Budget example
A typical cost split for a sailing voyage dream in Seattle, shown in USD. Backers are charged the equivalent in US dollars.
Example goal
$25,000
- Vessel repairs and equipment$10,000 · 40%
- Passage supplies and harbour costs$6,250 · 25%
- Preparation labour and sea trials$6,250 · 25%
- Navigation and communications$2,500 · 10%
What you receive
- Backers give
- $25,000
- Platform fee (15%)
- −$3,750
- You receive
- $21,250
- 01
Price from quotes, not hopes
Get at least two quotes for every large cost and note what is included. Backers rarely mind a high goal; they mind a goal that looks invented.
- 02
Plan for what you receive
The platform fee is deducted from each backing, so you receive 85% of what Backers give. Set the goal so that amount covers your real costs.
- 03
Add a small buffer
Prices move. A buffer of five to ten percent in your last milestone covers surprises without making the goal look padded. Say so openly in your story.
Example milestone plan
An example plan for a sailing voyage dream with a goal of $25,000. Backers fund the whole goal, but each milestone's money stays held until you post the proof and Backers release it.
Milestone 1
$6,250 · 25%
Assess vessel and passage
Post a vessel condition summary, proposed passage plan and itemised repair quotes, with ownership and contact details hidden.
Milestone 2
$7,500 · 30%
Complete refit and checks
Share dated repair photos, parts invoices and completed system check records showing the boat’s preparation for sea trials.
Milestone 3
$3,750 · 15%
Run trials and provision
Post a sea-trial log, provision receipts and a departure checklist, without sharing live locations or private crew details.
Milestone 4
$7,500 · 30%
Record the sailing passage
Share a dated passage log, arrival photos and harbour or support receipts, explaining any route changes and unfinished legs.
Risks to plan for
- R1
Refit reveals more work
Opening up a repair can reveal further worn components. Complete the vessel assessment first and keep a refit contingency before committing to departure dates or passage bookings.
- R2
Weather changes route
A weather window may close after the boat is ready. Build waiting time and alternative stops into the passage budget, and make the final proof a factual log rather than a fixed arrival date.
- R3
Trial exposes faults
Systems may behave differently under load than alongside the dock. Give sea trials their own milestone and allow repair time before buying all perishable passage supplies.
How Backers are protected
14-day review per milestone
When proof is posted, each Backer has 14 days to release their share or ask for more. Money not released in time goes back to the Backer.
15% fee, deducted — never added
Backers pay exactly what they choose. The 15% fee comes out of each backing: $100 gives the Dreamer $85. The fee is kept if money is returned.
Gifts, not shares
Backings are gifts. No shares, equity, interest or repayment, and Dreamers keep full ownership. Nothing on cohero is an investment or a loan.
Questions and answers
Should my goal include the platform fee?
Yes. The fee is taken from the backing, never added for the Backer. With a goal of $25,000, you receive $21,250 once everything is released.
Can the dream fund repairs as well as the voyage?
Show which repairs are needed for the planned passage and separate them from unrelated improvements. Use condition records, repair invoices and sea-trial notes before the final passage log so Backers can follow the sequence.
Should I share live tracking with Backers?
You can use a delayed route summary and dated log instead of publishing live positions. Explain your reporting schedule before departure and keep crew identities, berth details and private communications out of public proof.
Ready when you are
Sign in or create an account to publish a dream or back the ones you believe in.
Sign in / Create account