9 Ways to Network with Other Cruisers

 

It's easy to get overwhelmed when you first start cruising. Never mind the boat and sailing, what about figuring out where to go, how to clear in, where to clear in and whether there's any fuel available where you're going? How do you figure out where the marinas are and whether it's a safe place to be? Oh, sure, you can buy or borrow a cruising guide, but they're usually outdated as soon as they're printed. The answer unequivocally is cruiser networking. If you haven't been there, someone usually has or they know someone that has. Cruisers willingly share information with each other. Once you've been there, you'll be expected to share information, too.

There are lots of avenues for cruiser networking. Some just tend to come naturally after you've been out there for any length of time and others may take some effort, but are definitely worth your while. Here's our list of the top ways for new cruisers to network and gather information for destinations they might want to visit, equipment they're considering buying or just some insight on a niggling problem.

1. Join SSCA or a cruising club

I know we've blogged about this before, but there's no better way to network than to meet like-minded people who share the same enthusiasm for cruising, adventure and travel and have information to share. SSCA publishes a 44-page monthly Bulletin which is full of information on just about any sailing destination in the world. The past issues are available on a searchable CD. It's pretty easy to find information on most any place or subject you want to know about. They also provide Port Guides for many places in the world.

2. Join an online group

There's lots of on-line information shared by cruisers that's readily available, especially if you're heading where several other people are heading. If you're crossing the Pacific, for instance, consider the Yahoo Puddle Jumpers group for lots of tips, ideas, and stops along the way or check out Latitude 38's Pacific crossing guide.

3. Participate in a rally or a potluck or a gam

These can be formal, costly and regimented or informal, inexpensive and fun. We tend to prefer the latter. Lots of cruising clubs like SSCA sponsor gams and potlucks throughout the year worldwide. Check them out or organize one yourself. It's a great way to meet other sailors. A “gam”, by the way, is sailor-speak for getting together. Rallies are fun and offer a chance to “sail in company” with other boats and meet at pre-determined locations. In-season, there are loads of them to choose from. Check with your local cruising club, SSCA or look for ads in cruising magazines.

4. Exchange boat cards

Boat cards are like calling cards that most cruisers print up and exchange with each other. We used to keep all the boat cards we received wrapped up with a rubber band like playing cards. It didn't work well. We found that gluing them into a small notebook with a couple of notes as to where we met and what we did together was a great way to find them again, jog our memories and keep in touch. No boat cards? … they're easy enough to make yourself. Check out our website for some ideas.

5. Find other cruiser's websites

Do an on-line search of places you want to visit, then find cruisers who have been there and documented their travel on their websites. There's usually lots of information to be gleaned as well as good photos. Got questions? Contact the folks. They'll share. By the way, if you're just starting out, a website or a daily blog is a fun way to keep in touch and share your experiences and travels with others.

6. Get to know your neighbors

Whether in a marina or in an anchorage, it's always nice to visit other boats, introduce yourself and get to know more about the people you're sharing your dock space or anchorage with. Cruisers are NOT shy. We're a transient population, so we make the most of it and get to know lots of fellow cruisers along the way.

7. Stay in touch

With accessible internet most everywhere, on-board SailMail and nearly disposable mobile phones, it's easier than ever to stay in touch. We're still in touch with folks we met 10 years ago in the Carib and they're not even sailing any more. Visiting Seattle, driving through Arkansas, heading to Sweden, or New Zealand or Oz? Wouldn't it be great to know someone there who'd be happy to show you around?

8. Read cruising magazines and articles.

We write lots of articles and you'd be surprised at the number of e-mails we get from people who have read the articles and have questions. We're always happy to respond and provide information. If you read something of interest and want to know more, contact the author.

9. Pay it forward … give it back

Remember that if you get, you should also be willing to give. Share your information with others. You'll find you meet and stay in touch with people to greater extent if you give as well as receive.

Creating Your Own Boat Identity

 

Boat people are a unique breed. They're fiercely proud of their boats and their ability to sail them. The same people do not usually name their cars or their motorcycles or their homes. They do not exchange “car cards” or wear their unique car name on their caps. Their boats acquire a personality of their own, it seems, and require not only catchy names, but new ways of expressing their owners' personality as well.

“Nine of Cups” was named for a tarot card meaning “dreams realized”. It's a unique name and we've never seen another boat with the same name. I received a beautiful tarot deck from my sister for my fiftieth birthday along with a dummy's guide for reading tarot cards. I had never done tarot before, but it seemed interesting and David was the obvious choice as my guinea pig. In a classic tarot Celtic spread, David would choose 10 of 78 cards at random and make a wish. If the Nine of Cups (akin to the nine of hearts in a regular deck of cards) was chosen, his wish would come true. Time and time again, that Nine of Cups appeared. Since we're living our dream, I'd say the cards did well.

Once aboard, we found that people on boats exchange boat cards. I found inexpensive stationery software with a business card format, bought blank cards and made boat cards. I downloaded nautical clipart including a compass rose and used it. It seemed generic, but I couldn't think of anything better. That is until we were walking along a street in Halifax, Nova Scotia about a year later and we saw a marvelous gate with seahorses and tridents. It was beautiful and seemed to reflect Nine of Cups' personality. We photographed it and massaged the photo with a Paint program and voilá, it became Cups' logo.

Beyond adding this logo to our boat card, we began expanding our horizons. With a unique logo to go with our unique name, we were able to create all sorts of things that reflected our pride in ownership. Not only did we use the logo on boat cards, but we found a company that would add our embroidered logo for free to shirts and caps and didn't require large quantity orders.

Using the seahorse motif from the logo, David carved beautiful name boards in mahogany and gilded them for Cup's bow. Greeting cards from Valentines to Christmas wishes incorporated our logo. Nine of Cups thank you cards were a big hit with many people who really appreciated that personalized touch which became a memento of a visit or special time. It also alleviated the need to shop for cards, allowed us to use our imaginations and insured we always had the right card on hand.

Documenting our travels with journals and photographs has been a priority since we first left the dock at Kemah, Texas back in 2000. I had a cheap digital camera for photos and used a college-lined subject notebook for journal entries. Our family and friends were interested in our travels, so I created a photo-journal simply named “Passages” that I updated regularly and sent home on CD's to share.

Having a website seemed the next logical step and it wasn't long until we registered our domain name and created a rudimentary website. I upgraded my camera for better photos and continued the handwritten journal. The offline tools for the website were poor and internet access in the Caribbean and South America was slow and expensive early on. Then a free download of Yahoo Sitebuilder became available for off-line website work, wifi and broadband on the boat became available and now maintaining the website was fun, easy and inexpensive.

Though I no longer maintain an offline photojournal, we do a holiday newsletter annually which we post to the website. We also print and mail copies for those relatives and friends who prefer a hard copy in hand to read, share and save.

Because we can't upload website updates when we are at sea or in internet-inaccessible areas (and there are still some), we began blogging via SailBlogs which allowed a daily update of our travels, adventures and more mundane day-to-day activities. Last year, our niece Gentry convinced us to do a more elaborate blogsite, Just a Little Further, which reflects not only life and travels aboard Nine of Cups, but our life in general. Now no matter where we are on land or sea, I can post to the blog and folks know where we are and what we're doing. Amazingly, we've heard from folks around the globe including more remote places like Newfoundland, the Falkland Islands and Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic.

From an initial desire to develop a unique identity for Nine of Cups and her crew, we've managed to document our travels, “meet” a myriad of people from around the world who share our love of sailing and travel and also create a personality for Nine of Cups. Because after all, she's an important part of our family.