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There's always the option of taking the sea route between two places. People have taken advantage of the seas for as long a time as civilizations have existed. '''Boat hitching''' is propably more like working on the boat and paying for your fare that way.It is difficult to get onto harbour facilities. It is great when you know someone on the terrain.Ships and boats don't steam off every minute like cars. So be prepared and know what liner you want to get on.One could also write to shipping companies.

== Hitching a ferry =Yachts ='''Hitchhiking a ferryboat''' is easy. Simply ask drivers or truck drivers can be quite an endeavor for some but can be done if you can board put the ferry right effort in their truck, they usually only have to pay for the vehicleit. See also [[:Category:Ferries]] for different routes It generally means finding sail boats that involve ferries.It's advised to find out in advance if they charge per vehicle (good) or for each passenger as well (bad)need an extra hand on deck, and become part of their crew.

== Hitching a boat =='''Hitchhiking a boat''' can be quite an endeavor for some but can be done if you put the right effort in it. Your best chances are to become part of the crew. In the [[Caribbean]] it's not too hard to find sail boats that need an extra hand on deck. With boats, the procedure of hitching is not so much about finding someone going to your destination, but more about finding the right boat and/or captain for you. In general, a lot of captains are ready to take persons (crew members) on their boat to aid on the most mundane with watch keeping, general tasks, or just purely for company.

Perhaps the The best way of encountering a suitable ride is to visit popular marinas that outbound captains frequent. They are probably there for overnighting or , waiting for suitable weather and winds, provisioning or repairing. Or possibly they're They might be short of crew because of some force majeure (people change their plans and get seasick and so on...) This might mean - this means that they could actually ''need'' your hand on board.

Be helpful and interested in their trade. Even if you do not have any experience in sailing, be honest with the fact and state that you are eager to learn. Show respect towards their skills, their boat and the seas and the elements of nature. Learn aboput about sailing, the races, the seasons and major routes. For exampleBe willing to help for works needed before the departure, like cleaning the [[Azores|Azores islands]] off Portugal can be a good place to get on a boat as most boats stop there on the to or back from Caribbeanhull.

Then there are some websites that can be helpful for getting the right crew and boat find each other. I would recommend Crewseekers.net [http://crewseekers.net] since FindAcrew.net [http://findacrew.net] fools either you or the captain to pay exorbitant prices for the ability to communicate. Read some very useful information from the skippers' point of view [http://www.yachtmollymawk.com/2014/08/hitch-hiking-across-the-atlantic-pt2/ here]. Don't let it get you pessimistic though: boat hitchhiking might take some effort and a long time, but it's definitely doable and amazing!  For more info see [[User:Paxus|Paxus]] his [[hitchhiking a sailboat|experiences]] hitching [[Hitchhiking a sailboat|Sailboats]] in 1989/90. == Hitching a Barge ==Some inland routes are navigable. Big rivers, canals... Barges and private boat cruise them. Barges are very long and flat boats that can carry thousands of tons of goods, slowly along the river. If you're not in a hurry they are easy to hitch. Barges wonIt't stop if you wave at them from the bank. The best place to get to them is s generally a "lock", where they have to stop to be adjusted to the level of the riverwin-canal. But they usually have a restricted access. Apparently they do not operate at night win situation for captains (10pm-6amneeding crew). If you go to the main gate, there should be a button and hitchhikers (needing to call the operator (only one person is usually operatingtravel). From my experience in [[Germany]]For hitchhikers though, they are very hitch-hiker friendly. If it allows you explain to them what you're up to over have all the intercomexcitement of sailing, they let you in or even ask the boats for you over without all the radio. Traffic is low but the boat drivers are usually open to travellers. And during the time needed for the ''lock'' to operate, it is easy to talk to them from the bank. The cruising speed pains of owning a riverboat is circa 13 km/h. But counting the time spend in the locks, it can go down to 6 km/h. But as they stop only at night, it is still faster than walking. Plus, given the size of the vehicle, it is very comfortable. And depending on what river you're cruising, it can also be very beautifulboat.

== Hitching Yachts == Apart from making your way round the '''Caribbean''' or '''Polynesia''' by offering a hand onboard yachts which seems to be common and easy, the most common route is the '''Atlantic crossing''' from Europe to the Americas (mostly to the Caribbean or Brazil). =Prerequisites=Prerequisites==

*'''Some money''': These days most many yachts will ask you to chip in for your food. Most Many boats ask either 10 or €15 on food per day. The Atlantic crossing takes between 15 to 25days, depending on boat and winds, so you'll need around 150 to €300 for the crossing alone -count on at least a week in the marina till you find your lift, too. It is possible to get an entirely free lift food included, mostly on bigger yachts where you'l ll be needed to scrub the deck and polish the silver railing. During the ARC regatta you can even expect boats ask as much as €50 per day since inscription fees are pretty high.

{{infobox|===Online=== There a several online marine crew websites available that specialise in matching crew with boats. Find a Crew [http://findacrew.net] is the largest. Other options are Crewseekers.net [Freighter travel|Hitching Cargo-shipshttp://crewseekers.net]and Floatplan.com, or Vogue avec moi [http://www.vogavecmoi.com]|There are stories floating around of people who always know someone else who managed to go for free on a freighter, but the only reliable stories really date back to the seventiesand Bourse aux Equipiers [http://www. Cargoship travelling is commercialized now virtually everywherebourse-aux-equipiers. For something like 50 pounds per day you can rent a cabin on themcom], in french.}}

*==Atlantic Crossing==Apart from making your way round the '''Caribbean''' or '''OnlinePolynesia''': There by offering a several online marine crew websites available that specialise in matching crew with boats. findacrew.net is a worldwide network of mariners hand onboard yachts which seems to be common and easy, the most common route is the largest of them all. Other options are Floatplan.com, an online sailing community which is free '''Atlantic crossing''' from Europe to the Americas (mostly to join, and bourse-aux-equipiers.com, a french website for finding a crew / boatthe Caribbean or Brazil).

=Atlantic Crossing==East-West from Europe===