Owner Assisted Delivery Cost?

[MBLittle]

We are currently in the early buying phase for our cruising yacht and have absolutely no idea what an owner assisted delivery might cost.

Where can someone find going rates for such a thing?

It would really help us lock down a suggested range for boat browsing.

We live in St Thomas and are looking at boats as far north as North Carolina, which (I'm estimating) would be a roughly 14 day trip (NC>Brunswick>Miami>T&C>STT with 24 hours in each of the three stops).

There are of course a ton of boats between PR and BVI but going up the ICW a little opens the options and price up a little bit.

Any help in pointing to the right direction would be greatly appreciated!

[boatpoker]

My wife and I charge $450.00/day ....$1000.00/day if the owner is aboard.

[Captain Bligh]

Im going to take a wild guess and say that owner assisted delivery would be more expensive than non-owner assisted delivery. But that is just my perspective.

[Captain Bligh]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

My wife and I charge $450.00/day ....$1000.00/day if the owner is aboard.

Well, someone answered before me. And I see my answer was a pretty good guess.

[MBLittle]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

My wife and I charge $450.00/day ....$1000.00/day if the owner is aboard.

That's not nice!

Also can't tell if it's all sarcasm or not

[MBLittle]

Originally Posted by Captain Bligh

Im going to take a wild guess and say that owner assisted delivery would be more expensive than non-owner assisted delivery. But that is just my perspective.

Is that because the owners are seen as a liability or a pain...or both?

[barnakiel]

I charge more if the owner is onboard.

Ex owner: 1 unit per mile on easy downwind tropical passages. More if it is upwind/rough/cold water, etc.

Last season West Indies to UK EUR 8k plus fuel/marinas/crew. Boat 40'.

b.

[boatpoker]

We would never take a boat out in dangerous weather but on delivery you tend to go when the Chardonay set stays on the dock. I learned early on that I do not have the temperment to put up with violently sea sick newbies nor clean up their mess.

Once crossing a very busy shipping lane at midnight in heavy rain I had to threaten an owner to get him to stop playing with the radar.

I'm a slow learner. On approaching the home harbour, the owner wanted to show off his new boat to his friends waiting on the dock so he took the wheel. After he got crossways in a narrow, deadend channel with a beam wind, he walked away from the wheel and said "you do it".

After that one I stopped taking owners.

[JPA Cate]

MBLittle,

Sorry, but it is comomon practice for delivery skippers to charge more if the owner is aboard, particularly when the owner is lookiing for a situation in which he or she will be instructed. It really is much more responsibility for the delivery skipper.

[SV Maclas]

Imagine if you are a car mechanic and your customers want to hang out and watch as you fix their engine, asking questions the whole way. It is not likely that you are going to keep charging the conventional rate.

[MBLittle]

I can very much understand a higher rate for an owner onboard, especially a two week sail.

My reaction was to the double rate.

If a delivery skipper charged $300 a day for normal deliveries and $400 a day for owner assisted delivery, I would see that as money well spent, but $1,000 a day?

We're talking a very capable, hard working, motivated, quick learning couple that would want to do 99% hands on. We're both Army vets and are no strangers to long hard days. In fact, that's usually when we are at our best. Having an experienced captain point you in the right direction while sailing and learning your own boat is worth a price. To me, $1,000 a day isn't that price.

Perhaps I'm the one way off and such is life.

I really appreciate all the input so far and am grateful for the advice!

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by MBLittle

We are currently in the early buying phase for our cruising yacht and have absolutely no idea what an owner assisted delivery might cost.

Where can someone find going rates for such a thing?

It would really help us lock down a suggested range for boat browsing.

We live in St Thomas and are looking at boats as far north as North Carolina, which (I'm estimating) would be a roughly 14 day trip (NC>Brunswick>Miami>T&C>STT with 24 hours in each of the three stops).

There are of course a ton of boats between PR and BVI but going up the ICW a little opens the options and price up a little bit.

Any help in pointing to the right direction would be greatly appreciated!

MBLittle,
My first suggestion is to not ask this question on Cruisers Forum. Some (but not all) of the so-called delivery skippers on this site are completely full of themselves. You can tell from the few responses you have already received. Of course anyone who suggests they would charge more with you on board should automatically be eliminated from consideration.

You can get a very competent Co-captain for between $100 and $150 per day in the Caribbean plus a return plane ticket. It's not like it's a hard job. The best source for captains will be at the marinas or the local sailor bar. They may not be there but there will be plenty of suggestions.

A really good place to look is findacrew.net. The cost is something like $70 per quarter but you will only need to subscribe for one. There are filtering options to help you find sailors in specific areas. I had so many responses using this service I had to turn off my listing after two weeks.

[Richard5]

MBLittle, generally speaking, having the owner aboard, aka, 'participating' results in a higher daily rate due to the anticipation of increased 'hassle factor'. However, it does come down to the personal interview. Most folks hold the perception they are more qualified than what reality suggests.

Speaking of perceptions, the delivery skipper wants to deliver the boat on a swift, safe voyage. The owner usually perceives the voyage as an opportunity for something else. Too, the hired skip has a certain way of doing things while the owner may also have a certain way. Often this presents a clash of ideas. Even if the owner explicitly agrees he is NOT the final authority of the boat until safe arrival at the appointed destination he may try to usurp the authority of the hired skip.

The $1,000/day above a standard $450/day is a bit tongue in cheek but not far off the mark. File this under, Bid high and its fine if the owner doesn't accept.


Now, you and your wife both having military background makes you exceptional. Both of you have proven your abilities and demonstrated an expanded skill set. Plus, you can take orders and understand the hierarchy, 'chain of command' which must be preserved even in extremis. In this case, I would expect a delivery captain would consider a discount to deliver your boat with owner aboard.

[Richard5]

Originally Posted by Palarran

It's not like it's a hard job.

The best compliment I've ever gotten was, "You make it look easy". One doesn't buy a warm body, they are buying experience. This can be summed up as, A superior captain uses his superior experience to avoid situations which require superior skill. Also, one may delegate a task but they cannot delegate authority. The bucks stops with one person and that is the captain. That daily rate isn't to pay back student loans, instead it is in recognition of professional services rendered.

A really good place to look is findacrew.net.

Here is a good lead although as always, caveat emptor.

[Scott Berg]

I joke that I charge double for an owner 'assisted' delivery because I have to hire another captain to handle the boat while I handle the owner. In truth I don't mind teaching the owners if they have a good attitude but do take along an extra mate so it raises the charge by about $200/day from my usual $450 coastal/$400 offshore.

One thought; if I were going from NC to STT on a well found yacht I'd prefer heading toward to Bermuda and falling off at about 65W and going straight there; faster and much better sailing once the easting is made that far north; to each one's own…