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Old 21-05-2018, 06:50   #1
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USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP



[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]
Candidly, you can swing a dead minnow around here and hit a dozen people who do deliveries. We all have 100K+ of miles, and many years of experience. So how do you pick a delivery captain? Price?
If your goal is to find the lowest price, please read no further.
Over the years, I have lost deliveries to lower bidders. Several times the boat owner has subsequently contacted me to help him finish a delivery that was started by others. This year, the conditions were ‘too rough’ for the hired skipper’s crew/girlfriend. They made for port, the owner graciously released them and he called me from Tortola. The two of us double-handed the boat to Exuma.


If your goal is to have your boat delivered by a carrying professional who will treat your boat BETTER than he treats his own- read on.

There are several things that set me apart from most other Licensed Masters who do deliveries.


1. My specialty is jobs no one will touch. 35 year old boat, no auto-pilot, dodgy in-mast furler? Did it. Little 24' PSC Flicka that on one will "lower themselves to"? Did it. Need to move a boat with no depthfinder, no compass, no chart plotter, no VHF no autopilot and no means of recharging my iPad? On a route that required 6 bridge openings. Yea did that also. I will also do mundane jobs, where all the systems work!

2. The recurring comments in my customer feedback is my professionalism, teaching skills and calmness. Owner assisted deliveries (no extra charge) invariably turn into on the water training classes. Be it rules of the road, horn signals, or how to manage the new boat's systems, there is always some learning.

3-On request, I will provide my CV and not only references, but social media posts from satisfied delivery customers, charter guests and ASA students.

4- All deliveries include access to my satellite tracking and communication during the delivery. This allows owners who are not onboard to track the progress of the trip, or to be consulted, if needed. Should the owner choose to come along, they can receive texts from loved ones when we are out of cell range.

5-At the end of every delivery, I provide a report on the vessel. This report provides suggested improvements- it can be something as mundane as adding USB charging ports in the staterooms, or identifying running rigging that is nearing the end of its life, or a suggestion on how better network the electronics.


Your delivery can be owner-assisted, solely my crew, volunteer crew, or a hybrid. My affiliation with a top shelf ASA school allows me to conduct classes on your boat that comply with ASA standards.


My goal is not to be the cheapest captain on a job. My goal is to deliver your boat in the same, or better condition than when I boarded her. Your boat will be treated BETTER than I treat my own.


.
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Old 21-05-2018, 19:43   #2
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

"We all have 100K+ of miles, and many years of experience. So how do you pick a delivery captain? Price? "

Random selection by swinging a dead minnow? 😉
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Old 22-05-2018, 02:12   #3
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

[QUOTE=Snore;2636272

My specialty is jobs no one will touch. 35 year old no auto-pilot, dodgy in-mast furler
ne will "lower themselves to"? Did it. Need to move a boat with no depthfinder, no compass no chart plotter, no vhf autopilot and no means of recharging my Ipad. On a route that required 6 bridge openings. Yea did that also. I will also do mundane jobs, where all the systems work!

[/QUOTE]

Sounds like you enjoy a challenge, but are you really doing the client a favor by reinforcing the concept of unnecessary risk taking, where a bit of maintenance and minor investment would make for a less stressful passage.
Personally and professionally, I try to make every passage "mundane" [emoji4]
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Old 22-05-2018, 03:12   #4
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Ahh.. Pelagic.. the challenge and joy is in finding the solutions and workarounds.. charging is easy.. just buy a car cigar lighter and wire direct to a battery for the trip.. contaminated/blocked fuel.. create your own fuel tank and supply.. that can happen on any boat..
Good skippers are versitile.. just some are crankier than others.

A twitching Guppy
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Old 22-05-2018, 05:32   #5
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

Reminds me of this:
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Old 22-05-2018, 06:07   #6
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pelagic View Post
Sounds like you enjoy a challenge, but are you really doing the client a favor by reinforcing the concept of unnecessary risk taking, where a bit of maintenance and minor investment would make for a less stressful passage.
Personally and professionally, I try to make every passage "mundane" [emoji4]


Only a fool takes unnecessary risks. Me, I look at the boat, the trip and come up with a plan. If you asked me to deliver your 35 year old Hunter 28 with 20 year old rigging from Ft Laud to Tortola- I would pass. Make that a PSC Flicka- and I would take it.


