Vagabond Sailing, a new Internet start-up community, is hoping to appeal to vacationers looking for something a little bit out of the ordinary.
Offering a chance for travelers to virtually meet and plan trips together, Vagabond Sailing gives its members the opportunity to get to know who is going where and when, to join a group prior to departure and to get involved in the trip organization. Launched Jan. 5, 2010, Vagabond Sailing already has more than 100 members.
According to Marco Grasso, the site’s founder, the purpose of Vagabond Sailing is “to organize sailing trips all over the world as an opportunity for people to meet each other and enjoy awesome experiences together.”
Both novice and experienced sailors are invited to join.  Vagabond Sailing seeks to connect people in order to plan group sailing trips, called “seatrips.”
“Our idea is that finding yourself on a boat with a bunch of ‘strangers’ from different countries and backgrounds and [working] as a team will help foster a better cultural understanding and respect,” Grasso said.
Grasso, a native of Italy who is currently studying in England, teamed up with Texas State University grad Robert Patrick to start up the website.  The two met in 2005 through a similar community, www.couchsurfing.com.  Couchsurfing.com connects travelers with the people living in the communities they visit around the world, providing them with an alternative to staying in a hotel or youth hostel. Patrick was able to stay with Grasso and his family in Rome, and the two formed a close friendship.
“We wanted to make sure others would get on board—pardon the pun—so we decided to conduct some research,” Grasso said.
They created an online survey to measure interest in the basic concept, and the results were incredibly positive. Vagabond Sailing was always envisioned as a social community, since they needed a technical solution to make connecting people, coordinating travel and planning adventures possible.
Vagabond Sailing is a non-profit company and is free for anyone to join.
“We did not create the site to become rich,” Grasso said.
Their maintenance costs are covered by donations and sponsor contributions. Members only share the travel costs—boat rental, food, fuel, etc. —that they commit to keep as low as possible.  Members are encouraged to create detailed profiles and participate in the planning process of sailing voyages, as well as forum discussions and events, so they can help the community thrive.  It is open to all, and the only requirement is that users must be over 18 years of age.
The first two voyages will take place in July 2010, sailing from Tuscany to Barcelona.
Vagabond Sailing experience will help open people’s minds and give each member a new way to look at life,” Grasso said.
For more information about the site, visit www.vagabond-sailing.com.