Disclaimer

 

DISCLAIMER – REMINDER OF BEST PRACTICES WHEN AT SEA

 

You easily Find a crew or find a boat on Coboaters, but you always need to keep in mind and follow Best Practices when at Sea. In North America like anywhere, safety comes first!

Our mission is to help you built your sailing network and meet more fellow sailors and mariners as safely as possible. This page is a reminder or the fundamental rules that you must follow at any time at sea. Remember that you are the sole and the best person to decide to embark on a boat or to embark someone else on your boat. We hope you will follow these best practices when sail with your Coboaters friends.

In addition to this disclaimer, you can find more recomendations here:

• Why do boat owners share time on the water?
• Is it safe to sail with strangers
• Do you need to be experienced to jump on board?

 

BOATING IS AN OUTDOOR ACTIVITY THAT CAN BE DANGEROUS

Boating is an outdoor leisure activity subject to many hazards like weather, mechanical hazards, or any type of hazard on boats. It is also a human activity that can be risky when you are on board with other people and people you never met before.  Coboaters' job is to put people in touch with each other so that they can sail together in the best possible conditions.

We help you assembling the right crew for your trip and your sailboat or powerboat. Here is what Coboaters.com does:

• Provide the most complete information possible on the boating project (the notice);
• Provide the most complete information possible about the boat (the boat profile);
• Providing detailed information for each of our members (the profile), some of which is confirmed by testimonials and peer reviews;
• Provide of a year-round flow of boating projects and crew members available;
• Providing a "search engine" to find the right crew member or boating, sailing opportunity among a large number of notices and a large number of available crew members and boat owners.

The publisher of the coboaters.com website, Naveemate, LLC, in accordance with the Terms of Use and Privacy statement, is not responsible for the connections made via the coboaters.com website. Coboaters.com does not offer any guarantee regarding its members and in particular regarding:

• Their identity
• The accuracy of the information provided by them,
• Their physical or mental health,
• Their experience and skills,
• Their boat conditions,
• The compliancy with boating regulations.

Finally, Naveemate, LLC and Coboaters.com does not guarantee that the information that may be provided in a profile will ensure the smooth running of a sea trip.

 

1. INSURANCE: ANOTHER BEST PRACTICES BEFORE BOARDING

Before jumping on board, we recommend that you subscribe to a proper insurance:

A liability insurance for the possible compensation of the prejudices which you could cause within the framework of your activities.
A "personal" insurance for the compensation of your personal prejudices to a third party. It is always better to check with your insurance company or broker before boarding.

2. FOR ALL COBOATERS.COM MEMBERS, CREW and BOAT OWNERS

Before boarding with a crew or a skipper you do not know and/or with whom you only communicated via phone, emails or social media, we recommend the following:

• Meet him/her in a public place (bar, restaurant, ...)
• Make sure of his/her physical and mental capabilities,
• Make sure that navigation skills and experience match what was posted online. Ask as many questions as possible.

If you do feel comfortable, do not board. You will find plenty of other opportunities with the right persons.

 

3. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BOAT OWNERS AND SKIPPERS:

• Make sure that your skills and those of your crew are in line with your navigation goals,
• Make sure your boat is in perfect condition and adapted for your boating program,
• Make sure that your boat complies with the applicable laws and regulations,
• Make sure all safety needs for your crew and you are met,
• Verify that your insurance covers any damage you may cause to your crew. Check with your insurer.

If you plan a long cruise and do not know the crew member yet, we recommend that you plan a short trip first, for example for a weekend or for an afternoon. You will learn about each other and decide if you want to spend more time together.

If you have a doubt about the crew, please say it right away and do not take the person on board.

4. BEST PRACTICES FOR CREW MEMBERS

Before boarding, you must :

• Be sure that your skills are in line with the navigation project. Check and talk to the skipper. Be honest with him and yourself,
• Check with the skipper and by yourself that the boat is in perfect condition and complies with the applicable regulations,
• Be sure that you have "personal" insurance covering the risks (death, disability) related to boating. Check with your insurer.

If in doubt, delay your trip. You will have plenty of other opportunities.

5. SAFETY FIRST FOR EVERYONE

Safety at sea is very important. You must become familiar with the good practice, always follow recommendations and take maximum precautions.

You can find more about Safety at sea here:

• US Sailing Safety at Sea
• The Sailing fundation
• US Coast Guard
• Sail Canada

You can also visit our Help Center if you need more information. 

To know more about coboaters, please visit the About-Us page. You will find information for crew and sailors to help you improve your sailing networks.

 

The Coboaters Team