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IMPORTANT: THE SALTY DAWG SAILING ASSOCIATION DOES NOT VET, REVIEW, REFER, OR CONDUCT BACKGROUND CHECKS OF ANYONE POSTING TO THE SDSA CREW FINDER, BOTH CREW AND CAPTAINS ALIKE. THE FINDER IS BEING PROVIDED AS A CONVENIENCE ONLY AND THE SDSA TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE EXPERIENCE, TEMPERAMENT OR CONDUCT OF ANY INDIVIDUALS OR BOATS. ANYONE USING THE SDSA CREW FINDER DOES SO AT THEIR OWN RISK AND IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO COMPLETE A FULL BACKGROUND CHECK AND INTERVIEW PRIOR TO ACCEPTING AN OFFER OR POSITION.
Frequently Asked Questions for Crew Candidates
- What is the SDSA Crew Finder?
The Crew Finder is Member Benefit managed by the Salty Dawg Sailing Association (SDSA) and connects Crew with Captains for any sailing purpose at any time. It is not a delivery service. Crew utilize this forum to broaden their sailing experience and satisfy their passion for sailing. Captains utilize the crew finder to find Crew to assist with duties such as standing watch, to mentor fellow sailors, or to find an experienced leader. As a non-profit educational and social sailing organization, we hope the Crew Finder will be utilized to educate and assist sailors while fostering long term relationships.
- Does the SDSA vet captains or crew candidates?
No. The SDSA does not review or certify credentials and does not accept responsibility or liability for actions on behalf of Captains or Crew. It is the sole responsibility of the captain and crew to determine qualifications and compatibility. Crew & Captains should interview each other to determine qualifications and compatibility, and perhaps sail together before setting off on a longer passage. Visit the Crew Resources page for useful webinars, documents and suggestions for establishing a successful crewing experience.
- Who is Eligible
All SDSA members are eligible to participate either as a Captain in search of Crew, or a Crew looking for an opportunity to sail.
- Do I need to maintain sailing experience to participate?
No. The SDSA is a non-profit educational sailing association and part of our mission is to educate and mentor candidates who desire offshore experience. Crew candidates of all levels are welcome to participate.
- Is there a cost to participate in the SDSA Crew Finder?
No. The only fee associated with the crew finder is for your SDSA membership.
- Can a captain charge me a fee for being a crew? No. The SDSA is a non-profit educational & charitable volunteer organization and the SDSA Crew Finder is provided as a benefit to assist captains seeking crew and for crew who desire to broaden their sailing experience
- What other costs do I pay as Crew?
Generally, on passages, Captains cover onboard costs such as meals and boat fees, and crew cover costs to and from the boat along with ashore costs such as meals. However, Captain and Crew may agree to other financial arrangements. Captains may not charge candidates for their participation.
- As a prospective crew, may I charge a Captain for my participation?
The SDSA Crew Finder is not intended for this purpose, but there may be appropriate instances. An example is a less experienced Captain who may be willing to pay an experienced Crew candidate to take advantage of the crew's particular skill set. In these circumstances, the SDSA does allow the Captain and Crew negotiation of an appropriate payment arrangement. However, please note that other services exist and may be preferred for finding paid captains.
- How is the Crew Finder organized?
Opportunities are subdivided into "Boat Listings" and "Crew Listings". Participating Captains may simply choose not post, and just peruse the listings for available crew. To maximize exposure, participants may post specifics of their availability. In all cases, post only to the proper section.
- How do I use the Crew Finder for listing my availability as Crew?
NEW! All active postings now reside within the SDSA App (More menu, Crew) or at www.saltydawgsailing.app (Crew in the left side menu). Here, prospective Crew may use the SDSA Crew Finder in one of two ways:
- Review the posts found in the "Boat Listings," Forum, then respond within the listing.
OR
- Post your availability on the relevant "Crew Listings", in which case captains will respond to you.
- How do I update my Postings?
Access your original post and edit or delete it. In this manner, your posting will always be up-to-date. If you choose to re-post, please be sure to delete the original post. Please do not post frequently simply in order to bump yourself to the top of the list.f When you accept a crew offer, or when you have filled a position, please access your posting and disable it by deleting it.
- As Captain or a Crew, do I have to post openings or availability?
No you don't have to post. You may choose simply to review the active posts.
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How can I provide important feedback about my crew finder experience? We encourage honest and open, face-to-face discussions between captain and crew. Beyond that, captains and crew can send us your thoughts, concerns and suggestions by contacting [email protected]. Please only post crew related opportunities to the Captains Seeking Crew or Crew Available forums.
- Does the SDSA vet captains or crew candidates? No. The SDSA does not review or certify credentials (except for requirements that are enforced for participation in our longer rallies) and does not accept responsibility or liability for actions on behalf of Captains or Crew. It is the sole responsibility of the captain and crew to determine qualifications and compatibility. Crew & Captains should interview each other to determine qualifications and compatibility, and perhaps sail together before setting off on a longer passage
- Does the SDSA provide detail about Captains and their boats to Crew?
No, generally not. It is the responsibility of the Captains to initiate contact with Crew and provide required information. It is the responsibility of Crew to interview the Captain to determine qualifications, compatibility and passage details.
- Who will provide me with information about the passage?
The SDSA provides prospective Crew with general information about the Rally on its webpages. However, your Captain is responsible for providing Crew with specific details, expectations and costs concerning the passage.
- How do I plan for the length of time of a passage?
The amount of time for a passage depends upon many factors, but weather is the most important of the unpredictable variables. Please ask your Captain about specific passage details and expectations for availability. As a general rule of thumb, you should have a reasonably flexible time-frame and not establish time constrains for a passage. Please communicate with your Captain about your time-frame as weather related delays or postponements can and do occur.
- Are there safety and tracking resources provided by the SDSA?
Yes. For our rallies, the SDSA provides educational seminars/webinars and information about recommended safety equipment. We also maintain a Shore Coordinator that tracks rally boats on a daily basis. All rally boats are required to “check-in” daily with the Shore Coordinator. During rallies, the SDSA also provides a professional weather forecaster who corresponds with the fleet on a daily basis. We also work closely with the USCG during rallies in tracking boats. Underway, we support your emergency concerns with an emergency response team. Upon completing your Crew Emergency/Waiver Form, you are registered in our database for the rally and we will refer to that information if needed. Your family and friends may follow the fleet and track your passage with our follow-the-fleet link. We do not provide tracking and safety support services for non-rally passages.
- Why am I not receiving inquiries from Captains or prospective Crew?
The SDSA maintains no control over how and when a captain or crew chooses to respond. Review your posts for accuracy. Upload any supporting documents that speak to your experience.
- Why am I receiving crew inquires from captains if I have already been selected?
You have not deleted your post for that passage. Find your original post and delete it.
Info, Questions, Feedback: Contact Crew Coordinator at: [email protected]
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