starting a charter boat bus

[watermanmax]

I am sure a few of you have tried.....anyone know how much your ins. goes up if you are doing charters.....legally

[prof_mariner]

Originally Posted by watermanmax

I am sure a few of you have tried.....anyone know how much your ins. goes up if you are doing charters.....legally

I'm assuming you're thinking of using an uninspected vessel and six or fewer passengers? When I talked with Boat/US about doing this several years back they offered me a number of options, including one that allowed me to pay for each day we operated with passengers. I don't recall how much it cost and I don't know whether they still offer this, but at the time it seemed pretty reasonable. Another factor that will also effect your insurance will be where you plan on operating. We were only going to operate in SoCal coastal waters. Anything further offshore than a few miles puts you into a different bracket altogether. And lastly, if you have had any boating losses (especially while operating with your license) you may not even be able to get insurance.

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by watermanmax

I am sure a few of you have tried.....anyone know how much your ins. goes up if you are doing charters.....legally

I know: Started a charter business 5 months ago.
Limited to 24 revenue trips per year, the insurance went up about $100, then I upped the Liability to an even $1 mill for another $100.
All in all, about 10%

[watermanmax]

Thanks to both you....sorry not much detail....I have a cold and full of nasty stuff.....had to much fun in the sun for 2 weeks .... now I am back in North Dakota freezing my butt off. (WITH A COLD)

Got the wife convinced to live on a catamaran 38-44 foot around the Virgin Islands/Peurto Rico.
I would love to do 2-3 day charters back and forth with Vieques and Culabra in between.

Seems like every where we go they want minimum 6 guest, or minimum 7 days and 6 guest

and I really only want to do it a few days of the month...plan to be down there from the fall to the spring.

[prof_mariner]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

I know: Started a charter business 5 months ago.
Limited to 24 revenue trips per year, the insurance went up about $100, then I upped the Liability to an even $1 mill for another $100.
All in all, about 10%

Whose your carrier?

[prof_mariner]

Originally Posted by watermanmax

Thanks to both you....sorry not much detail....I have a cold and full of nasty stuff.....had to much fun in the sun for 2 weeks .... now I am back in North Dakota freezing my butt off. (WITH A COLD)

Got the wife convinced to live on a catamaran 38-44 foot around the Virgin Islands/Peurto Rico.
I would love to do 2-3 day charters back and forth with Vieques and Culabra in between.

Seems like every where we go they want minimum 6 guest, or minimum 7 days and 6 guest

and I really only want to do it a few days of the month...plan to be down there from the fall to the spring.

You might run into issues with the locations you want to sail. If an over night is involved, you might need a 2nd captain aboard. If you go more than 12 miles offshore, you might need an oceans endorsement on your license. Lots of things to check into. When you say "minimum 6 guests" you really mean a -maximum- right? Anything more than 6 passengers will require your boat to be "inspected". That adds a whole new level of complexity and costs.

[CSY Man]

. Whose your carrier?

ACE USA.
Got an even better quote after I joined the National Association of Charter Boat Operators:
Get discounts on insurance, the new one $1,950 a year for up to 30 charters.

[prof_mariner]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

ACE USA.
Got an even better quote after I joined the National Association of Charter Boat Operators:
Get discounts on insurance, the new one $1,950 a year for up to 30 charters.

Thanks, that's good to know. Do they offer a drug screening program as well?

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by prof_mariner

Thanks, that's good to know. Do they offer a drug screening program as well?

Yes, as well as a West Marine Port discount card.

[Symphony]

prices seem reasonable, although SoCal near coastal is pretty low risk
thanks

[Mark424]

Originally Posted by watermanmax

I am sure a few of you have tried.....anyone know how much your ins. goes up if you are doing charters.....legally

Am about to do this in summer 2017, surprised at the modest increase for coverage. Ping Susan Waters, she's a forum member, insurance broker, and lives on her cat, sailor@tabbycat.us. (no commercial interest in this referral)

[bvisailing32]

Not sure of what the requirements are in foreign countries for charter work .

But, I am a USCG licensed captain ( 100 tons ) and endorsed to ( 500 tons ) near coastal.

For operating what we called " Head boats " individual paying passengers, as opposed to one charter party actually chartering the vessel, and their family and guests pay zero .

For a head boat, individual passengers, the vessel had to be up to the requirements of sub chapter T . And inspected by the U.S.C.G.

Very few production boats can pass that inspection. L.O.A. also came into effect .

Also, as to licenses by the U.S.C.G. Not sure of current terminology, but we needed a 100 master ticket to take more than 6 passengers for hire or compensation .

Up to 6 pax, we called that a " six pack " and I needed the 100 ton.

That required me to have 720 days documented time, and take the U.S.C.G. test and of course pass it. Then I had to renew it every 5 years with sea time, and / or testing.

That is what I needed in order to take pax for hire in U.S. Waters.

