New Life

[CaptainTtwo]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

If I understand correctly, Road Runner's question is: what class will help get him to his goals efficiently. Not whether it can be done. I am sure a delivery captain will pipe up soon.

I know in my experience, crewing was the absolute best way to gain knowledge and connections. The first time I crewed on a vessel was for free, but extremely profitable in my opinion because it gave me a starting point. Within five years of living aboard full time and crewing on boats, opportunities to captain vessels became more and more common. I never went that route because I have no desire to be a captain. Unbusted, I laughed when I read your post. Some of my fondest memories are of bedtime reading of Chapmans. I woke up more than once tangled in my knot tying practice line (that darn rabbit!).

Twenty years ago I dropped out of college and drove to the nearest water so I could "find a boat and sail around the world". Everyone thought I was nuts and nieve. They were right in many ways, except they didn't take into account the drive I have to be near/on the ocean. Nothing can stop our dreams but ourselves.

Erika


PS
I haven't sailed around the world (yet). I have logged over 20,000 ocean miles and people still think I am nuts and a bit nieve - go figure

PSS
Pilots make the BEST sailors!

Yup!!! thats what I'm talking about!!!

[BruceC]

Originally Posted by ROAD RUNNER

Ya I know they are working for hours, I have been there done that and worked my way up to flying a 362 passenger Tri-star. Then I had a heart attack and now I could probably Fly again, but my company went belly up and the industry is to competitive with my health history. This is why my post is called new life—No surprise a woman (Ocean Girl) kind of get's it. I am starting from scratch so I understand I will need to pay my dues again. The average non-military pilot is 30 by the time they get there first airline job so please don't bore me with the negative stuff. What I think I should have called my thread is CALLING ALL DELIVERY BOAT CAPTAINS! I bet the delivery boat Captains that make the best steady income work for a Yacht manufacturer; but full time is not really what I am looking for as I have already been there and done that.

You will not get many delivery skippers ansering this one, they dont need the competition in this world recession.

[MoonlightShadow]

I think whether you go ASA or RYA would depend a lot on where you intend to do most of your work, and where you base yourself. ASA for America, RYA for Europe.

I have no idea (but would be interested to hear from others) whether RYA/MCA tickets would be acceptable for commercial operations based in USA. Does the USA recognise RYA/MCA commercial tickets? I am aware that they are acceptable for say, a UK delivery skipper taking a boat into The US. But that is based upon the commercial arrangement not taking place in the USA (ie: in a situation where a foriegner did not need a USA work permit).

[CalebD]

The only thing that I am certain of is that if you want to take paying passengers out on a boat (power or sail) in the US you will need a minimum of a USCG six pack license; a 100 Ton Captains license might be even better. You would need this license as a 'Captain for hire' which could be a sideline business. I'm not sure that you absolutely need a USCG license to be a delivery captain but I bet it would help a great deal setting customers at ease with your qualifications.
I am under the impression that the RYA (UK) license program is quite extensive and may even be more thorough then ASA or other US sailing programs. It may also be more easily accepted in international situations. That said, it is just my impression and not a criticism of ASA or USS programs. If you want to work in the US then why not get your sailing credentials here?
I have a friend here who is a merchant mariner and had to get all kinds of credentials (read: expensive classes) to get his captains license. He is on a boat now as a 1st or 2nd Mate waiting for an opening as a Master (Cap'n). Lots of hoops to jump through in that career choice.
Good luck.

[Weyalan]

The problem that I see with trying to make a living in the sailing world is that most sailors (of sail boats) are doing it for fun, on a limited budget, so there is not a huge amount of money to be made. Might you consider getting some commercial tickets (whatever is your local equivalent of STCW95, for example) and making your money in commercial shipping, where there is money to be made, part time, and sailing for fun / free in between?

[cathyoz]

learning fiberglass , sanding , fixing boats is a better option that having to make a living with your own boat and all the regulations ..here in OZ i pay cash $ 30/hours the guy who help me ...
we work cool, in the shade and having fun ,,

[cathyoz]

i am myself a sailing instructor and qualified coxsain ..bla ..bla ..but all the regulations and liabilities are too much the last 10 years.
i am not even sure i will renew my coxsain ticket as even if i am sailing for plaisure with mates , or in a unpaid sail, if i am the more qualified person onboord, i still have some responsbilities in a event of an accident ..ect..
so the conclusion is :you take less rick to be sued orthe worries of manslawter charges if you have no qualification at all that if you have some sort of marine tickets ....

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

They're not nay-sayers, just realists. If you can survive and be happy making fifteen bucks an hour, hey, knock yourself out. But that is the reality of the sailing instructor gig. It ain't a way to make a living. And there are a lot of under-employed delivery skippers out there too.

