One should already have decided that offshore sailing is something he or she wants to master. Going on an OffshoreSail training trip as a member of a small crew to see what offshore sailing involves or if one enjoys it, is not the right motivation. Each member of a small crew must bring skills and experience to the mix. Each person is important and each person must carry their share of the work. A person should have a strong desire to learn, an open mind, and a high level of motivation and energy.
Enthusiasm is important.
Being a team player is important. I believe one should have a minimum of four weeks of comprehensive skippering experience on a 30 footer or larger, sailing for extended periods of time in challenging coastal or island locations. The experience should preferrably be as skipper, and on trips of at least 100-200 nm sailed over 7 to 10 days time. The Great Lakes, San Francisco Bay, The US East Coast, the Virgin, Leeward and Windward Islands etc. More experience than this is definitely an asset.