Cruising and Scuba Diving

[Gisle]

When I set off for my big trip I will take guest for some parts of the journey.

I will be a scuba instructor (course in September), so guest not familiar with scuba diving will be able to take a course on board - or go for an advanced course, in the best areas for scuba diving in the World. The boat will be equipped with scuba gear and a compressor.





This will hopefully give a valuable addition to the budget for the circumnavigation, but I don't believe it will cover more than 25% of the cost.

What do you think is a reasonable cover ratio if I take 5 guests for 50% of the time and none the rest of the time?

[irwinsailor]

I think $1000. per week per person would be fair.

[Gisle]

Don't you think that's a little too much irwinsailor? Do you know of others with the same consept charging that much?

[irwinsailor]

I think the "share the sail" that they do through Latitudes and Attitudes is $180. per person per day. I just looked 10 days $1800. per person.

[Gisle]

Thanks for this valuable info irwinsailor

[GordMay]

Last time I saw stats', the big charter outfirt (Carribean) were happy to get 60% charter time.
Seems like your hope of 50%, while cruising, might be "optimistic".
Also consider,: charterers will be (strange) guests in your home.
I've met several cruisers who tried to supplement their income with charters; but none who've sucessfully implemented the plan.
Sorry to be so negative
GOOD LUCK !!!

[Gisle]

Yeah, I don't believe 50% is realistic. That figure was just for the calculation / example.

I think the price level is very important: Cheap and a lot of people or more expensive and a few. For less work and more 'serious guests' it should not be too cheap, but I want normal people that are not too spoilt onboard.

[GordMay]

Gisle:
Just read a good book, about a catamaran charterboat specialising in divers. Sound familiar?
"Sea Hunter" by Paul Garrison
Harper Collins, 2003, ISBN 0-06008167-8

[Gisle]

I'll buy the book from Amazon

Here's the link to this book at Amazon in the UK and US



UK: Amazon.co.uk

US: Amazon.com

[Pisces]

I read all the Paul Garrison books. Most are about sailing and the water. Haven't got the new one yet though.

[Gisle]

I see Paul Garrison is writing thrillers. I guess I'll keep 'Sea Hunter' to myself - out of the way of my feancee

... or she may get second thoughts of coming along.

[capt_douglas]

As a veteran sailor and dive instructor (PADI MSDT, 5000+ dives) and one who's worked the sail and dive end of the business you have a good idea Gisele, but like irwinsailor, you're charging too little.

Figure out what it costs to fill a tank, add in the cost of your dive instructor license (Instructor Prep, Instructor Eval, Speciality Certs, insurance, and PADI Pro fees), cost of equipment, and the cost to feed and water a guest, and the cost of the advertising the experience. [Yeah, it does add up!]

I'm planning on doing the same aboard my 46' Van de Stadt cutter in the pacific. I've got a base-line cost of about $75/day for meals and 4 dives. Advertising is something I'm still evaluating. I'm planning on taking a max of 4 divers and it'll be a minimum of 10 days [pacific distances are huge but the dive sites a far better incentive]. I figure I'll give them 6.5 - 7 days of full diving [5 dives/day max]. I found that the average dive cost is $50-60 depending on gear for dives in the US and Caribbean.

So... 30 x 60 = 1800 or 30 x 75 = 2250. I'm looking at somewhere in the 1800 - 2500 range depending on the sites provided. If that sounds high, consider that a huge number of potential dive sites in the pacific are either new, unreported, or undiscovered. You can do it in the Caribbean and Bahamas but the competition is stiff, the sites already visited, and the baksheesh not to be believed.

How's that sound?

[CSY Man]

Hmm, I have been thinking along the same lines of getting some income on that old boat, but not with diving, at 33' she is to small to wrestle with tanks and tons of wet gear, etc..

I have been giving it away for free for quite a while however:

Have many cold-soaked friends from Norway that come over here and sail the Bahamas with me (us) and in the past we have been sharing expenses: Food, beer and such.
Never mind that it cost me 10 grand a year to keep the boat, maintenance, upgrades, insurance, docking, etc, etc.

Now that I will be un-employed in November I have warned my frozen friends that the price will go up.
Been thinking about $100.00 per day per head.
That includes gourmet food, and good booze as well as check-in fees in the islands, etc....

So, 3 guest for 7 days should yield $2,100, and half of that would be "income".
The other half would be the cost of the steaks, the German beer and all that.

Only looking at doing 5 to 6 weeks of "charter" however, the boat is really a number or two too small to advertise and get serious...But, called the insurance company and asked 'em how much for ccommerical insurance, think it was only about $500.00 extra per year.
Also picked up a Coast Guard ticket a few years ago....

No, not getting a bigger boat this time around. The CSY 33 is just fine for my use, the occasional trip to the Bahamas....But who knows what the future could bring...Hmm, lemme see, If I won the lotto, then that brand new Oyster 55 would fit the bill, and uh a few biking girls would look really good on that boat mixing rum-punches for the owner....

Aye, better stop right here, new on this forum and don't know if politcally correctnes is a big thing on these here decks...