by Chad Baybayan

"I Am A Part Of Something Great"
-Young Hawaiian on his first long voyage in 1980.

Crew members can be taught sailing skills, but a large part of the success of sailing a vessel has to do with the attitude of the crew. Unless crew members have a positive attitude and a desire to learning, share, and work together, the experience of sailing can be intolerable for both themselves and the rest of the crew. A good attitude is contagious. Do your best to infect everyone else. So what is expected of me as a crew member?

1. Take crew training seriously; complete steps and levels in the training program.

2. Respect authority. Follow the directions and commands of your captain, navigator, watch captains.

3. As a crew member, you become a part of a family—“ʻOhana Waʻa,” the Canoe Family. The canoe is your home at sea. Treat your fellow crew members with respect and cordiality. Be considerate. Living on the canoe can be tight quartered at times. Remember the space you take up on the canoe is shared with the rest of the crew. If you treat each other like brothers and sisters, your fellow crew members will truly become your family for life.

4. Understand that you are valuable. No matter how new you are to the project or what level of seamanship you presently are at, your contribution is important or you wouldn’t be aboard! Whatever role you play, do your best.

5. Canoes are co-ed. Be considerate and respect the privacy of others.

6. Senior crew members have a responsibility to make new crew members feel welcome. Remember they’re the new kids on the block looking for friendship. Make them feel a part of the family.

7. Make things right with your family before you leave. You still have to come home at the end of the sail.

8. Take care of the canoe at all times. The voyage does not end when the canoe touches land and you get off. Your responsibilities include insuring that the canoe is securely docked, anchored, or moored; and that all equipment is cleaned and stored properly on board or on land. When the call goes out for volunteers to help maintain the canoe, please kokua; remember that you once sailed.

Crew Behavior on Shore

1. While we travel with the canoe, we are representatives of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the great tradition of Hawaiian and Polynesian voyaging it represents. Whether we like it or not, both at sea and on land, we are in the public eye. Be sure your actions are worthy of the respect that PVS crew members have built up through years of achievement and positive contributions to the communities we come from as well as those we visit.

2. Be sensitive to the communities you visit as a crew member. If the voyage takes us to other nations, respect their cultures as you would your own. Learn as much as you can and about them and share your knowledge with them. Cultural exchange is important. Tours of the canoe for local residents are encouraged.

3. Be sensitive to customs of the people we visit. Remember, we are guests. If you are not sure about protocol, then ask. Examples: No work on Sundays in some countries; walking around in public without a shirt may be considered offensive, etc.

4. Crew members may be required by PVS to attend ceremonies and events hosted by the communities we visit.

5. Crew members are on CALL in the event of weather changes affecting the safety of the canoe. The captain will assign, if needed, individuals to stand watch on the canoe while it is in port.

6. Crew members are responsible for their own personal gear. Please do not depend on others.

7. Assist each other to maintain clean, healthy living quarters.

8. Individuals residing in private homes must leave an address and phone number with the captain; report to captain daily for further orders relating to the canoe or work details.

9. The goal of the PVS is to contribute something positive to every community, island, and nation it visits. Please do your part.