Refit team

Core team volunteer positions available

Not working over the winter? Having a gap year? Looking for experience working on boat maintenance?

As well as the usual volunteers who come to help with John Laing's refit for a weekend or a few days at a time, we always need at least a couple of long-term volunteers to join the core refit team: perhaps to do the whole refit from November to March - or at least to do a period of a few weeks or months rather than the odd day here and there that most volunteers can manage.

We are looking for people to work between 3 November 2008 and 19 March 2009, an opportunity which might be worth considering in advance if you are between jobs or on a gap year or a career break. It could be ideal for someone considering a career in the marine industry, but is also suitable for anyone who likes the idea of contributing a few weeks' work to a good charitable cause.

We have already appointed a number of core team volunteers to work from the start of the refit, but we are happy to accept enquiries from people who could join later on if we need extra help.

Volunteers will receive food and accommodation, as well as experience in boat repairs and maintenance. See here for some details of work to be completed in the 2008-9 refit.

Ideally volunteers will be aged 18+ although we may consider applications from 17-year olds. No upper age limit.

Practical skills in any aspect of boat maintenance will be an advantage but not essential. What is vital is that core team volunteers should be hard-working, responsible and enthusiastic. The team will all be living together in a rented refit house and it is vital that volunteers are also prepared to take responsibility for a share of cooking and cleaning in the house.

Long-term core-team volunteers are a vital part of the refit effort as they provide continuity against the background of short-term volunteers coming and going. They have time to become familiar with a variety of refit tasks, becoming capable and competent enough to work with minimal supervision, allowing the professional staff to get on with other work.

Core refit volunteers often go on to become bosuns or watch leaders during the sailing season. If they were already members of sea staff, their refit experience can help them make progress and move on to more senior roles. Some past core team volunteers have moved on to paid work in the sailing industry at first mate or skipper level, where an understanding of maintenance issues is vital. Previous core team volunteers who have used our refit as a stepping stone to work in sailing have included Craig "Princess" Dickerson, who went on to do several seasons with us as staff bosun; Kerry "Special K" McMillan, now working full-time as a first mate with a variety organisations including OYT South, and has also done some skippering with Trinity Sailing; Kathryn "Gizmo" Francis did a season as mate of Blue Box, one of the fastest boats in the Solent; Julian "Dinghy Boy" Watkins also went on to become our staff bosun for a year and has also worked for Blue Box and Clipper; and Phoebe (also not her real name), who spent a summer working for Sail Caribbean, including skippering a 55-foot yacht, and is now working full-time in sail training, including some work with Trinity. Paul Barber has a job in an outdoor activities centre in the Lake District; and Max Parsonson has joined the Royal Navy.

Anyone interested in joining the core team for 2008-9 should email us for more information.

Refit background information
2008-9 refit plan (pdf)