Before launching Seilii, we conducted extensive research on the types of sailing trip listings, posts, and other adverts made by boat owners. There seem to be different categories in this space: some boat owners simply say, "I’m leaving soon from city X, I have a boat X, anyone out there to join?" while others provide extensive information. It was also noticeable that posts with the most details attracted significant attention from potential crew, and for a good reason.

From the crew's perspective, they want to know the basics. Although this sounds simple, it's rare to find a post or listing that includes all the essential details. By basics, we mean the skipper's profile, which should cover their experience and persona (for more on this, see the previous articles ‘How to make a good sailing profile’). Additionally, the basic trip information should include: where from, roughly where to and when, how long, costs, who’s coming, and what the boat is like. Posts lacking this information often don’t attract much interest, or the comment section gets filled with questions asking for these details. Addressing these basics upfront can save everyone’s time.

It's also completely fine if all sailing plans are not finalised at the time of publishing an ad. What's important is to communicate how these plans will be formed and what might impact them. For example, if the plan is to start sailing from Alicante, Spain towards the north, it's okay to state this. However, it's helpful to add that the plan depends on the winds and crew’s interests, and that stops may occur in certain locations when decided together, and the max time spent on the trip is x number of days. This allows the crew to manage their post-trip travel plans.

I heard from many skippers that their posts attract lots of interest, likes, and comments, but nothing happens after that. It’s easy to engage on social media without any further thought. However, many people ask for basic details about the skipper, the boat, and the trip itself. This leads to a lot of back and forth before even discussing participation or moving to a call. Having a good trip advert with relevant photos also builds trust; it’s a sign of good communication.

Additionally, if a skipper wants to attract experienced crew, they need to consider that these individuals are usually a bit older and have other responsibilities such as work or studies. Arranging time for sailing based on a few details is challenging. Crew members need time to arrange time off work or manage their schedules around their university courses. While some sailors are retired, on sabbatical, between jobs, or wealthy enough to have no everyday time constraints, many need more notice to find and arrange a trip. Allowing crew ample time to find and arrange a trip is beneficial depending on the type of crew the skipper is looking for. Usually, the basics for the crew regarding timings are the start date and the estimated length. Of course, the start date can change, so it’s good to communicate plans regarding this, e.g., ‘I’m waiting for a good weather window around date X.’

Money. This is often a sensitive matter on many social media crew-finding sites. Not on Seilii. We understand that recreational sailing is not free and that costs have increased exponentially in recent years. Fuel, food, and many marina services are more expensive. Costs are also information that crew want to know in advance to allow them to budget accordingly. Therefore, disclosing costs in the trip advert is encouraged.

Seilii’s listing tool is built with crew’s needs in mind to help skippers find suitable crew. It enables skippers and charter sharers to provide essential trip details tailored to specific trip types. Combined with the profile tool, this makes for a strong combination in attracting potential crew. The more a skipper shares about themselves and their trip, the more positively they are often perceived.

Try it out yourself and make a great sailing trip advert to attract the best recreational crew and sailing buddies!

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