Would you do this to cut sailing cost?

[Calif.Ted]

No
Boats operating on a budget that such income is appealing may not be the best candidates for a safe and successful voyage carrying inexperienced crew.

[SV DestinyAscen]

In many jurisdictions Uber is frankly skirting liability and regulatory requirements Uber for boats will be the same.

You can make boating cheaper by smuggling people and narcotics. But that makes you a lousy member of the community.

[Ms J-37]

As a potential user of such a service, I would love it. But I might be skeptical if my skipper were not fully licensed and insured for passengers. Each boat is so unique it seems pax would always, always be getting in the way or grabbing something they shouldn't, or acting inappropriately. That can easily lead to an accident on a boat.
"Crew Wanted/Available to share expenses" ... That works. Interview, Share sailing CV. There are so many options. Not real sure what the middleman benefit would be.

[mausgras]

I assume you are in North America but have global ambitions. I think most of the "problems" have been identified already except crossing international borders. Every country is different and has a bewildering range of costs and conditions for visas and entry when it comes to crew vs passengers, and informal fees (bribes ).
What may be legal and properly regulated in one country may be totally different in the next.
What you propose already happens informally through this forum and others, because it can provide flexibility.
But your idea is a good one I wish you the best of luck with your proposal.

[RafaCavi]

In USA a court recently failed in the case of a yacht that sank because the keel came out and 4 crew died. The court sentenced the owner of the yacht to jail terms

[williamtl]

Originally Posted by RafaCavi

In USA a court recently failed in the case of a yacht that sank because the keel came out and 4 crew died. The court sentenced the owner of the yacht to jail terms

How did the court fail? Which court? Name of the parties? Anything that would help find this case?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by SV DestinyAscen

In many jurisdictions Uber is frankly skirting liability and regulatory requirements Uber for boats will be the same.

You can make boating cheaper by smuggling people and narcotics. But that makes you a lousy member of the community.

Reminds me of an event that happened to a friend of mine in Central America in the 80's. Some MIB from the US Govt approached him about providing transport of "cargo" on his boat (a coatal trader). Well paid and ostensibly legal. He declined.

Im guessing thats not on the "Making Money While Cruising" thread.

[RafaCavi]

I am sorry. Is in Spanish but you can find the name of the boat and crew.
You can translate with Google.

Los riesgos de los charters
USA
El director de la empresa que gestiona el yate Cheeki Rafiki ha sido acusado de homicidio después de que se uhundió en 2014, matando a su tripulación.
El yate de 40 pies había desaparecido en el Atlántico Norte cuando fue encontrado sin signos de su tripulación en mayo de 2014.
Andrew Puente, Steve Warren, Paul y James Goslin perdieron la vida.
Douglas Innes está acusado de cuatro cargos de homicidio por negligencia grave y aparecerá en la Corte de Magistrados de Southampton el 3 de noviembre.
Sr. Innes y su compañía Stormforce entrenamiento también fueron acusados ​​de violar las leyes de la marina mercante.
Skipper Sr. Puente, 22 años, de Farnham, en Surrey, Sr. Hombre, 22 años, de Romsey, Sr. Warren, de 52 años, de Bridgwater en Somerset y el Sr. Goslin, de 56 años, de West Camel en Somerset, se encontraban a bordo del Cheeki Rafiki cuando comenzó a hacer agua y luego se perdió el contacto.

El yate de 40 pies fue encontrado, sin su quillote, desocupado días más tarde con su balsa salvavidas todavía a bordo.

Un informe dijo que la Cheeki Rafiki volcó "a raíz de un desprendimiento de su quilla". Los hombres regresaban de Antigua en un Sailing Week a Southampton cuando se volcó aproximadamente 720 millas (1,160km) al este-sureste de Nueva Escocia en Canadá.

La Agencia Marítima y de Guardacostas dijo que había llevado a cabo una investigación que duró más de dos años sobre las circunstancias de la pérdida de la Cheeki Rafiki.

Stormforce dijo en un comunicado: "Nuestros asesores legales están revisando las pruebas que la fiscalía utilizado en este sentido. "Nuestros pensamientos siguen siendo las familias de los miembros de la tripulación durante este tiempo.

