7 good reasons why sailboat owners look for crew :

1. Sailboat owners want to sail more often when their friends and family are unavailable

2. They need to deliver their boat and require crew for an offshore passage or a longer cruise

3. They like racing and look for crew for their regattas programs or seasons

4. They need help for night watch or for a specific task on board

5. They want to find more friends and fellow boaters to share their passion

6. They live on board and want to share adventures and good time

7. They want to find companion for their liveaboard retirement.

There are many other reasons and each skippers has his own good ones to look for crew.

One of the best way to understand why boat owners look for crew is to ask one of them. Today, we share a very interesting discussion with Francois-Pierre, a happy owner of a Catamaran Nautitech Open 40. He explains why a crew finder website is good for him and why he likes the concept of sharing time with others on board.

For more about this topic, check those very interesting articles:

• How does a crew finder website work?
• How to introduce yourself to other sailors
• How to create a successful crew skipper relationship?

An experience sailboat owner explains why he always looks for crew

Let us talk to sailboat owner and find out why he needs crew for his adventures.

Hello Francois-Pierre, since you bought your Nautitech Open 40, you’ve been sailing 4 to 5 months a year. Is coboating an integral part of your sailing program?

Yes it is, my boat is pretty big, and she is difficult to handle alone especially for Atlantic crossing of longer offshore passage so I need crew on board. I use Coboaters, a crew finder website to recruit crew and to meet new sailors. I have been using the site for sometimes now and I like it because it is very intuitive and easy to use.

• Have you tried other websites to meet crew or fellow boaters?

No, I haven’t tried other sites for the simple reason that I always found available crew on Coboaters.

• So you were saying that this boat is quite big and wide. What kind of crew do you need?

I need at least one crew member who can jump onto docks with a mooring line when we arrive in port. The crew needs to be able to tie a knot. As long as it holds, I am happy! It’s very quick to learn how to tie a cleat knot or a bowline knot and I can teach them the proper way.

Are beginners able to sail with experienced sailors?

Yes, absolutely! I like to have experienced crew member, but I don’t turn beginners away and it has always worked out very well. Generally, most crew members who register on Coboaters have some kind of sailing experience and they are very motivated. The willingness to learn and to participate is very important. I like sailors and mariners who are very proactive.

• Have you ever recruited someone without any sailing experience?

Yes and no, all the crew members who came on my boat have always had a little experience and an idea of how things work on a sailboat. I always ask if they are seasick or not so we can be prepared. It’s important that the crew members know what to expect.

• Do the crew members help you on board your catamaran?

Absolutely, I want them to participate as much as possible, even if I do some delicate things like those in port. I ask them to take part in all sails trimming and setting. Everyone is involved in the kitchen and basic boat maintenance like cleaning. Everyone participates in everything. It’s important and I explain it to the crew beforehand.

• Has it ever happened that someone didn’t want to get involve?

Yes, It already happened that I have made one or two remarks to encourage people to participate: I am not alone on the boat, everyone eats and lives on the boat and consequently everyone must participate. It’s like being at home, we take care of the boat as we would take care of our own house.

• Did you have issues between crewmembers on board your catamaran?

It always went well. I never had a crew that someone else did not get along with.

• Do you think that it always goes well because of your personality, because the boat is nice and because you sail in a very pleasant part of the world?

Yes, I think everything is important. Most crew members work very hard all year. They need breaks and vacations. They want to rest, enjoy the sea. People are always a bit stressed when they arrive on board but they adapt pretty quickly and the stress disappears within a few hours. We often share good time right away like coffee, drinks and a good meal before setting sails.

• There is a permanent turnover on your sailboat? Is it a big deal for you?

Yes indeed, I try to solve this problem by splitting my cruises from weekend to weekend. Every Saturday, I communicate with my crew as best as I can. I Tell everyone that I will be at such and such a place and the following Saturday at another place. It’s up to the crew members who want to come, to come to where the boat is. I set the meeting places, and then it’s up to the crew to be there on time.