Crew management has gotten complicated with all the online platforms and advice flying around. As someone who has both found great crew and made some terrible choices, I learned everything there is to know about adding hands to a cruising boat. Today, I will share it all with you.
Where to Find Crew
Cruiser networks, yacht clubs, and online crew-finding services connect boat owners with potential crew. Crewbay, Find a Crew, and sailing-specific Facebook groups host active communities of people looking for passage. Rally organizations often facilitate crew matching for specific routes.
That’s what makes word of mouth endearing to us long-term cruisers—it remains the gold standard. Crew who arrive recommended by cruisers you trust have already been vetted in ways no online profile can match. The cruising community shares information about both excellent crew and those to avoid, if you know who to ask.
The Interview Process
Probably should have led with this section, honestly. Meet prospective crew in person before committing to anything. A day sail or weekend trip reveals more than hours of conversation ever could. Watch how they handle boat work, respond to challenges, and interact in close quarters where there’s no escape from each other.
Discuss expectations explicitly: watch schedules, food preferences, alcohol policies, smoking, communication styles. Misaligned expectations create conflict that ruins passages faster than bad weather. Better to discover incompatibility before departure than 500 miles offshore with two weeks of passage ahead.
Legal and Financial Arrangements
Written agreements protect both parties, even when it feels awkward to draft paperwork. Define the arrangement clearly: paid crew, expense-sharing, or free passage for work. Specify passage duration, destination flexibility, and what happens if plans change—because plans always change.
Verify crew have proper documentation for intended destinations before they step aboard. Immigration violations create serious problems that land on the captain’s shoulders. Crew may need visas, proof of onward travel, or other documentation depending on itinerary.
When It’s Not Working
Sometimes crew situations fail despite careful selection. Safety concerns warrant immediate action—don’t second-guess your instincts on this one. Personality conflicts may be manageable until the next convenient port. Don’t let uncomfortable situations become dangerous ones by hoping things will improve.
Have a plan for parting ways that doesn’t leave anyone stranded. Provide transportation to an airport or bus station. Remaining professional even during difficult separations maintains your reputation in the small cruising community, where word travels fast about captains who treat crew poorly.
