Sharing is caring and sharing is sailing!
The idea of sharing may seem to have been forgotten nowadays, but this is untrue. Don’t we share our apartment or one bedroom when we use AirBnb? Don’t we share cars when we carpool to work every morning?
Coboating is a similar concept: it works for both skippers and crew because they need each other. Crew members need to find boats and boat owners need a crew. Boat sharing is the answer to turning difficulty connecting into great socializing and boating experiences. It’s as simple as that!
How can our two sailors go sailing together?
Stephanie does not want to sail with strangers, she needs to make sure it is safe, and she needs to meet the skipper first. John wants to make sure the crew will be able to sail independently while he does something else, and that crew members know a few things on board like hosting the main. He is willing to take on beginners if there is at least one other experienced crew on board.
What are the Crew and boat owners challenges ?
1- How and where can they even begin to connect?
2- How do they find out about each other’s needs, expectations, plans and availability?
3- How can they quickly and easily share their sailing resume, skills and experience?
4- What guarantee do they have that their communication is safe and their private data secure?
5- How can Stephanie learn more about John’s boat? How can John find out more about Stephanie’s experience and availability?
6- Lastly, what guarantee do they have that the other person is trustworthy and reliable?
A list of crew finder websites
Stephanie and John and unlikely to meet because they do not live close to each other, and do not have friends in common to introduce them. Like most people, they might go online and try to look for a solution.
As mentioned earlier, social media such as Facebook groups have failed to help them go sailing because of their lack of privacy, inefficiency and unreliability. Like many things, modern technology and the internet have made many things easier. But sometimes, the offer can just be overwhelming. Let’s see which websites sailors can turn to.
Both John and Stephanie found several options and websites that might work for them. John, who is a very meticulous and organized man, decided to list and compare them all.
Here is his list of crew connection websites:
– Coboaters.com
– Crewbay.com
– Gosailing (app only)
– Offshore Sailing Opportunity
– Railmeets
– Findacrew.net
How do all these websites compare? Where are they located, and where do they operate?
All of them seem to be pretty good at first, but as a boat owner, John wants to make sure he chooses the right website for him at the best value. Most of them require a subscription fee to access to the boat and crew listings.
His first concern was to find a North American site, or a site with US members and opportunities.
What are the most important criteria for Crew finder websites?
John continues his comparison and decides to list the most important criteria. He wants to make sure he will be able to find the right crew at the right time and for the best possible cost, so he can go sailing with other people in the best possible conditions.
He is taking the following features into account:
Does the website allow crew members and skippers to post a detailed profile, including boating experience?
Can boats be described in detail?
Is there a free and reliable ID check?
Is there a boating resume template to fill up for quick and efficient crew screening?
Can you post crew requests with enough details and requirements?
Can crew members post their own boat search, detailing dates when they’re available, port of departure and destination preferences?
Are there reviews and testimonials?
How is customer service and site moderation? Do they provide proper assistance?
Does the website offer membership gifts and benefits?
Are there promo codes and special offers?
Crew finder websites Comparison table
How much do Crew Finder websites cost?
John also drew up a cost comparison table, asking:
Can you create a profile for free?
Can you contact or be contacted by other members without becoming a paying member?
What plans are available? (Monthly, Weekly, Yearly)
Camparison table: which site is the most cost effective
Based on this analysis and thanks to his business background, John draws a graph to compare all websites.
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Graphic comparison of crew finder websites in North America
Is there something else than crew finder websites?
Meanwhile, sailor and crew member Stephanie did her own research. She found the same websites as John but also realized that there are some local crew finder sites dedicated to certain areas or sailing niches. Some of them are hosted by boating and sailing magazines.
Here is her list and a few notes:
– Spinsheet Crew Finder page: Spinsheet is dedicated to Chesapeake Bay. There is almost no privacy as members email addresses are shared with all viewers. Bost requests are quite basic and there is no sailing resume.
– PointsEast is a sailing magazine for the US Northeast. There is one page for crew finder with a few opportunities listed. Contact data is not protected, privacy is limited.
– Windcheck is another sailing magazine with a lot of useful information and articles. It also has a page for crew finder but like the other magazines, services are basic.
– Lattitude 38 is based in California and offer similar crew finding pages for the West Coast.
Stephanie concluded that she could use those crew finder sites only if she sails in the areas they cover, which really disappointed her. She also doesn’t like the lack of privacy and the fact that her email will be visible to every website visitor. The good news is that all of them are free!
We don’t know if John and Stephanie have sailed together yet, but we do know that boat sharing is the solution for both their problems. Coboating the best way for them to get on the water for an amazing sailing experience.
Recommendations and reviews:
Coboaters
Probably the best of all-rounder with many features, including boat profiles, sailor profiles and posting detailed notices with availability for crew and for skippers. They provide opportunities all over the USA, Canada and the Caribbean and it also provides a useful crew management tool. Website design makes navigating from one page to the other quick and efficient. The members’ forum is also very exciting! Membership cost is also very reasonable compared to others and offers the best value by far.
GoSailing
Good app if you want to join a club or an ASA certified organization. You may also find non-sailor profiles but not as easily. The lack of relevant and detailed information will be very time-consuming trying to connect to the right skipper or crew. Most opportunities are posted by sailing clubs and organizations affiliated with American Sailing Association.
OPO
Good if you want to find offshore opportunities only, most of them on the East Coast between the US and the Caribbean. Price is also higher than others. Do not count on this website to vest opportunities and boats, and be prepared to spend time checking emails and forwarding you sailing resume to skippers. If you are a skipper, you will probably receive way more resumes and requests than you need.
Railmeets
Very good if you only want to race. Most of the members are located in the Great lakes region. It is free and pretty easy to use but some basic functionalities are missing.
Crewbay
Pleasant design and features allow to easily navigate from one page to another. Most opportunities are outside North America and it can get expensive if you want to keep your profile active for a long time. Professional access (not tested by our team) seems to be very popular. Recommended if you want to sail in Europe or if you are a pro.
Crewseekers
This site is also pretty good but does not focus on North America. Very few opportunities outside Europe. A lot of opportunities are paying trips posted by the website partners.
Findacrew
Dated web design, but probably the largest boating network worldwide. Browsing member profiles is not easy and boat descriptions aren’t very detailed. It is the most expensive site and you pay in Australian dollars so the amount varies with the exchange rate, which can lead to bad surprises if the rate is not in the favor of the US or Canadian dollar.
