty, consultants or newcomers, racers or cruisers. However, on the subject of the very best, I feel all of them have two issues in frequent: being proactive about caring for the boat and considerate about caring for one another. 

Back throughout the Volvo Ocean Race days, there was a video posted of Nick Dana speaking about bailing a VO65. It’s a tongue-in-cheek explainer on his grasp approach for scooping water, but it surely stayed with me as a result of, deliberately or not, he buried two salient items of recommendation in it. 

First, he jokes that he was initially introduced on the crew to be the staff’s designated bailer. It was nonetheless just a few years till I’d be offshore myself, however even I knew that being an expert bailer wasn’t a factor. 

Still, what I heard was, “if you’re not shy about doing a job that no one else wants to do, you’ll always get an invite back.” All these years later, I feel that recommendation nonetheless holds true, each on the boat and on the whole.  

Second, he says it’s worthwhile to embrace the hate; embrace the water and the bailing as a result of that’s the one solution to make it go sooner. The frustration fuels the bodily effort, but additionally there’s one thing to be mentioned for the zen strategy of merely accepting that one thing sucks and studying to be okay with that. We sailors are already primed for this. There are numerous stuff you simply have get used to on the water, from the peculiarities of a marine head to the sleep schedule on passage. There’s an unattributed quote that claims, “If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life, but still the same amount of snow.” If you’ll find a solution to embrace the bailing, the identical quantity of water must get scooped, however you’ll be so much much less depressing doing it. 

Over the years, this concept of embracing a job that nobody else desires to do has develop into an intentional follow for me. Instead of bailing, packing kites is my chore of selection. Regardless of whether or not or not I’m the bow individual on the boat, I’m operating tapes, zipping, and stacking. It is probably not my job in any official capability, however I guarantee that once they want checking, doing, or redoing, I’m the primary individual to leap in. 

Funnily sufficient, I’ve been feigning enthusiasm for thus lengthy that I’m not totally positive it’s pretend anymore. Turns out you’ll find pleasure in any sort of metaphorical snow should you embrace it. 

I’m definitely not good and sometimes individuals beat me to “my” job, however mentally taking possession of this one small factor cuts down on any toes dragging when it comes time to do it, to not point out that the boat runs smoother when the little issues are taken care of usually and effectively. It could be something past your common duties: doing dishes, managing fenders, refilling everybody’s water bottles, neatening up the spaghetti within the cockpit. These little issues all add as much as a effectively run boat and a crew that feels empowered and appreciated. 

At the tip of the day, crusing with a crew—whether or not it’s two or twenty individuals—requires everybody to do their share or, ideally, a little bit greater than their share. This could be onerous while you’re, say, three days right into a passage and low on sleep, however proactively assigning your self just a few issues to take care of is a straightforward solution to be sure you’re doing all of your half. 

So decide a job. Pick two. You’ll all the time be a greater teammate for it. 

Lydia could be reached by e mail at [email protected] or @lydiaatsea on Instagram

This article was initially printed within the August/September 2026 concern.