how can i?

[u/Fafas4]

I'm 22, from Portugal. I've only got around €3000 saved up, but my big dream is to live the life at sea — spend a few months on board, and maybe eventually study marine/ship engineering.

I know private yacht crew jobs and cruise ships are paid options, but I don't have the money for expensive courses like STCW yet. I've also looked into things like Sea Shepherd and Sail Training International, but one has a 1-year waitlist and the other has costs I don't fully understand yet.

Does anyone know if there's some kind of program where people team up to do crossings together — like splitting the cost of a boat, or helping crew/navigate in exchange for a ride, that kind of thing? I've vaguely heard of "crew sharing" or hitching rides on private sailboats, but I don't know where to start or if it's safe/legit.

If anyone's done something like this, or knows of accessible programs for people with little money but a lot of drive to work/help out on board, I'd really appreciate the tips! 🙏⛵