As to the 500 ton boost . I had had no clue that was even coming. It was on my 5th issue, and on the front of my large and official looking 100 ton Captains License , there was a a note ( see reverse) and on the back were additional boosting of tonnages, up to 500.

I no longer sail under the auspices of my Captains License, as it has expired, and I no longer skipper boats for hire. No teaching, no deliveries, no paid charters, no leading flotillas in the south pacific or caribbean.

For our sailing fix in retirement, we happily , bare boat charter, just Erica and I to sail internationally . And, sail with a sailing club, or have a partnership in a 34 ft. sailing vessel, to sail southern california and the channel islands.

As to foreign countries and chartering, my only first hand experience was a year or so ago, we paid to sail on board a 60 foot sailing vessel in the Greek Islands, We were able to help stand helm watches, trim sails, handle dock lines, and also lay out on deck having a coldie. The skipper was Canadian, and had a Royal Yacht Club, or similar name certification. No U.S.C.G.

That is my total knowledge of license requirements for foreign nations including the BVI.

U.S.V.I. would be U.S.C.G.

Keep working on the wife......the Caribbean sounds much more fun in the sun, than North Dakota.

For that nasty cold or bad bug that you have been blessed with....

Try a hot whiskey ; Jamesons Irish Whiskey , sugar or honey ( soothing ), a wedge of lemon ( vit C ) , hot water, and a couple of cloves. ( Erica prefers Powers )

If it does not kill the bug, after about three of them, you wont really care.

Actually, they are great for cold weather days even when full on healthy. Introduced to them, when we bare boated a motor vessel up the River Shannon in Ireland for a couple of weeks. ( actually two different trips ).

Entered a pub out of cold weather, and the fine Coleen behind the bar, greeted us, looked at our condition and said, " Wud ya be liking a hot whiskey ? "

Well, it normally takes us quite some time to down an alcoholic drink. We polished of three off those hot whiskeys in about 15 minutes. The party light was lit .

Good fortune with your endeavor, sounds like a marvelous life style . Never can tell, if you are down in the BVI as well, our wakes could possibly cross.

Next BVI sailing vacation, last two weeks in may 2017. Conch Charters , Jeanneau 36 i sloop. We love the BVI . You have a grand plan. Go for it.

[prof_mariner]

FYI - All that is required by law to operate an uninspected passenger vessel carrying 6 or fewer passengers is an Operator Uninspected Passenger Vessel (OUPV) license, more commonly called the "Six Pack" license. Although that is all that is -required-, I've yet to meet a charter company who would accept an OUPV license. They all required a tonnage Master's license, and most commonly a 100 ton Master Near Coastal.

For many years the Coast Guard issued 100 ton licenses as a minimum and then as you renewed them, upgraded the tonnage. About 16 years ago that practice slowly got phased out and they started issuing licenses based on the actual tonnage vessels you served on. Eventually they phased out tonnage evaluations at local REC's and now everything is done at the central office in West Virginia.

I'm in the process of renewing my 3rd Mate Unlimited tonnage upon Oceans and 100 ton upon Master Oceans licenses so I'll find out if anything else has changed since my last renewal.

[UNCIVILIZED]

watermanmax, can you please further clarify the type & length charters you're wanting to do. It'll help us to help you.

[jmschmidt]

I don’t see how watermanmax can expect much business if he is only available a couple of days a month. Service businesses have to operate at the customer’s convenience, not the businesses.
A near-coastal endorsement on a USCG Merchant Marine Officer License (now called a Merchant Mariner Document) is good for up to 200 miles offshore (no foreign voyages). You do not need an ocean endorsement to operate more than 12 miles offshore. Distance restrictions may apply to the type and characteristic of the vessel but not the master.
Bvisailing32 is correct. Few production boats can pass and inspection (required to carry more than 6 passengers. A friend tried and succeeded after much work, delay and dollars.
He probably also knows that a US flag vessel can receive a BVI commercial license to operate charters in BVI waters. Cost: A few hundred dollars a year depending on boat size. Also six-pack restrictions don’t apply in the BVI. But if a US flag vessel visits USVI waters or any other US territory they may apply.
I told any tonnage of USCG Merchant Marine Officer License (Merchant Mariner Document) commencing with the lowest rating (25 GRT) has an automatic exemption up to 100 GRT for six-pack operations (passengers only, no cargo, as is all six-pack operations).
The USCG has changed their medical requirement to maintain licenses and ratings. A physical must be taken every two years now to validate your license even though the license itself needs renewal only every five years. No current physical, no valid license. Be careful about this one. Strange but AED, First Aid and CPR qualifications are not required for license renewals.
It’s my understanding that the BVI will issue an equivalence license to someone with a USCG master’s ticket allowing the holder to do charters within the BVI and back and forth to the USVI or other US waters. I applied for one but they ignored my email and regular mail requests. I now own a US flag charter boat in the BVI so when I’m there in person I will get my manager to try to push that through their bureaucracy.