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Staffing Question

Discussion in 'Yacht Crews' started by Daveholman, Nov 6, 2023.

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  1. Daveholman, Nov 6, 2023
    #1
    Daveholman

    Daveholman New Member

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    Nov 6, 2023
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    Location:
    New Mexico
    I'm in the early stages of buying a yacht to live aboard with my family. That consists of my elderly mother and disabled brother. Beyond finding an accessible boat is how to crew up. They both require personal care, i.e. assistance bathing, toileting, etc.
    My question is: should I try to find, like, a nurse/stew who can do all that, or just hire CNAs as I do now, to "live in" and have them as personal (not ship) staff?
    A nurse/stew would be available for other normal duties the rest of the day (it's about 4 hours/day, total for both).
    A live in CNA probably couldn't stand watches or whatnot.
    Thoughts? Experience?
  2. d_meister, Nov 6, 2023
    #2
    d_meister

    d_meister Senior Member

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    Location:
    La Conner, WA.
    I ran a yacht for a wonderful couple with the wife suffering from ALS, so have some experience to draw upon. The yacht itself was equipped with chairlifts to access all three main levels, to give an idea what the extent of the needs were for the amazing woman. We also carried an all terrain type mobility device that we hoisted on and off the yacht for her shore visits.
    I would strongly advocate for a dedicated caregiver. You mention that a CNA wouldn't likely keep a watch, but look at the reverse scenario. What if a watchkeeper could not attend to your family because of the immediate demands of ship handling responsibilities? Rough weather increases the demands on crew and caregivers dissimilarly. Both crew positions and caregivers are 24 hour responsibilities. In stressful situations, there must be a reliable comforting presence for your family.
    There would be many variables such as number of crew, size of yacht, and the travel plans. Do you and your family intend to travel and explore with the yacht? Will you need to be away from the yacht and family at times? If the family travels away from the yacht, a CNA/Crew could leave the yacht short-handed if traveling with your family.
    With the right crew, the caregiver could be relieved from time to time. 24/7 is a much used term, but it becomes real on a yacht at sea.
    Daveholman and leeky like this.
  3. Daveholman, Nov 6, 2023
    #3
    Daveholman

    Daveholman New Member

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    Thanks. That actually does clarify some things for me. I will always travel with them. I'm the primary caregiver at the moment, with about 4 hours/day of outside help. And, yes, we'd mostly be in one place, but I'd like the option to run to Puerto Rico or New York for a month, or take a 3 month to the West Coast if the mood strikes.
    I'm already being forced to buy more yacht than I need. lol. To get accessibility, 100ft seems to be minimum. I did see one nice 81' Hargrave. Next question...a dedicated cargegiver would sleep in a guest cabin, right? Freeing up a crew berth for another stew or deckie?
  4. Bev Richard, Nov 9, 2023
    #4
    Bev Richard

    Bev Richard New Member

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    Halifax Nova Scotia
    I would suggest that the caregiver be given the cabin adjacent to the family member who required the most care...