Job Vacancy - Bessie Ellen Deckhand 2010-2011

Voluntary Deckhands on Tall Ship Bessie Ellen - UPDATE

Bessie Ellen recruits a mix of volunteer deckhands, skilled paid deckhands and short placements where suitable candidates pay a weekly training fee to gain experience on board as a deckhand  (usually one month minimum). One of the current employed deckhands on a salary Pavel came via this route.

Canaries - Azores Winter Season 2011-2012 - Deckhand training placements available -  link to current vacancy details

European Summer Season 2012 - not recruiting full time deckhands yet -link to Canaries training placements this winter to get your face known and try out the vessel.

Seasonal Deckhand - Details for information only

Not currently recruiting full time deckhands  - see above for short term placements/ job trials.

For this post we would look for for someone who already has traditional boat experience and is strongly interested in a marine career. They also need good people skills and would enjoy working with 'hands-on' charter crew.

 If you are only available for a shorter period then please look at our short placement deckhand opportunities which are in one month blocks but require a training / reduced voyage fee.

Working on a traditional boat in the sun

You will be employed on a voluntary basis with no wages, but with all food, training and accommodation provided on board, plus winter sunshine in the Canaries.

This is a unique opportunity to work on one of the last remaining West Country trading ships that once plied cargoes around Europe. Bessie Ellen is a working girl - earning her living through adventure charter - and she recieves no subsidies or grants to maintain this 106 year old sailing ship on the UK Core Historic Ships Register. You will be helping to maintain this authentically rigged ship to the high standards required for a wooden ship to carry a certificate for world wide commercial charter under the UK Marine Coastguard Agency / Department of Transport. We need deckhands with good social skills that can intergrate well with the guests and contibute to a  happy, well run ship that  creates memorable 'hands on' sailing holidays

The Vessel - S/V Bessie Ellen

Built: Plymouth 1904

GRT 87 ton

Rig: gaff ketch with 8 sails

Length Overall: 35.5m

Length on deck: 25.6m

Crew: Skipper, Mate/Cook, 2 deckhands

 2 trainees (short term deckhands) & upto 12 guest crew

Lively to sail & graceful lines.....

With two masts and lofty topmasts increasing her height further, Bessie Ellen has a lot of sail to play with, and it takes team work to hoist the heavy main and mizzen gaff sails. In light winds or racing she can carry topsails on both masts, and forward there are 4 headsails to tack:- Staysail, inner and out jib and jib topsail, so if you like the idea of being out on the bowsprit with the ships bow wave beneath you, then there are plenty of sails to stow out there. Bessie Ellen has fine underwater lines and is fairly shallow draught so she is surprisingly responsive under sail. The ship has an ocean rated stability rating, carries all new modern safety and navigation equipment, and is currently certified for world wide commercial charter under the UK Marine Coastguard Agency / Department of Transport.

Job Description

Bessie Ellen carries a small professional crew, so you will be supervised and trained by the skipper or the mate so the opportunities to learn a wide range of skills is greater than on a larger ship. The charter guests come to pull ropes, steer the ship and learn about traditional sailing too, so you are helping them sail the ship rather than taking them for a sail. When the going gets tough or rough, the skipper needs reliable deckhands to handle sails / stand watches / prepare anchors and mooring warps/ sort out any problems aloft or out on the bowsprit. There are no mechanical winches so you need a strong back and a level of phyical toughness.

A large part of the job is also domestic. You will be up earlier than the guests. Deckhands will be responsible for cleaning the ship on deck and below, setting out meals, assisting with food preparation and clearing away. The mate is also the cook and the owner of the vessel, so you can see that in this industry that being a jack of all trades is essential. Being a cook on a ship is a very good route into paid employment on ships and Bessie Ellen has a reputation for producing good quality meals.

You may need to stand anchor or harbour watches at night, run boats ashore in anchorages - all of which would be good experience to log in your MCA Training Record Book - if you plan to work towards Yacht rating - deck officer of the watch - chief mate - master qualification route for super yachts / sail training or the Merchant Navy.

This post offers excellent opportunties to learn about maintaining a traditionally rigged ship and also  modern safety equipment and engines. One day you might be seizing rigging aloft or repairing a sail; another day you might be doing fire extinguisher checks.

If you have a strong interest in marine wildlife then an additional role could be to help develop the dolphin and whale watching aspect of the voyages, and educate the guests about the importance of the Canaries and Azores for marine wildlife.

There are some great mountain walking opportunties in Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Heirro, so the whole crew is likely to be involved in pioneering some treks for the guest crew.

The crew quarters in the focastle is seperate from the guest accommodation in the main saloon. Deckhands share a communal space with 4 bunks.

Person Specification

Ideally aged 18+

For the full season post you must have some sailing experience on vessels that are traditionallly rigged.

No sailing qualifications required but the more practical experience you have the better. You definately need to know that you like living aboard a sailing vessel (e.g. not prone to seasickness)

Physically fit and agile (good eyesight -not colour blind)

Hard working, responsible and enthusiastic about traditional boats

Prepared to live in communal crew quarters.

Practical skills in boat maintenence, woodwork, painting, engineering, electrics or similar crafts, small boat skills, RYA powerboat operator certificate - all useful. cooking or catering skills.

Spanish language,or any marine wildlife knowledge also a bonus.

How to Apply

Bessie Ellen is currently based in the Canaries.Recruitment for full time post will be by owner /mate Nikki Alford.

Apply by e mail stating which post you are interested in  / availability and with a short CV explaining  why you want the deckhand vacancy to:

skippers@classic-sailing.co.uk

Please title the e mail SEASONAL DECKHAND APPLICATION & your name

Please include the earliest date you would be available to start.

If not initially selected for the full season post, would you be interested in a Short placement deckhand post for either the 2 voyages down to the Canaries, or a month out in the Canaries or Azores ?

Please note there is a weekly voyage fee for these two extra training berths - as they are above the required manning levels for Bessie Ellen and provide an interesting GAP year placement or taster for anyone considering a new career in the sailing / marine industry.

More on Short Placement - Deckhand training berths