Ask me to move a new-to-you boat that is structurally sound, but needs repairs a reasonable distance, and I will do it. That is not a disservice, nor being a fool- that is taking reasonable risks to serve clients.


It is the rare delivery that is truly mundane.
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Old 22-05-2018, 10:05   #7
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

So what is your price?
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Old 22-05-2018, 10:17   #8
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

What is a fair price for all you do for a delivery? May need one in the future and would like to be part of the delivery to learn from someone with that much experience. Thanks for posting.
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Old 22-05-2018, 10:29   #9
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mithril Bham View Post
So what is your price?

Depends on boat, distance, time needed for the passage, etc. please email me the particulars or use the form on my website.

Bill
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Old 22-05-2018, 10:32   #10
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

Quote:
Originally Posted by Puget Dan View Post
What is a fair price for all you do for a delivery? May need one in the future and would like to be part of the delivery to learn from someone with that much experience. Thanks for posting.
Depends on boat, distance, time needed for the passage, etc. I hesitate to do quotes for hypothetical passages as quotes take a fair amount of time.

Bill
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Old 22-05-2018, 14:17   #11
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

Quote:
Originally Posted by Snore View Post


My goal is not to be the cheapest captain on a job. My goal is to deliver your boat in the same, or better condition than when I boarded her. Your boat will be treated BETTER than I treat my own.


I am not a delivery captain but if I were hiring one I would want the kind of service, experience and professionalism you provide.

I was in the film industry for a number of years hiring out as a Camera Operator/Director of Photography. When discussions with a prospective client turned to the fees I charged for my experience, service and equipment inevitably some clients offered far less than my standard rate. If we were unable to reach an agreement then I would generally say something like "I regret that your budget doesn't allow us to work together. I am happy to refer you to a couple of other Camera Operators in the area. They do not have my experience, nor do they bring the same expertise or specialty equipment I provide but they are cheaper. Would you like their contact information?" More often than not they would start backtracking and I would usually get the job.

Which is all to say I understand your position and your refusal to compromise your standards.

As Mr. Natural would say "Jes keep on truckin'"
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Old 22-05-2018, 15:06   #12
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

Hi Bill.

What follows is written in a friendly tone of voice, and with the sole intent to help you and others.

You mentioned in your description you have 100K+ miles. I consider that impressive for anyone who boats, but I also like to learn more about that kind of experience.

I am always curious about where those miles came from (whether on lakes, rivers, ICW, coastal cruising, or offshore or circumnavigation) and how (e.g. on what kind of boats, sailing or power, recreational sailing or professional crew on commercial ships, etc.). I think telling us on CF more about that (your experience sailing) would help, since miles alone can mean many things, or are described differently. I consider that for anyone who makes the public statement about their miles, so this is not a criticism of you.

For example, someone may have served in the Navy and have many ocean miles, but not much sailing experience on sailboats. So, I think more detailed description will help you (or other delivery captains) better identify the experience for others to understand.

Hope that helps you and others.
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Old 22-05-2018, 15:59   #13
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

Quote:
Originally Posted by Snore View Post


[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]
Candidly, you can swing a dead minnow around here and hit a dozen people who do deliveries. We all have 100K+ of miles, and many years of experience. So how do you pick a delivery captain? Price?
If your goal is to find the lowest price, please read no further.
Over the years, I have lost deliveries to lower bidders. Several times the boat owner has subsequently contacted me to help him finish a delivery that was started by others. This year, the conditions were ‘too rough’ for the hired skipper’s crew/girlfriend. They made for port, the owner graciously released them and he called me from Tortola. The two of us double-handed the boat to Exuma.


If your goal is to have your boat delivered by a carrying professional who will treat your boat BETTER than he treats his own- read on.

There are several things that set me apart from most other Licensed Masters who do deliveries.