[brianlara 3]

Cheeki Rafiki.

[brianlara 3]

Douglas Innes entered no plea. Bailed to appear in Winchester Crown Court Dec 5th.
Manslaughter x 4.
So, so many caveats when on your own boat, even with friends.
Not like a night out, dinner and theatre with friends. At all !!!!
Lawyers get rich from cases arising from schemes such as the one Beatnik is proposing.
And I can imagine that one day, some wealthy parents of a deceased Uber client WILL successfully sue the pants off Uber.
Watch this space.
Just the rambling imagination of a traditionalist (taxis).

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

To be clearer, and answer the OP's question, NO, I would not consider it. I'd rather wait tables or tend bar. Actually, I'd probably rather clean latrines than take unknown crew.

Of course, others' mileage may vary.

Ann

While my wife was back in Seattle helping her dad through a health crisis, I took one unknown crew I met from a hostel in La Paz.
He went with me from LaPaz to PV and was nice, friendly but he fried everything he cooked!
I had to degrease the whole boat interior after he left in PV.

OTOH, it could have been much worse.

[Marblehead1]

I think it's a great idea. Sure, you'll have to come up with a good waiver of liability form for your members and by the sounds of some of the replys to your post, not every cruiser is interested in sailing with strangers, however, I'm sure many are. As you suggest, the captain should get a pretty good sense of who the passenger is through your passenger profile section (and vise Vera's through the captain profile section) and can make at least a somewhat informed decision based on that. Prior to accepting them, most captains would likely perform a google search on the passenger as well.

While I'm not finished getting two kids through college and therefore not ready financially to cruise yet, I did get my captains license last winter, set up a website, and started day chartering in the Boston area. My wife and I have enjoyed meeting all of our charter clients who came from all different walks of life. Nearly half our customers were from the United States and the other have were European so have faith that with a good website, anybody should be able to find your service. I'm sure there are many liscensed cruising captains out there who became licensed prior to cruising for insurance reasons and to gain the confidence they needed to leave their homes and sail off shore for extended periods of time.

I wouldn't think you would have to learn all the laws in each and every jurisdiction regarding who can carry paying passengers, how many, or for how long. In the end, it's up to the captain to determine if he or she is capable of taking paying passengers from point A to point B not you. The captain will likely require the passenger to sign the captain's waiver form as a condition of travel as well. And by the way, don't be afraid to ask your captains to charge a healthy, but fair fee for the voyage. This should help weed out the less desirable passengers.

Good luck! I look forward to using your service after college is paid for.

[brianlara 3]

Waivers are of no effect in Australia and Great Britain. Probably the same in Canada & other Commonwealth countrie.....but not certain.

[SJFK]

Hi Beatnik
Crew seekers provides a similar service, but the folk who use it pay a registration fee so they can find the appropriate boat or crew. The crew are not obliged to pay for their position on the boat, although many do contribute towards the costs of the trip such as food, or even minor pieces of equipment, or for such events as the ARC, they may pay the individual fee to take part. The difference is that the skipper does not make a profit.

My insurance company recently asked specifically if my crew for the atlantic crossing were going to be paying customers or not. If they are you then become a commercial boat, and that requires a different level of safety equipment and medical cover to be provided, as well as higher premiums.

However in terms of the risks in getting a bolshy crew member (ref the Nicole Kidman / Sam Neil film, was it called Adrift or something like that) well that is always a risk and there are thousands of crew and skippers teaming up every year without too much of a problem, although there are inevitably some clashes of personality, or silly behaviour at times. So long as there is good communication between skippers and prospective crew in advance of the trip, and if time permits face to face meetings, then the risk can be mitigated.

Good luck

[crazyoldboatguy]

The Admiral is also an attorney. We met on a canoe trip sponsored by a local community college near Chicago. I was standing nearby when the "hold harmless" (waiver of liability) forms were passed out. My soft spoken counselor remarked, "not worth the paper it's written on".

I would not rely on such an instrument to protect my interests if running such an operation. Lots of liability insurance or one should assume one will lose the asset. Create a trust or a corporation to gain some buffer between you and the litigant - er, I mean, passenger.