Shoot... they were only paying me $12/hr in a boatyard stateside... n I know they were charging $70/hr for my services.....
You dont know when your well off...

[CaptainTtwo]

Well I have been off to Mexico, and me and the wife finally had a (just have fun) vacation as opposed to my normal adventure; glad we made it kind! I Thought my post had died out but I guess not. I am thankful for each and every post by the way. In Mexico I talked to a American Captain (USCG) and His advice was to get the (USGS) and not mess with the rest. He was of coarse doing charter with mostly US tourists to Whale watch + - Dolphin watch. I thought--- what a deal I could go to some port and make money taking tourists for a ride. Ya I know it's not that simple permits advertising ETC ETC...
Someone posted that the Delivery Captains were not really speaking out; and that was starting to cross my mind a while back as I planed our vacation. I think In the free lance world, like the other post kind of said it is not smart to give away the plan and make more competition. On the other hand I have a feeling it is also because they know there is no cookie cutter answer and there are more important factors than what license you have. For now my plan is to start at the bottom and move up and just get ratings and experience as I can. One thing I think I did learn from my last career is to do a better job at enjoying the journey as opposed to the destination: Pray or send good VIB'S my way as that is not in my nature!

[fishwife]

Hi

For my money, only 2 cents mind, the RYA OFF-Shore Yacht Master Certificate is more comprehensive than the USA Coastguards 100 ton Captains Certificate though if you are working entirely from the USA then I don't think it's going to matter a lot.

Whatever you do, best of luck.

P.

[CaptainTtwo]

I think I will be working towards the RYA rating's because of my main goal of boat delivery; but I can see the need for the USCG 100 ton for local stuff, as I will be sitting in Florida as I build experince.

[Jim D]

I would get the USGC license, and I am not aware that it is all that expensive to do so. I would also get trained as a bartender. In fact - I think I will go start on these soon. How can it hurt to have as many licenses and certifications in as many diferent things as you have the time and interest to achieve?

I am fully aware of the drive that brought forth the orignal question: do something fun, make a little change, meet some new people, feel good about it all. With a couple of college degrees and a strong work-ethic, coupled with even stronger fear-of-failure, I have made a fair amount of money in the worlds of corporate management, and professional services. And yes, indeed I have pis$ed away quite a lot of it. As I approach decade no. 6, I have zero interest in being "retired", but I might change what I do every day, and why I do it. Even as corporate executive, I have worked a lot of weekend days at a local running shop, fitting shoes, and telling folks about sox and heart rate monitors, and knocking back $10 bucks and hour, simply because it put me into a different, and fun environment, and added to my knowledge of a sport I enjoy. Road Runner, Carry On.

[boatpoker]

A lot of the megayacht and mini megayacht masters are RCA/MCA and make almost as much as the chef on board. A good gig is 100k plus and usually paid offshore. I guess its up to you whether or not you declare it .

Deliveries are a fun sideline for me but I only do them under certain conditions.
1. ) no sailboats. (too cheap).
2. ) I must find the boat or the trip interesting.
3. ) No owners on board (been there, done that, never again.
4. ) either my wife or son makes the trip with me.

Most of my deliveries are in the Great Lakes so 6-8 days max. Oswego - Duluth but I'll never get rich with the going rate of $450.00 per day for both of us. Of course this is exclusive of expenses. I never take a penny out of my own pocket and have cash in hand before I leave my home.

[CaptainTtwo]

Originally Posted by Jim D

I would get the USGC license, and I am not aware that it is all that expensive to do so. I would also get trained as a bartender. In fact - I think I will go start on these soon. How can it hurt to have as many licenses and certifications in as many diferent things as you have the time and interest to achieve?

I am fully aware of the drive that brought forth the orignal question: do something fun, make a little change, meet some new people, feel good about it all. With a couple of college degrees and a strong work-ethic, coupled with even stronger fear-of-failure, I have made a fair amount of money in the worlds of corporate management, and professional services. And yes, indeed I have pis$ed away quite a lot of it. As I approach decade no. 6, I have zero interest in being "retired", but I might change what I do every day, and why I do it. Even as corporate executive, I have worked a lot of weekend days at a local running shop, fitting shoes, and telling folks about sox and heart rate monitors, and knocking back $10 bucks and hour, simply because it put me into a different, and fun environment, and added to my knowledge of a sport I enjoy. Road Runner, Carry On.

Thanks my friend; that fear of failure will probably work to my advantage this time around---- again!

[CaptainTtwo]

Hey--- I have never made 450 sailing a boat---sounds great!