1. My specialty is jobs no one will touch. 35 year old boat, no auto-pilot, dodgy in-mast furler? Did it. Little 24' PSC Flicka that on one will "lower themselves to"? Did it. Need to move a boat with no depthfinder, no compass, no chart plotter, no VHF no autopilot and no means of recharging my iPad? On a route that required 6 bridge openings. Yea did that also. I will also do mundane jobs, where all the systems work!

2. The recurring comments in my customer feedback is my professionalism, teaching skills and calmness. Owner assisted deliveries (no extra charge) invariably turn into on the water training classes. Be it rules of the road, horn signals, or how to manage the new boat's systems, there is always some learning.

3-On request, I will provide my CV and not only references, but social media posts from satisfied delivery customers, charter guests and ASA students.

4- All deliveries include access to my satellite tracking and communication during the delivery. This allows owners who are not onboard to track the progress of the trip, or to be consulted, if needed. Should the owner choose to come along, they can receive texts from loved ones when we are out of cell range.

5-At the end of every delivery, I provide a report on the vessel. This report provides suggested improvements- it can be something as mundane as adding USB charging ports in the staterooms, or identifying running rigging that is nearing the end of its life, or a suggestion on how better network the electronics.


Your delivery can be owner-assisted, solely my crew, volunteer crew, or a hybrid. My affiliation with a top shelf ASA school allows me to conduct classes on your boat that comply with ASA standards.


My goal is not to be the cheapest captain on a job. My goal is to deliver your boat in the same, or better condition than when I boarded her. Your boat will be treated BETTER than I treat my own.


.
I have done 10 deliveries and the most important detail is to reserve time to do a full check of the operation of all mechanical and service of all equipment before departure. Discuss with the owner the deficiencies and the repairs. I never leave the dock until I am comfortable with the vessel. Also in long voyages I provided a detailed itinerary of every stop as some owner's guests, family and friends would join the vessel for different legs of the trip. I would also point out to the party goers that I would not clean up their messes and their leftovers on the vessel when they would leave. Never had a problem... Many grrreat trips...
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Old 22-05-2018, 15:59   #14
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steadman Uhlich View Post
Hi Bill.

What follows is written in a friendly tone of voice, and with the sole intent to help you and others.

You mentioned in your description you have 100K+ miles. I consider that impressive for anyone who boats, but I also like to learn more about that kind of experience.

I am always curious about where those miles came from (whether on lakes, rivers, ICW, coastal cruising, or offshore or circumnavigation) and how (e.g. on what kind of boats, sailing or power, recreational sailing or professional crew on commercial ships, etc.). I think telling us on CF more about that (your experience sailing) would help, since miles alone can mean many things, or are described differently. I consider that for anyone who makes the public statement about their miles, so this is not a criticism of you.

For example, someone may have served in the Navy and have many ocean miles, but not much sailing experience on sailboats. So, I think more detailed description will help you (or other delivery captains) better identify the experience for others to understand.

Hope that helps you and others.
These are things, I will gladly discuss my credentials with interested first parties. Those people can find information on my website, I have collected compliments and reviews from my satisfied customers.

I am not getting into a procotscopic evaluation of every tack I made “for the sport of it.”
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Old 22-05-2018, 16:08   #15
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Re: USCG Master Available Good BUT NOT CHEAP

Quote:
Originally Posted by boatman61 View Post
Ahh.. Pelagic.. the challenge and joy is in finding the solutions and workarounds.. charging is easy.. just buy a car cigar lighter and wire direct to a battery for the trip.. contaminated/blocked fuel.. create your own fuel tank and supply.. that can happen on any boat..
Good skippers are versitile.. just some are crankier than others.

A twitching Guppy
Hi Boatie, I hear you about having that ability to improvise as we all have done on deliveries.

It gets even worse when it is a super yacht, neglected for years and is being delivered half way around the world for a major refit for a new Owner.
Systems are all ready to fail.

However, there are certain types of skippers and owners, who actually revel in crisis management, rather than being proactive in a detail survey and fix problems in a dependable fashion, before crossing an Ocean.

Sure you can Micky mouse almost anything in a coastal delivery to get to the nearest port if critical.
But when Micky turns to Murphy you need to ask yourself if the OP's marketing ego was a contributing factor?
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