Christopher Columbus needed to convince the Queen of Spain to sail across the Atlantic. Nowadays, we have the internet: one of the three methods to find a boat. Here are 7 sailing crew websites that help you get started to find a boat for an Atlantic Sailing Adventure!
1. Ocean Nomads
Ocean Nomads started as a little Facebook group to get in touch with readers of Ocean Nomad , provide support, and to communicate sailing opportunities from the network. Spontaneous organized sailing adventures came next. And over the years a beautiful ocean-minded global family of nomads, vessels, and impact projects has turned into the Ocean Nomads community.
Impact-driven ocean adventurers are welcome to become members. While Ocean Nomads is not a sailing crew website, more and more epic ocean adventure opportunities are communicated within the membership portal. And more and more vessels are joining who join Ocean Nomads to connect with the likeminded eco adventure-minded crew member.
Have a look at the latest upcoming events, including fleets from the mainland to Canaries, and an Atlantic Crossing. Investment: 5,50 euro/month. Join here. As of September 2022, we’re +300 members of which 70 have a vessel and often welcome crew on board.
There are currently 5 Atlantic ocean sailing opportunities in the network. Some already networking for 2023. In 2022/2023 we will sail across the Atlantic. Priority application for Ocean Nomads members! Keep an eye on the event section here or subscribe to the ON newsletter.
Photo: Ocean Nomads gathering Galicia Summer 2021. Join the Tribe www.oceannomads.co.
2. OceanCrewLink
Ocean Crew Link works as an introduction service to potential crew and boats looking to do any offshore passage: a boat sailing between two places at a particular time. On average, 10 to 15 new ocean sailing opportunities are posted to the site each week. Around 100+ active sailing crew opportunities are up at one time, and almost 10,000 users receive the weekly mailing with new opportunities.
Investment: The subscription fee is US$10 for three months access.
3. Findacrew.net
The platform offers a wide selection of sailing crew opportunities around the world. Right now (February 2018), you can find around 900 boats to jump on.
Creating an extensive crew profile will allow you to search opportunities, express interest “waves” to boat owners and to receive messages from premium users. Also, as a premium user you can of everything said above plus directly message crew candidates and boat owners.
Find a Crew has a full-time support team, providing service, and monitoring any dodgy activity. All profiles and profile updates are manually approved.
Investment: You can upgrade to premium membership at any time for a period of 30, 60, 90 or 365 days. 30-day premium membership costs €49 /month and 365 premium costs €277/year.
4. Crewbay
Crewbay is an online crewing platform designed to connect newbie, amateur, and professional sailing crew with captains and boat owners from all over the world, and vice versa. The platform has more than 150 boats registered every month. Crewbay just redesigned their website. You can still access for free, yet it provides extras for paid members.
Investment: Premium (£7/month) enables unlimited check-ins which put you top, allows unlimited messages, contact numbers, and URLs (FB page, website, etc.), a more prominent advert with more content, unlimited photos and more!
5. SailOPO
Sail OPO (Sail Offshore Passage Opportunities) is a sailing crew network that seeks, gathers, and creates quality offshore passage opportunities for its members. Details of passage opportunities will be e-mailed to potential crew candidates as they come up, and OPO staff approves them.
SailOPO is predominantly USA based, and also occasionally organizes rallies, for example from USA mainland to Bermuda. Investment: US$199 for an initial yearly membership while renewal comes at a discounted rate of US$135.
6. Crewseekers
6. CrewseekersCrewseekers is a global introductory service bringing sailboat captains and sailing crew together. Both amateur and professional sailing crew opportunities from all around the world are available on the platform. The website includes crew positions with private boats, delivery companies, sail training organizations, charter companies, sailing charities, and races. You must become a member to be able to contact captains.
Investment: Become a member for six months (£75), 12 months (£99), or 18 months (£135).
7. Yotspot
Yotspot is a large yachting hub that mostly focuses on paid sailing crew opportunities. Captains, as well as Crew agencies, are allowed to post to the website. With a database of over 6,000 courses, Yotspot also serves as an information portal on training and certifications in sailing.
Investment: As sailing crew, you can create a free account and contact opportunities of interest. It is quite a time investment to build a completed profile.
What else to bear mind about Sailing Crew Websites?
I have squished the basic info of these seven sailing crew websites to get you started. There is no ‘best’ sailing crew website. Each one has their unique edge and differs in other aspects. Choose your favourite(s) and sign up!
Find a complete list (including sailing crew websites in other languages and countries, facebook groups and other forums), the full sailing crew websites reviews, comparison, and explanation of the above websites, and more tips, tricks, words of caution, and places online and offline to find a boat to sail across the Atlantic in book Ocean Nomad: the Complete Atlantic Sailing Crew Guide, and in the resources section of the Ocean Nomads community membership platform.
Above all, be aware that finding a boat is one thing but finding the RIGHT boat requires careful research, investigation and preparation and is what makes all the difference for a happy, safe and meaningful sailboat ride across the Atlantic.
Super Important! ALWAYS do your research to assess if the boat, captain, and crew are safe, reliable and a happy match. I created a mega extensive Safety & Happiness checklist that can help you figure this out in Ocean Nomad. Don’t let your eagerness to set sail overrule your investigative spirit, gut feeling and judgement.
Make it happen!
Ahoy salty sailors and adventure travellers!
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As always, opinions are my own. No Sailing crew websites sponsor me to write any of the above. This blog is based on my own findings and research.
