Delivery Skipper costs

[Rumrunner439]

So I am buying a sailboat in Grenada and need to get someone to sail it up to USVI and was wondering if any one was familiar with costs for having that done. It is a 36' sailboat. Just trying to see my options since I can not get to Grenada right now.

[Skabeeb]

I’ll do it. PM me for details.

[Auspicious]

Not the first question. Respectfully suggest the search box.

[Montanan]

Grenada's borders remain closed; there is some discussion that they may begin to open a phased manner in June. Expect a strict 14 day period of quarantine upon arrival in country and at the end of which the need to take a Covid 19 test which will require payment for such service.

Meantime they have issued this guidance regarding receiving yacht arrivals under strict protocols to provide safe haven during the hurricane season.

Only yachts registered with Grenada Lima and being processed through the Arriving Yachts Protocol will be able to come into Grenada. The sea port borders remain closed to yacht traffic.
https://grenadalima.com

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid...42298419328862

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=...42298419328862

Link to Public Health Ministry and Covid 19 restrictions:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/minis...0752285456866/

[Belezar]

That has nothing to do with the question asked.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Belezar

That has nothing to do with the question asked.

When a delivery Captain and the crew need to spend 14 days in quarantine upon entry to Grenada [assuming the borders have been opened for such persons] and then another 14 days in quarantine staying aboard the vessel upon arriving in the USVI that invokes 28 days added time to perform the delivery beyond the normal days spent traveling to Grenada and preparing the vessel for transit and making the transit.

And then depending on where they intend to transit to upon arriving in the USVI they very likely will be facing yet another 14 days in quarantine when they go back to their home country after leaving the USVI.

That be 42 days in isolation.

So yes it has a lot to do with the question.

[Belezar]

Not in the least. He didn’t say when. He asked about the costs. Budgeting and planning. You’re not the police.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Belezar

Not in the least. He didn’t say when. He asked about the costs. Budgeting and planning. You’re not the police.

Okay.. Airfare to vessel for skipper plus 1 crew.
14 days at $250/day quarantine time.. $100/day crew
3 days at $350/day.. $150/day crew.
14 days at $250/day.. $100/day crew.
Flights to base for skippers and crew.
Hope thats sorted out the confusion..

[mvweebles]

Leaving aside the craziness of CV19. Under 400 nms. 3-4 days if no stops to avoid check in/out. Call it $1500-$2000 for delivery fees for capt plus crew. Double that for expenses. $4k - $5k all in if crew is in the islands. Expenses go higher if you're hiring US based capt and crew.

Best guess of an answer from a past delivery captain. Also, I seem to remember that some of the charter fleets offered one way charters down island and then a delivery crew would return. You may want to check around. Might be some experienced crew who could get this done quickly and cost effectively. Charter companies might be happy to make a referral just to help out folks they work with but can't help directly.

Peter

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Okay.. Airfare to vessel for skipper plus 1 crew.
14 days at $250/day quarantine time.. $100/day crew
3 days at $350/day.. $150/day crew.
14 days at $250/day.. $100/day crew.
Flights to base for skippers and crew.
Hope thats sorted out the confusion..

You'll notice the Boatman 61's website link is to deepwater deliveries, and he is currently a delivery skipper.


Okay.
14 days quarantine time skipper $3,500 plus crew $1,400 = $4,900
03 days travel time skipper $1050 plus crew $ 1050 = $2,100
14 days quarantine time for both $4,900
$11,900

PLus, food, transportation to and fro, insurance, and whatever the delivery skipper insists on for making the boat ready.

It's the quarantine time that really hits hard.

Another comment is that suitable flights may be difficult to arrange at the present time. The internet's an imprecise tool, in many ways. While it is true, the OP only asked about the money, without specifying anything about time frame, I would agree that since there are so many quarantine situations now, discussion of them is germane because the owner would not normally have to pay for so much down time.

Ann

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Montanan

When a delivery Captain and the crew need to spend 14 days in quarantine upon entry to Grenada [assuming the borders have been opened for such persons] and then another 14 days in quarantine staying aboard the vessel upon arriving in the USVI that invokes 28 days added time to perform the delivery beyond the normal days spent traveling to Grenada and preparing the vessel for transit and making the transit.

