Lovesail: Where Sailing Enthusiasts Enjoy a Shipshape Dating & Social Networking Site

The Short Version: Dating is all about common interests. If your date doesn’t share your passions, it’s hard to keep the relationship afloat. Many sea-faring singles want a partner to set sail with — not someone who’ll tie them to shore. If you’re hoping to add to your sailing crew, Lovesail can tide you over with a nautical community of daters who enjoy boating, yachting, sailing, and exploring new shores. The niche dating site facilitates networking with sailors across the globe from the US to Australia. On Lovesail, sailing enthusiasts send messages, post events, and meet available men and women looking for romance on the open seas. Anchors aweigh!

When an Australian travel writer joined Lovesail, a dating and social networking site for sailors, she figured she didn’t have anything to lose. She was sick of general dating websites full of landlubbers and couch potatoes. She wanted a man of adventure to set sail and travel the world with her. Lovesail turned out to be the perfect platform for her.

She soon connected with a lonely South African on the site. He was sitting on his yacht in Fiji and likewise looking for someone who loved the sea. She threw caution to the wind and decided, on a whim, to go meet him. Six months later, the couple started living together on his boat and have joined a floating community that explores islands while cruising the crystal blue waters of the South Pacific.

Thanks to Lovesail’s intrepid online community, it’s easy for travel writers, yacht owners, and other sailing enthusiasts to meet one another. If you’re looking for a first mate on your next voyage, Lovesail is a great place to start. This dating site was made to introduce sailors to a seaworthy date, friend, or crew member.

Erica Joyce runs Lovesail with the watchwords: friendliness, relevance, value, and discretion.

Launched in 2004, Lovesail is a friendly vessel for daters to meet one another. “I was inspired as I’ve always loved yachts, yachting, and yachties!” Erica Joyce, Lovesail Administrator and Owner, said about why she took over the website in 2010. Today, she pilots Lovesail largely on her own because she feels passionate about its mission: “It’s a labor of love and requires me to be available 365 days of the year.”

There are two types of membership on Lovesail: Free and Gold. Free members can access profiles, receive matchmaker mailers, and enjoy discounts on merchandise on sailing events — but they cannot communicate with anyone online. To post crewing opportunities and send messages, you’ll need to sign up for a one-month, three-month, six-month, or an unlimited Gold membership plan. The unlimited subscription has the the best value because it includes lifetime access to all features on the dating site. That way, your dating opportunities are endless.

Lovesail serves as as a meeting place for sailing enthusiasts around the world. After signing up, you’ll find yourself in a safe harbor surrounded by seamen (and women) worth their salt.

“We sailors are already sociable and wrapped up in the romance of sailing and the sea,” Erica explained. “With these traits, I’m helping my members to meet — and the rest, I will leave to human nature.”

Lovesail welcomes a diverse crew of sailing enthusiasts to its streamlined dating network. The site’s users are of sailing age (25+) and share a love for casting off into open waters. Typically, the men and women hail from the US, Europe, or Australia, though the site also reaches the shores of many other countries around the globe. However, Erica said the site does automatically block certain nations known for spamming and cybercrime.

Lovesail members can rest assured that every member has a genuine interest in sailing, boating, or yachting. The team vets the sailing pedigree of new members and monitors activity to ensure everyone stays above board while online dating. The team works hard to safeguard Lovesail against non-sailor members signing up because, as Erica said, “The formula is successful because Lovesail members already love sailing!”

“Niche sites work because people with the same interests have a common bond… after all, those who play together, stay together.” — Erica Joyce, Administrator and Owner of Lovesail

On Lovesail, you’ll find people of all experience levels, from boating novices to seasoned circumnavigators. Some users have a boat, while others do not. The membership base of seafaring folk includes a diverse mix of backgrounds, all united by common interests. Secure in a close-knit community, sailors exchange greetings and invite one another to join them on their next voyage.

“My members are often witty, intelligent, interesting, and resourceful people who are passionate about nature,” Erica said. “I identify with my membership, and many of them have engaged in correspondence with me and become personal friends.”

A lot of the content on Lovesail is member profiles, but there are also sections where admins and users can post about sailing events. Whether you want to advertise for a new crew member or attract participants to a local sailing event, Lovesail gives nautical men and women the opportunity to find ways to connect online and in real life.

In addition to keeping the site running day to day, Erica stays on top of the goings on of sailing groups to share with her members on social media. She writes many articles and blog posts relevant to the sailing lifestyle.

Lovesail encourages members to explore a worldwide network of savvy sailors.

Lovesail’s News section can help you find your bearings and plot a course to an active social calendar. Experts in the sailing industry, Erica included, write tons of articles on sailing-related topics like how to spot a green flash on the horizon or how to send out a distress call. Sometimes the articles delve into naval history or myths about the sea.

“I aim to keep the articles light, interesting, and fun,” Erica told us. “I focus on sailing tips, history, and sea-related current affairs.”

Additionally, Lovesail promotes competitions every now and then to tempt members with prizes like a nautical book or a lifetime Gold Membership. Sometimes it’s a photo competition, and other times it’s just a random giveaway. Such competitions engage the Lovesail community in a fun way.

Social sailors on the dating site enjoy an engaging online experience bolstered by expert recommendations, event opportunities, and date prospects. “The philosophy of Lovesail is simple,” Erica said, “I want the highest quality site for those who love sailing — and to give them great value for money.”

Customer satisfaction is a high priority for the Lovesail crew. Erica said it’s often member suggestions that tell her where to set her sails. She heeds all comments and tends to all complaints in a diligent and thorough manner. As a result, the Lovesail community has thrived.

“My intention is always to provide a level of service and membership that I would wish for myself,” Erica said. “That means keeping things relevant while maintaining fairness, discretion, and value for money.”

Over the years, Erica has received many compliments and thank-you letters from members who found their sailing partners on Lovesail. You can read through the site’s testimonials here. “Met here on Lovesail, fell in love, and plan on sailing happily ever after,” said LF, a user who wrote in 2016 to wish other members good luck.

Another anonymous member said she met her husband on the dating platform in 2015 and got married the next year. They actually had three wedding ceremonies at various islands and locations they sailed to. “We are now sailing around the world,” she said. “Currently in New Zealand. We are just thrilled with this life and feel so very lucky!”

“This site works. I met an amazing lady on this site, and we are now a couple. Planning to leave next spring for our next adventure.” — S, a Lovesail user in a comment on April 2016

Around Valentine’s Day in 2015, one Lovesail user wrote in simply, “I have happily found my sailor boy.” Sharing a common interest or hobby is a great way to bond with someone new, so it’s no wonder the Lovesail team has seen so many nautical relationships flourish on the site.

As JC put it: “I like this site because people that sail have so much in common, and it’s hard to meet single people who sail.” Or it was until Lovesail launched an online community of sociable sailors worldwide.

Before you hoist the white flag in the dating scene, you can sign up to Lovesail to network in an active community of sailing enthusiasts looking for someone like you. Lovesail’s seaworthy tools help you navigate the dating waters and find that sailing partner to travel the globe with you.

Lovesail doesn’t leave singles high and dry but brings them together in a friendly online space. By signing up to the niche dating site, adventurous singles — like the travel writer from Australia — can make friends, join events, and build a relationship based on mutual interests. If you’re looking for someone special to sail with, Lovesail can quickly introduce you to a variety of people who will float your boat.

“I’m really proud of Lovesail, and I love its vibe,” Erica said. “It really does feel very positive. I like what Lovesail stands for and what I’ve achieved.”