Overnight Trips

ANTIGUA

If you are crewing with us, please register and complete the rally waivers, etc on:

https://www.saltydawgsailing.org/rallies/d3cf4f32-af2e-4919-94ac-e7a8f4f5ba7f

You will also be required to sign and return a Cerulean crew liability waiver, located HERE.

John Schafer is the Captain once we leave the dock and is responsible for the vessel overall, but especially the sailing operation and navigation of the vessel.  Wake the Captain for any operational, navigational, sail or system critical issues.

Todd is First Mate, and is responsible for the ship’s systems, mechanicals, electrical, etc.  Notify Todd for any vessel system issues or usage questions.

Malisa is managing provisioning and many logistics - speak with her about any requests or requirements. For clarity, she is NOT “the cook” - we will all do our duty.

Prior to departure please familiarize yourself with all the vessel systems, but especially safety systems.  This includes maps of thru hulls, fire extinguishers, ditch bag, dan bouy, MOB alarm and procedures, life raft, VHF, epirb, as well as water incursion management (plugs, Stay-Afloat, tools, etc).  A briefing on all boat systems will be included prior to departure.

 General

• Please no alcohol, drugs, firearms, smoking or vaping on the boat, period.  Please don’t bring hard sided luggage.

• Please respect the privacy of others, remain appropriately clothed/presented, and avoid inflammatory discussion / politics.  It’s a small space for 2 weeks and there are things we don’t want to know about.

• All crew will be responsible for keeping any common areas tidy and clean at all times, including galley, head, shower, main salon, etc.  Everything you own stays in your cabin and your mother will not be on the boat.

• Crew are welcome to stay on the boat upon arrival for 2-3 days, but longer than that please make hotel arrangements or separate arrangements with Todd and Malisa.

• Crew are responsible for their travel to/from the boat, as well as any expenses on land, including stopovers, food/activities ashore, immigration.

• Owners cover vessel expenses, breakage costs, provisions on vessel.

• Data offshore will be generally unavailable or very limited.  Starlink charges per Gb (~$6 Gb+!) offshore and will be used for weather and navigation.  If you must have Netflix offshore, please cache content on your phone / tablet.

 Crew are responsible for

• Closed-toe boat shoes that will not mark or damage teak.  Sperry’s, Crocs, your favorite slippers, etc. 

• Personal PFD with tether.  A PLB with AIS and DSC is highly preferred. .

• Foul weather gear including warm underlayers, waterproof outer layers and waterproof footwear.

• Bring a headlamp that is rechargeable (ideally USB-C) and capable of BOTH white and RED light.  You will likely use the red light the most.

• Crew must sign the passage waiver.

General safety expectations

• Crew will reef at night regardless of conditions.

• If ANYONE wishes to reef at ANY TIME, everyone reefs.  It’s not an invitation to discuss if we should, and the only response should be “let’s do it”.  We can always shake it out. 

• PFD and tether will be worn at all times (day or night) outside the cockpit

• Inside the cockpit PFD and tethers will be weather/condition dependent and up to the Captain.  All members are encouraged to wear a PFD and tether as soon as leaving the companionway regardless.

• Show up to your shift on time – this means get up prior to your shift and get ready.

• The Captain will set the final “rules of engagement” but in general when offshore:

  • If vessels approach closer than 15 minutes at current speed or 1 nm, please wake the Captain.

  • Course changes need approval of Captain

  • Engine operation, major system operation (aircon/heater, watermaker, generator, victron system, etc) and AC panel needs approval of First Mate to ensure all systems are enabled properly.  Wake Todd up…he’ll get up (grouchy) when he hears an engine or system kick in without discussion.

  • Please do not modify electronics (eg: settings, layout, etc) without discussion.

Medical

• Please disclose any medical conditions, major health issues, allergies/dietary restrictions, and medications.  This includes anything that could impair your ability to operate the boat (bum knee, deaf ear, etc) or your own general well being (diabetes, chronic conditions, nausea/sea sickness, heart condition, kidney stones, etc).

• Critical medication needs to include at least 3 week supply and should be divided into several locations on the boat, including one portion in the ditch bag.  Please teach the captain and first mate how to recognize and administer any critical medications.

• Please notify the crew if there are specific foods that should not be shared (potentially due to dietary restrictions, etc).

• It is recommended that you speak to your primary care physician and consider a prescription of Ondansetron (Zofran) for sea sickness, a proactive prescription for a Scopolamine transdermal patch (also anti nausea, goes behind the ear), and a broad spectrum antibiotic such as Cipro is nice to have in your back pocket. Again, talk to your doctor.

• Innoculations and immunizations should also be current for the tropical Caribbean region. Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap), polio, chickenpox, and influenza are routine. Additionally, hepatitis A is recommended for all travelers to the region due to its transmission through contaminated food and water. Hepatitis B is also recommended for most travelers, as it spreads through infected body fluids. Typhoid vaccination may be advised, particularly for those staying in rural areas, visiting friends or relatives, or staying for extended periods. Yellow fever vaccination is generally not required for direct travel to most Caribbean islands but may be mandatory if you are arriving from or have recently transited through a country with yellow fever transmission. Other vaccines such as rabies, cholera, and dengue may be considered based on specific itinerary.

Schedules / Responsibilities

• Watch schedules will be set by the Captain, stay tuned.  I prefer rotating shifts that that have two people up in a staggered formation, but we will discuss.

• Breakfast and Lunch will be serve-yourself.  Dinners will be prepared multi-person packaged dinners.  Cooking and cleanup will rotate with the watch schedule.  If you didn’t cook, you are on KP and vice versa.  If you’re neither, you may end up cleaning the head.

• The Salty Dawg Antigua rally website has an extensive schedule of events before and after the sail - check them out on their page: https://www.saltydawgsailing.org/cms/2026-caribbean-pre-departure-info

Cerulean has a slip in Hampton, VA (“Safe Harbor Blue Water”) starting the 25th.

Monday, October 26th

• 5:00pm @ Bull Island Brewing

Tuesday, October 27th

• 10:00am Check-in is open!

• 12:00pm Welcome Session

• 12:45pm Communications at Sea

• 1:00pm Weather Briefing Antigua & Bahamas boats

• 2:00pm 2026/2027 Rendezvous with the Dawgs!

• 2:00pm Weather Briefing Newport boats

• 5:00pm Hampton Yacht Club Happy Hour

• (prior ticket purchase required)

Wednesday, October 28th

• 9:00 am Sail Management

• 10:00am Bahamas Panel Q&A

• 12:00pm Bahamas Boats Luncheon

• 1:30pm Sailing in Heavy Weather- monohulls

• 3:00pm Sailing in Heavy Weather-catamarans

• 5:00pm @ Bull Island Brewery “Crew Feud”

Thursday, October 29th

• 9:00am Rescues at Sea by the USCG

• 10:00am Antigua Boats Panel Q&A

• 12:00pm Antigua Boats Luncheon (prior ticket purchase required)

• 1:00pm Weather Briefing Antigua boats2:00pm (not earlier) Weather Briefing Bahamas boats

• 3:00pm Salty Gals Round Table

• 4:00pm Salty Gals Happy Hour

• 5:00pm Dock Party???

Friday, October 30th

• 9:00am Salty Pets Q&A

• 10:00am Fishing!!!

• 11:00am Safety at Sea panel discussion

• 12:00pm Hope Fleet Packing Party

Saturday, October 31st

• 10:00am Weather Briefing Antigua Boats

• 11:00am (not earlier) Weather Briefing Bahamas Boats

 There will also be arrival activities in Antigua!