Every guide here comes from crossings and passages I sailed myself, as crew, boat hitchhiker and captain.
FIND YOUR WAY ABOARD
Where the sea has taken me
From the North Sea to the South Pacific, without a single flight: the Dutch coast, Galicia, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, the Atlantic five times over, the Caribbean, the Azores, Tonga, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia. Every mile under sail, as crew, captain or boat hitchhiker. Last updated August 2026.
Nautical miles sailed
50000
Atlantic crossings
5
Boats sailed
100
Years at sea
10
CREW QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Do I need to own a boat to sail across the Atlantic?
No. Boats cross with crew every autumn and many captains look for extra hands. I crossed five times on other people's boats. Here is how sailing the Atlantic as crew works.
Do I need sailing experience to join as crew?
It helps, but no. I started with none. Captains mostly want reliable people who stand their watch and live well in a small space. Read why crewing works, or learn the skills in the course.
When do boats cross, and when should I start looking?
East to west crossings leave the Canaries and Cape Verde between November and January. Start looking in September and October, in the harbours and online.
Where do I find a boat?
Walk the docks, talk to people, and use the right platforms: the crew websites that actually work.
Is it safe to step aboard a stranger's boat?
It can be, if you check the boat, the captain and your own gut before you commit. The free crew checklist walks you through 60 steps from first contact to stepping aboard.
What does it cost?
On most private boats you share food and running costs, and deliveries sometimes pay. Ocean Nomad breaks down real budgets.
How long does a crossing take?
Two to four weeks depending on the boat and the route. Long enough to change how you look at time.
Can I sail with you?
Yes. Ocean Nomads sails around the Atlantic again from November 2026 to March 2027 on SV Twister. See the legs and dates.
@suzannevanderveeken
Where this comes from
I knocked on my first boat with no sailing experience, no money and a healthy dose of fear. Did I know what I was getting myself into? No. I did not. Five Atlantic crossings later I am a Yachtmaster Offshore with 50,000+ nautical miles across 100+ boats. I wrote two books about this life, Ocean Nomad and Salz auf der Haut, surveyed 131 Atlantic crew and captains about how they found their ride, organized 30+ sailing trips and expeditions, and started Ocean Nomads, which has grown into its own community of 250+ ocean people. In 2026 and 2027 we sail around the Atlantic again. Everything here comes from doing it, not from a marina bar. And if I have not personally sailed or checked something, I do not pretend I have.
Not sure where to start? Start with one sentence: you do not need to own a boat.
The crew essentials
What actually earns its place aboard: an Aquapac drybag, the Garmin inReach, merino base layers for night watches, a Kobo e-reader for the crossing and Ohm reef-safe sunscreen. And grab the free crew packing checklist.
Things I wish someone had told me
You do not need sailing experience to get aboard. You need to be useful, curious and easy to live with.
Pick the captain, not the boat.
Seasickness passes. Usually somewhere on day three.
Pack half of what you think. Boats are small and salt eats everything.
The ocean is mostly slow. That turns out to be the best part.
Ask questions before you step aboard. Good captains like questions.
The rest went into the checklist and the course.
LATEST FROM THE OCEAN
Go deeper
Zero to Ocean Nomad: the course
Travel the world by sailboat without owning one, and without much experience. A self-paced blueprint with 55+ video lessons, interactive tools and access to the Ocean Nomads community: everything to go from zero to on a boat, conscious and confident.
4,000+ copies sold
Ocean Nomad: the book
The complete guide to crossing the Atlantic as crew: 400 pages on finding boats, judging captains and crews, packing, provisioning and keeping the ocean healthy while you are out there. Written from my own crossings and interviews with 32 captains and 58 crew who did it before you. All proceeds go into ocean conservation projects.
Join the Ocean Nomads community
Come sailing with us: join a trip
Get the free crew checklist
Everything to sort before you step aboard a stranger's boat, free in your inbox.
Send me the checklist
Sail with Ocean Nomads
Ocean Nomads is the adventure and impact community where the sailing happens: the expedition, the crew course and hundreds of ocean people. These films show it from the inside, including members who went from zero to crossing oceans.
