***bad Word Removed*** Websites That Make You Pay

[ChannelZ28]

ive been searching message boards, (this one and others as well) trying to find a crew position for the last month or so and i finally found one on another website that was a completely perfect match with what i wanted. the only problem is to be able to see their contact info i had to be a "premium member" which is something like $200+ a year or $40+ for 10 days! 10 $%*#ing days!! if im not a "premium member" i can contact them through the website but i can only send the form letter that they have ready for me. and of course since the boat owner is also not a "premium member" he can only send the form response letter they have made up for him. and not only can i not reply to that form response letter, i cant even email him again for 7 days. they say its so boat member wont be bothered with people pestering them with lots of emails. though they do point out that if i was a "premium member", i would be able to pester him with as many messages as i want. (even though waiting 7 days is pointless anyway seeing as how all i could send him would be the same stupid message). so even though we are 2 possibly perfectly matched skipper and crew, we will never meet because this stupid website wants to charge people to find each other. lame. cruiserlog rules.

[Auzzee]

On behalf of Administralion and Moderators I can only say........................................

Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..Thank you..A million times...Thank you!

Cheese

David

[Lighthouse]

@ChannelZ28

It's the old "sucker" ploy! They advertise "Free registration" and "Find a boat/crew". Only after the "Free" registration do you realise that there is not much you can do until you pay. They work on the assumption that if you have gone as far as to register then you are "hooked" and will PAY to go further.

After Cruiser Log established the Free Crewfinder quite a few realised that there was money to be made from the large demand and a number of "Crewfinders" suddenly made an appearance on the Net. There are VERY few truly free crewfinders - MOST use the "sucker" ploy.

In fact, one of THOSE crewfinder websites was started by an ex member of our boards. Some years ago he used our crewfinder and successfully found two (that I know of) short-term positions on yachts for himself. He saw $$$ signs from the very big over-supply of crew looking for positions and decided to climb in on it. Also a "register for free" deal.

The crewpersons get the short stick again!

Good luck to him in his endeavours.

[Lynx]

I paid for one of those sites looking for a crew by credit card. The card was charged in another country and was hit 3 times with claims that I did not do. My bank saw these right away and did not allopw the charges. However, my boat being small and NOT paying, I got no crew.

Good luck and keep searching. Do even the litle ones that you find.

[Harbor_Pilot]

ChannelZ28,



Thank you for your observation and contribution.

You are a testament to policies of the administration of this board. You will not find those bad experiences here.

Next time you need a crew finder board, and desire not to pay, perhaps you will consider posting and looking here.



Jeff

[Peter Owen]

Call me old fashioned but, as capable as I am of using good old fashioned anglo saxon, since when has the verb ("***offensive word removed***") been acceptable when used here and with this meaning? What next?

More importantly, I think that these negative general comments/attitudes are misplaced - especially in the case of those sites which operate correctly and provide exactly what it says on their tin. It can also be argued that limiting access to those who pay (possibly only one party) also offers some measure of protection to both parties.

The free facility offered here is clearly of great value but it seems unreasonable to deny those who see a way of making a few quid/bucks by setting up and offering a professionally managed "dating service" their right to do so. They certainly don't deserve to be slagged off here by anyone who would simply deny them this freedom for whatever reason.

If they're not offering a reasonable service, they'll go out of business soon enough and if anyone is daft enough to misunderstand what "free registration" actually implies/means on the internet, fine, they'll only be caught once. If you want it all for free, also fine but don't expect to avail yourself of the service offered on professionally managed sites.

If you've actually been ripped of and can't get satisfaction any other way, naming and shaming might help the rest of us and accelerate the demise of the wicked!

[Lighthouse]

Originally Posted by Peter Owen

Call me old fashioned but, as capable as I am of using good old fashioned anglo saxon, since when has the verb ("***bad word removed***") been acceptable when used here and with this meaning? What next?

Peter,

My apologies. At the time of the posting (topic title) I did not consider the "verb" to be offensive as used in the context. I am sure that "ChannelZ28" did not mean to offend. However, I am happy to remove anything that anybody finds offensive - within reason.

This is a family website.

The free facility offered here is clearly of great value but it seems unreasonable to deny those who see a way of making a few quid/bucks by setting up and offering a professionally managed "dating service" their right to do so. They certainly don't deserve to be slagged off here by anyone who would simply deny them this freedom for whatever reason.

I don't believe anyone here is denying them their "right" or "freedom". On the contrary, I wished them "good luck". I also don't believe that there is "slagging" in this thread - everyone has a right on this open forum to offer an opinion and quote experience.

Cruiser Log certainly has had it's own fair share of "bashing" for it's rigid stance on the Crewfinder guidelines.

[Peter Owen]

No apology necessary. I'm sure the writer didn't intend to offend and I certainly wasn't offended - more surprised by the vehemence of the anti paid site theme and response especially when you, yourself, are on record as wishing them good luck.

The preparedness to deny them (all) an existence was inferred (arguably rightly or wrongly) from the general tone and specific words used - notably in the title itself!

My post was actually more about taking a balanced view recognizing that some subscription sites offer and provide good services some of which complement those available here - especially for those of us who are sometimes prepared to pay (our way) for pleasures other than actual boat ownership.

[ChannelZ28]

its not that im denying anyone the opportunity to provide a pay service, i just dont like the way they hide it. and i really dont like they way they try to pretend they are protecting their paying members, when really all they want is your money. they could at least be more straightforward about it.

also as far as discovering what "free registration on the internet" means...well cruiserlog has free registration doesnt it?

as far as the "verb", nothing offensive was meant...it was just me being frustrated.

[JeanneP]

I'd like to weigh in here, using up my precious internet time. Right now we're cruising Scandinavia, which I am sporadically updating on Watermelon's blog. Because of the way we're traveling, I don't have as much Internet access as I am used to, and though limiting, the cruise is the object, not the writing about it.

There are plenty of sites that I register for that allow me immediate and free access. Right now, with the unusually poor weather in Scandinavia, weather sites are the most notable and important. I like to know up front, however, if I must pay for what I am looking for.

When I see a site that I would like to see more of, and it requires registration, I don't mind spending some of my internet time to register. If, however, I then discover that I must go further, and pay, and spend even more of my precious time, I get very cranky. I thnk that's what people are most annoyed about. Honesty works.

Having a good time regardless of the weather. Just not enough time to see it ALL!

Fair winds,

Jeanne