It need not be quite that dire with some organization. This adds to selecting the right delivery skipper. There are yacht agents in Grenada; Island Dreams is one. An agent can recommission, prep, provision, fuel, spares, and arrange transportation to the boat. Agents there mostly work with superyachts so they are good or out of business. They are also used to dealing with authorities and could surely avoid the front end quarantine since the boat would leave Grenada immediately. Fees for that of course. I haven't used an agent in Grenada for some time so I don't know what the fees are.

Originally Posted by boatman61

Okay.. Airfare to vessel for skipper plus 1 crew.
14 days at $250/day quarantine time.. $100/day crew
3 days at $350/day.. $150/day crew.
14 days at $250/day.. $100/day crew.
Flights to base for skippers and crew.
Hope thats sorted out the confusion..

Flights round trip. COVID-19 is having a huge impact on airlines. This is going to be a big schedule driver. Figure $16.50US/person/day for provisions and any galley outfit needed. That doesn't include fuel, spares, or tools.

I would not assume that quarantine would be allowed on the boat so there might be lodging costs as well.

No guarantees but quarantine on St Thomas might be short-circuited with onward travel. That would require great finesse with authorities and advance planning. Final quarantine would then be at home.

"36' sailboat" is not nearly enough for even a budgetary estimate to have any confidence in. It's also a bit small for a full crew. The trip is actually just short of 500 miles. That will be at least four days and more likely five on such a small boat. If the weather is sporty and the boat is full keel with full sections it could be over a week. How big are the fuel and water tanks? What is berthing? 36' is already small for a full crew. State of sails? Condition of engine? Any skipper who offers a bid without reading the survey report would concern me. Was an engine survey done?

What if the skipper determines the boat is not suitable for the trip? How do you get skipper and crew home? It doesn't happen often but it happens. There are many things surveyors don't even look at and more that they miss. Stories to tell in that regard.

Crew recruitment is tricky these days. Lots of the usual suspects are hunkered down. It just takes one crew member who isn't sufficiently careful to put everyone at risk. Suppose someone gets sick underway? Who wants to be turned away like the Diamond Princess? Risk. Remember C&I is really Customs, Immigration, Agriculture, and HEALTH.

I'm staying off airplanes these days - all my delivery work is what I can drive at both ends and even that is complicated enough. Accordingly I'm not trying to sell you my services, only answer your question.

I suggest your two best options are putting your boat on the hard in storage anticipating getting it where you want it in early 2021 or put it on a yacht transport ship. I think IYT has routes that include Grenada and St Thomas.

[Belezar]

I wonder if you could find someone coming this way. USVI planning on a June 1 reopening. Anything can change. Find someone local can often be better regardless of the time of year as Carib folks get along best with each other.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

You'll notice the Boatman 61's website link is to deepwater deliveries, and he is currently a delivery skipper.


Okay.
14 days quarantine time skipper $3,500 plus crew $1,400 = $4,900
03 days travel time skipper $1050 plus crew $ 1050 = $2,100
14 days quarantine time for both $4,900
$11,900

PLus, food, transportation to and fro, insurance, and whatever the delivery skipper insists on for making the boat ready.

It's the quarantine time that really hits hard.

Another comment is that suitable flights may be difficult to arrange at the present time. The internet's an imprecise tool, in many ways. While it is true, the OP only asked about the money, without specifying anything about time frame, I would agree that since there are so many quarantine situations now, discussion of them is germane because the owner would not normally have to pay for so much down time.

Ann

Yup.. its the quarantine thats the killer.. many countries put you in specific hotels for the period so you can be monitored.. this would likely be at both ends as you will be leaving the boat.
I am Not offering as I live in Portugal..

[BlueH2Obound]

I know a guy that can do it cheap, but it depends on the tides! His name is Cpt Ron.
P.S. Have you noticed that the OP is nowhere to be found since his initial post?

[Rumrunner439]

Well the covid-19 has really made getting the boat a lot more difficult. So I want to thank everyone for their input. Since the boat is already on the hard I think it will have to stay put until the covid-19 restrictions pass. Second I am thinking about trying to find some one already in USVI and hitch a ride down to pick up the boat and follow them back. It would be great to find a cruiser already heading that way. I don't even know where to look to find someone heading towards Grenada.
Again I wanted to thank everyone for their input.