Travel by sailboat, without owning one

Yes. It’s aimed at you! Most people in the community started with zero. There are sailing lessons with skipper Andy, and the rest of it is about finding the boat, the people, and staying safe.

Not at all. Most people start with a week of island hopping. It covers everything from a weekend sail in the Med to an Atlantic crossing. Take what fits your life.

It’s a wild world and once at sea the captain decides. Safety is at the core. Module 5 is entirely about assessing boats and captains. There’s dedicated content on solo female crewing. The community is also a safety net: you can ask others about a captain or boat before you commit. It can all sound amazing on the internet. The reality can be different. Know what to be aware of.

Understandable. You’ll be able to show your family exactly how you’re keeping yourself safe and how they can track you. There’s a whole section on what to tell mum 🙂

Self-paced. Binge it in a weekend or do one module a week. Within your first month you can go from thinking about it to actively approaching boats, and the community stays with you after that.

Yes. The books tell the story and are mostly about crossing the Atlantic, published in 2017. This is up to date (2026) and gives you the tools, video lessons that apply worldwide, and the people: active boat owners, checklists, and sailing fundamentals with a professional skipper.

No. Travelling as crew is the most affordable way to experience life on a sailboat. In our Atlantic Crew Report, 53% of crew paid nothing for their crossing beyond shared costs. To give you an idea of the costs:

Renting a boat: €200 to 700 a day
A sailing course: €500 to 3,000
A sailing holiday: €700 to 3,000 a week
Hiring a captain: €150 to 500 a day
Buying a boat: €10,000+

Or sail as crew: €0 to 50 a day (sometimes getting paid). Crewing is quicker to realize, and you won’t become rich in money, you’ll become rich in memorable moments and beautiful connections with people and nature.

You don’t have to be rich for this, but you do have to choose differently. Zero to Ocean Nomad covers how to make it work financially, long term, and how Suzanne does it (not shared anywhere else).

You can start with a week of day sailing or coastal hopping, take a week off work and try it. Many members started this way. Zero to Ocean Nomad prepares you whether you have one week or a full year. Start first and the rest is found along the way. That said, many quit their job after tasting a different way to live 😉

Yes! maybe more than anyone. Crewing first is the smartest way to figure out what kind of boat, cruising style, and climate suits you before investing tens of thousands. Members like Nadiem crewed first, then bought their own boat through community connections. Start as crew, get a qualification or boat later that matches your real dream. It’s best to learn from different captains.

Yes, and many people do. You get an invoice with VAT after purchase. It is training in real skills: working safely on board, assessing risk, planning passages, living and working in a small team, and getting yourself into places you can only reach by sea. If you are a photographer, filmmaker or writer, it opens a world of stories and locations. If you work outdoors, in tourism, marine science, coaching or as a sailing instructor to be, it is a direct step in your profession. If you run your own business, it is how you set up a season of working from a boat. Whether it is deductible in your situation is a question for your accountant.

No. Ocean Nomads crew run from their 20s to their 80s, and about a quarter of the people who applied for our last expedition were over 55. Captains look at reliability, attitude and whether you’re fit enough for the passage. Several members started after retiring early.

Crew help sail, keep watch, cook and clean, and that is usually part of the deal. How much, and what you get in return, is something you agree before you go. Module 5 covers the expectations and agreements to settle before you step aboard, so there are no surprises at sea.

Then you’ve learned something cheaply. Most people start with a week of coastal sailing, not an ocean crossing, so you find out without committing months, or buying and preparing a boat with all your time and money.

Most people adjust within a few days. Module 7 covers what to expect, what helps, and what to have on board. Starting with a short coastal trip is a gentle way to find out how your body responds before committing to anything longer. There are some tricks to it. Most of us still get seasick.

That’s exactly why you should take a step. Being curious enough to look at it properly is enough to start, and it gives you clarity. From there, you decide. If you don’t try you don’t know.