Global Hitchhiking—How I Sailed Around the World Without Owning a Boat
A practical guide to crewing, community, and catching rides across oceans
I’d like to introduce you to a concept I call Global Hitchhiking.
It’s what I’ve been doing for the past three years as I sailed around the world—on other people’s boats. You could call it “crewing,” but I think Global Hitchhiking captures it better: it’s hitchhiking on boats, around the globe.
There are boats sailing across oceans all the time. A massive, mostly invisible community of sailors and cruisers exists out there—and many of them are looking for help. Help keeping watch. Help steering. Help cooking. Help staying sane on long passages.
That’s where you come in.
Why Do They Need Crew?
Every skipper is responsible for maintaining a lookout at all times. The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (IRPCS) state:
“Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision.”
Now imagine trying to do that for 4 weeks straight—say, on a sail from Panama to Tahiti—with no breaks, no rest stops, and no milkshakes served by mermaids (private joke from the owner of the boat I sailed with to Tahiti, Ted).
That’s why even solo skippers or couples often seek crew. It’s not a luxury—sometimes it’s a necessity.
And that’s where Global Hitchhiking comes in.
What Does a Global Hitchhiker Do?
A Global Hitchhiker is essentially an unpaid crew member. You trade labor for passage. You don’t need to be a professional sailor (though experience helps). You just need to be willing to work, learn, and adapt.
Tasks might include:
Standing night watch
Cooking meals
Cleaning and maintenance
Steering and trimming sails
Anchoring or mooring
Socializing and keeping morale up
The role changes depending on the boat, the skipper, and the passage. On most of the boats I joined, I was treated as full crew—we rotated through all duties, took turns cooking, and stood night watches like everyone else.
Some captains teach as they go. Others expect you to pick it up fast. Some change course just to explore an island or chase the wind. These detours often become the best part of the journey.
Do Global Hitchhikers Get Paid?
Typically, no.
In fact, most Global Hitchhikers share expenses: food, alcohol, fuel, and sometimes marina or customs fees. It’s part of the deal.
This isn’t a paid job. It’s a fair trade: you get a berth (sometimes this is just a couch in the galley) on a boat headed somewhere amazing, and the skipper gets reliable help along the way.
If you’re highly skilled, you might negotiate better terms—like skipping out on expenses—but if you’re getting paid, you’ve probably crossed into “professional crew” territory. That’s a different game.
Personally, I like the shared-expense model. It keeps expectations clear and relationships balanced. You’re not “the help.” You’re part of the crew. And you get to help pick which food you want to eat.
How to Start Global Hitchhiking
If this all sounds appealing, you’re probably wondering: how do I find a boat?
That information doesn’t happen until the 3rd article
🧳 Global Hitchhiking III—How to Find Boats and Start Crewing
In the next article, we’ll cover things like:
What experience you need to have
What skills you need to develop
What training or certs are available
And much more
Global Hitchhiking isn’t just a fantasy. It’s how I sailed 30,000 miles around the world. If you’re burned out, priced out, ready to get out of the country, or just curious about a different way to see the world—it’s absolutely possible.
You don’t need to own a boat.
You just need to be willing to crew on one.
Next Up in the Series:
🧭 Global Hitchhiking II—How to Prepare for Global Hitchhiking
🧳 Global Hitchhiking III—How to Find Boats and Start Crewing
🛟 Global Hitchhiking IV—Safety Considerations While Crewing
🚺 Global Hitchhiking V—Safety Considerations for Women Crewing
🌅 Global HitchHiking VI — Beyond the Passage
Thanks for reading. If you enjoy posts like this—where travel, truth, and story all intersect—consider subscribing and following. I write about sailing, cybersecurity, AI, and adventure, with a few detours into the absurd.
⛵🧭
Matt Ray
Living Large by Living Little
About the Author
Matt Ray is a sailor, writer, and cybersecurity tinkerer. He once circled the globe by hitchhiking on sailboats—and somehow lived to write about it.
Note, this article was originally published in Medium. It has been completely revamped for publishing here on Substack.