Matching potential crew members with skippers 

Nothing defines synchrony, precision, and teamwork for success like an 8-person rowing shell, except possibly an 8-person racing keelboat!!  Recruiting, training, coaching, and retaining compatible, skilled crew is every sailing skipper's primary job.

You can help!  Make yourself available as a potential crewmember for skippers who need more crew to sail their boat competitively.  You do not need to be a member of St. Joseph River Yacht Club.  You do not need to have sailing skills, though it is undeniably beneficial.  Skills can be taught; other more indelible intangibles of "fit" are just as important.  Skippers in the SJRYC fleet are generally constructive, patient, skilled coaches.  You do need to be free on most Wednesday evenings for racing, and irregularly other days/evenings for team practice. 

One resource that is growing nationally is RailMeets boat and crew finder - "bringing crew and captains one click closer".  You can use this service to search geographically, look at captains' profiles, create your profile, and search for openings.  Learn more at  https://railmeets.com/ . 

A local crew-finding resource for southwest Michigan is not automated yet, but it's in the aspirational stage.  The SJRYC Fleet Captain has the duty to match expressions of interest by individuals with skippers who are short-handed on their boat, and maintains a database of contacts.  To express your interest in crewing opportunities for SJRYC, send an email to the SJRYC Fleet Captain at  sailracesj@gmail.com .  Include this information:

(a)  Name

(b)  Cell/text phone number

(c)  Brief statement of your goals in sailing and racing

(d)  Brief description of any sailing experience

Revisit this space.  It may be possible to publish short profiles of sailboat racing programs run by skippers who need more crew, and provide them here.  That way, you can make contact directly for prospective crewing opportunities.  

Finally, there is a truism about marinas where racing sailboats are slipped, like West Basin Marina... If you show up early on race night, have a lifejacket on your shoulder and a few canned beers (unopened, that is!) in hand, are wearing non-marking shoes, and walk the docks, the chances are good that you will receive an invitation to join a sailing crew for the evening!

Welcome aboard!