Latitude’s Free Crew-Recruiting Tool

While revving up to celebrate Latitude 38 magazine‘s 40th anniversary this spring, we’ve been reflecting on many past adventures of West Coast sailors, as well as unique Latitude offerings such as our long-established Crew List — which aims to connect potential crew with skippers in need. We are proud to say our Crew List, now free, online and updated 24/7, has linked up hundreds if not thousands of sailors and skippers for daysailing, local racing, offshore racing and world cruising.

Ever since our first Crew List Party was staged in 1980, those twice-per-year events have served to cement relationships between skippers and potential crew. Make note that the next one will take place five weeks from now, Wednesday, March 8 at San Francisco’s Golden Gate YC (6-9 p.m.).

How well does the Crew Party work? While reviewing past issues we came across this letter from Sylvia Stompe, who recently returned from a two-year Pacific cruise aboard their Hughes 48 Iolani with her husband Barry. Prior to leaving, they connected with seven crew who, as Sylvia recently told us, "are now friends for life."

"The 2012 Latitude Crew Party … yielded a great bunch of race crew recruits. Seven of the sailors in this photo are contacts we made at the Crew Party. Four of them just moved to the Bay Area — and are learning that we sail with PFDs and foulies. So thanks to Latitude for hosting the great event.

"The photo was taken after a good day of spinnaker practice, which was followed by an awesome potluck lunch behind Angel Island, featuring many homemade treats. After a brisk sail back to Sausalito, we hosted a little dock party and beer-tasting of some microbrew created by one of our crew. The Chipotle Amber Ale was voted the favorite."

If you’ve had a memorable Crew List experience, we’d love to hear about it. Write us here.