Where Skippers Find Crew and Crew Find Boats To Sail on... SpinSheet Crew Parties!
What a great year for SpinSheet Crew Parties! We host three of our signature crew parties per year to connect skippers and potential crew members in real life, a tradition we started 30 years ago, which has evolved somewhat but not changed at its heart. We just love bringing sailors together to ensure that all have opportunities to sail more.
We kicked off the season early in Solomons, MD, March 9 at the Southern Maryland Sailing Association on a breezy, sunny day. About 50 sailors, some brand new, many quite experienced came together at the club for free pizza (a beloved tradition) and sailing talk. We did a short Start Sailing Now panel with experienced club members and tried to ensure that all newcomers knew about the great opportunities at SMSA for learning to sail, racing, cruising, getting kids into sailing, and joining the club.
Next up Hampton, VA, March 15! We'd hosted this party at Marker 20 for many years, which is a great location, yet it seemed we needed to refresh the party somewhat. The Hampton Yacht Club greeted us with open arms for the southern edition of our crew party. It happened to be pizza night (a theme emerges!), so some club members may have been there for the food, but we noticed they were all seeking crew even when hungry. About 50 came out for the lighthearted event, and it was delightful to catch up with our many friends on the Southern Bay from lots of clubs, such as CCV Racing, Broad Bay Sailing Association, and Old Point Comfort YC. We'd like to welcome more potential crew next year (there were a lot of boat owners there!). We welcome your ideas on how to get the word out better in the Hampton Roads region. We're considering a Norfolk event next year, too, so stay tuned.
Our final crew party we always save to coincide with the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show. Wow--did the weather cooperate! Sunny skies and healthy gusts greeted 300+ sailors at the Eastport Yacht Club Sunday, April 27. We hoisted our "masts" (aka the boat board) with boats seeking crew, and there were a huge number of potential crew members on hand taking pics of the boats and meeting new friends.
If you have not done so yet, be sure to sign up for our free online crew finder. We won't host another in-person crew party until 2026, but we'll see you on the water!