Get out your Sailing Gear; MySail has Landed on the Shores of the USA
by MySail 17 May 05:00 NZST
Deborah at the helm of yacht Shibumi at the MHYC Helly Hansen Women’s Challenge © Margaret Fraser-Martin
The weather is starting to heat up across the United States and so is the 2024 sailing season. For keen sailors, especially those not lucky enough to have year-round sailing options, the start of the season is always an eagerly awaited time of year.
As skippers start to plan their program for the season, the excitement and anticipation of a fun and successful racing season can sometimes be dampened by the dreaded challenges and hassles that comes with organising crew.
That's where MySail can help.
Founded by avid sailor, Deborah Dalziel, MySail helps yacht owners find and organise their race crew and helps experienced and aspiring sailors find new sailing opportunities.
Be it large offshore races, competitive regattas or social twilight sails, Deborah has seen time and again the challenges skippers face in organising a suitable race crew, "I've spoken to a lot of skippers who at various times have put it in the 'too-hard' basket. For many of these skippers, getting out on the water to race actually becomes more of a chore than an adrenaline rush or way to relax. Sailing is such a fantastic sport, and it shouldn't have to be so hard to organise your crew - that's why I started MySail."
The MySail Advantage
The MySail promise is simple - it makes crew organisation quick and easy. MySail provides a simple way to schedule a race program, stores existing crew details and availability in one place and presents a faster way for skippers to find and connect to experienced sailors when they need to fill a position. Members can get started with a free account or pay a low monthly, half-yearly or yearly fee for access to premium features, making it flexible and easy to get started.
The key advantage is the fact that MySail combines a crew management tool tailor-made for sailing with a way for skippers to connect with new crew when they need to fill a position or two.
For sailors, from experienced yachties looking to sail more to those who are just getting started, MySail is the best way to find the right crewing opportunity.
As Deborah says, "We've created the app specifically for racing skippers and crew, understanding that encompasses a breadth of different experience levels, skills, desires, and requirements. I am passionate about helping new sailors get a start in the sport and have seen first-hand how this can be easier to do when you can connect and communicate online before heading down to a club and setting foot on someone's yacht. I also recognise there are lots of skippers who need experienced crew with specific skill sets, and sailors who want to join a competitive program or expand their racing horizons - understanding and catering to all of these needs is key."
MySail hits the shores of the USA
MySail started a few years ago on the shores of Sydney harbour and quickly spread across Australia and New Zealand; growing to over 10,000 members and used by multiple clubs such as the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. Now MySail has officially reached the shores of the USA.
"MySail already has US members, some who have used the app for several years, but now MySail has officially landed on the shares of the USA," Deborah said. "It has been designed from day one to be a global community, however we have added a few features to better support American members including US clubs and pricing in USD for our premium accounts.
"Our member base in the US is currently low but we are focused on supporting the growth of this community over the next few months and welcome anyone who's keen to give it a go to register for the free account."
And as the MySail community continues to grow, Deborah is excited to see it offer new sailing opportunities to crew from around the world. "I have been tremendously lucky to have had the opportunity to sail in places around the world, from Halifax Harbour where I grew up to multiple locations around Australia, Canada the US, UK, and more. The sailing community is exceptionally welcoming, and I hope MySail can support that experience for others as we grow the community globally."
If you are a yacht owner or sailor and you want a simpler and easier way to get out on the water and sail more in 2024, go to mysail.team to find out more or sign up at app.mysail.team.
MySail is currently offering a 25% 6-month discount for the US premium crew and skipper plans - simply use discount code SailUSA24 at checkout by 30 June 2024 to claim the discount.