Crew Wanted: Delivery Captain Rates ?

[JamuJoe]

I would appreciate input on day rates (onboard and travel) for a licensed USA delivery captain. The passage would be from East Coast Mexico to US Gulf Coast, approx 5-7 days. As this is somewhat sensitive, please pm me with any input.

[Stephen Hicks]

I require $250 per day plus expenses

[capngeo]

$300/day + expenses

[rebel heart]

You can find as low as 100/day, but I'm 300/day. That's the general range. Whomever you get, ask for several recent references.

[Knowazark]

What's considered to be acceptable expenses? Airfares to and from pick up/delivery points? Food? Fuel and water? Who's responsible for damages to the boat en route (e.g. torn sails, chafed rope, etc)?

Just interested in the general conventions and understood protocols.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Knowazark

What's considered to be acceptable expenses? Airfares to and from pick up/delivery points? Food? Fuel and water? Who's responsible for damages to the boat en route (e.g. torn sails, chafed rope, etc)?

Just interested in the general conventions and understood protocols.

Expense's are usually airfares and all travel costs including food/accomodation during trip to vessel... food on board, fuel, repairs needed, in fact all boat expenses from the moment one takes command.. oh... and return to base expenses..
Wear and Tear is par for the course...

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Knowazark

What's considered to be acceptable expenses? Airfares to and from pick up/delivery points? Food? Fuel and water? Who's responsible for damages to the boat en route (e.g. torn sails, chafed rope, etc)?

Just interested in the general conventions and understood protocols.

The guy who runs the charter operation I work for has a pretty cool system. He's a super experienced delivery guy who passes up way more work than he takes at this point. His method:

Has the client put some amount (usually 2K) in an account and give him (the captain) a card to use for boat expenses beyond airfare (fuel, marina stops, aa batteries, new flares, all the stuff you might normally use, etc). He keeps 20% of the balance when he arrives. So the money is there if he needs it, and it's in his best interests to not spend a penny of it.

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

The guy who runs the charter operation I work for has a pretty cool system. He's a super experienced delivery guy who passes up way more work than he takes at this point. His method:

Has the client put some amount (usually 2K) in an account and give him (the captain) a card to use for boat expenses beyond airfare (fuel, marina stops, aa batteries, new flares, all the stuff you might normally use, etc). He keeps 20% of the balance when he arrives. So the money is there if he needs it, and it's in his best interests to not spend a penny of it.

That's a REALLY good idea.

[capcook]

Just curious, what is done about crew? Does the 300 per day plus exp cover crew or do most guys do this single handed? I am assuming if a an owner with too few hours (inexperienced) wanted to go along that would be ok.

Cheers

[ausaviator]

Some captains have crew, some don't. Some charge for their crew and some don't. Eg., they might not charge if their wife comes along. Usually, they know of crew and how much they charge from previous trips, eg, $50-$100 per day each.

I've never heard of an owner not being able to be on-board for the trip, but if they were inexperienced in the eyes of the captain and there wasn't enough berths, then that would be an interesting discussion to have!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by capcook

Just curious, what is done about crew? Does the 300 per day plus exp cover crew or do most guys do this single handed? I am assuming if a an owner with too few hours (inexperienced) wanted to go along that would be ok.

Cheers

Owner assists are pretty common.. last year 4 out of my 5 trips were with the owners either the whole or part way...
If crew are needed one finds friends who want an adventure or miles... all expenses paid... or failing that posting on here...

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by ausaviator

Some captains have crew, some don't. Some charge for their crew and some don't. Eg., they might not charge if their wife comes along. Usually, they know of crew and how much they charge from previous trips, eg, $50-$100 per day each.

I've never heard of an owner not being able to be on-board for the trip, but if they were inexperienced in the eyes of the captain and there wasn't enough berths, then that would be an interesting discussion to have!

The bigger problem I see is the owner<->captain conflict. I walked away from a situation that was going to be like that.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

The bigger problem I see is the owner<->captain conflict. I walked away from a situation that was going to be like that.

Easily resolved... they can be boss for as long as I agree... usually they're happy to pass the job over when the crap arrives...
else we can head for a port and one of us can get off....
Fortunately my contract is worded in such a way I've not had to get off yet... though one owner had to...

[bchaps]

When the Delivery Captain I hired realized I had no experience, he immediately put me on the helm and was "instructing" me for the next three days. His price was $250 per day and I gave him $1,000. which included four hours of docking instruction the next day.

I learned more in those four days than any structured course could provide. Probably the best boat buck I spent.

Bill

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by bchaps

When the Delivery Captain I hired realized I had no experience, he immediately put me on the helm and was "instructing" me for the next three days. His price was $250 per day and I gave him $1,000. which included four hours of docking instruction the next day.

I learned more in those four days than any structured course could provide. Probably the best boat buck I spent.

Bill

That's a really cool story. I bet these four hours of docking have paid dividends.