Best way to find full time captain?

[ssullivan]

Michael,

With your approach, you will no doubt find someone. You may be able to find a green captain/deckhand person who will appreciate your fair and honest approach in the price range you're looking for. When I say "green", I don't mean he can't run your boat, but just that he may not have as many years experience.

Jef's points are all valid - especially about airline pilots not getting less pay just because their layover is in Hawaii or Fiji or something. The job is the job - the destination is irrelevant.

But... you have the right approach and "spirit" behind your search, and I think you'll be able to find someone based on that.

[Sandero]

For what it's worth... I have always found that rewards work better than punishments. I am more likely to go the extra mile for a client who pays well and on time.. than I would be for one who doesn't and I don't like to trim back my services because I feel I have been forced to by the compensation or conditons of a contract on the low side... if you get my drift.

Jef
sv Shiva
Contest 36s

[Joli]

michael201: How much experience do you have? A sixty foot boat is large but certainly not unmanagable for a couple.

[Boracay]

As someone who is considering employing someone to help with my boat I find that a key consideration is how long they might expect to be employed.
This can cut both ways. Many workers can only commit to a project for a limited amount of time. Others need the security that a permanent job offers.
Particularly for a job that will take them away for a considerable time a short contract might be the prferred way to go, particularly for a yacht that might spend 90% of time at anchor. It may be cheaper and more pleasant to fly in an employee for a particular job and then fly them out again.
Most of us can manage a short term relationship by glossing over any problems, by with a longer term commitment even minor faults become annoying.
Even a large boat is small in terms of personal space.

[michael201]

All your points are valid and helpful. To be honest, my wife has not sailed much but is an adventurer and is as pumped about the deal as I am. I try to get her air sick in my plane but she loves the ride. I had some experience very young and not much until 8 years ago when I got back into it on lake Mich in Chicago. Nothing like what were attempting to do.

We plan on going through all the ASA courses up to offshore passage next year. I'm guessing the minnimum we'll REQUIRE a captain to get the experience we need will be at least 3 to 6 months doing nothing but sailing. If we take longer to feel comfortable with the new boat, we will continue.

We would like to keep a captain for other reasons if the pay is reasonable. In fact, I'm already in contact with an older very experienced man who is divorced. Kids are gone and he was never able to travel to the areas we are planning on going to. He loves the idea and is VERY reasonable with the $$ we would like to pay him. We'll see if we fit personality wise.

If you are to pay someone the full $60K oer year, do you include paying for their food or is that something they would have to cover?

[bvimatelot]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

Hi Michael,

Having been in this industry for a bit, both as deckhand and captain, I can point you to a little summary of going rates:

http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:...ient=firefox-a

Also, others are right - it's important to treat your crew fairly. I have also been on the short end of a bad crew position. Extremely rich people that own 100+ ft megayachts, in some cases, are so cheap they'll do anything to save a nickel. For us, one of our bad experiences was a boat that hired us into a "long term" position outside the USA. We got the boat all cleaned up, had the owners aboard for 2 weeks, and they fired us the day the owners left. It was obvious that they were only hiring us because they needed a quick fix to clean up the boat and serve the owners, but didn't want the expense of a crew throughout the years we were supposed to be working. We sold our cars, all our possessions, etc... all for this... to be fired after 1 month without reason or cause. Just because they owner didn't want to pay for us to watch the boat for the rest of the year.

As an owner, you might save a nickel by doing something like that, but you could be destroying someone's life in the process just for greed.

So be nice.

That's all fine and dandy but you are quoting "super" or "mega" yacht rates: I suggest that a 60 footer is nowhere near those salaries.

As an example: a charter captain in the Caribbean charter fleets gets in the order of $100/day (plus all food etc) and gets a nice tip at the end of the week's charter. A delivery skipper charges either a daily rate of anything from $200 to $300 or a mileage rate.

I do deliveries and "owner assisted passages" on a regular basis all over the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Caribbean - and wish I could achieve the sort of figures you quoted!! Tony

[Joli]

Micheal, why do you want a 60 foot boat? It does not sound like you have much experience and while classes are great it can not and will not make up for sea miles and experience.

If you hire an older gent to captain the boat will he be physically capable of doing what is required on the boat.

Why not start with a smaller boat. As a rule of thumb you can manhandle up to 24k, or a mid 40 footer.

[Auspicious]

I've done some deliveries, but it is more a hobby than anything. I charge the market rate because I don't want the folks who do it for a living to be underbid by a "holiday delivery skipper." I don't have a dog in this fight.

It sounds to me like you should expect to pay a premium over the regular rate. You want more than a captain -- you want a sailing instructor. You say it won't be full time, but looking after the boat, whether moving or not, is a full-time job, particularly in the tropics.

All that said, the reason I keep my real job is that sailing other people's boats just doesn't pay enough.

[never monday]

Michael,
Let offer another angle. What if you paid a pro Capt/insructor a slightly higher rate for a 6mo contract. During that time you can learn the systems and how to best deal with the boat. Then head out.

Having done the delivery capt thing, and pilot thing. It's a kind of stress only someone with that experience can relate to. I understand good pay, and there is always someone out there who will do the job for less. Just find someone you want to spend that much time with in the tight of confines. Personalities change out of sight of land.

my $.02

[michael201]

Why don't I start with a 35 ft or so? We had planned on that but business kept us from that approach. That is part of the reason we can affort to go the new larger boat (true bluewater) way. Also, that is partly why we are going to hire a capt./instructor for the first 6 months or so. They will be well paid for the help and instruction but as I said before, we'll have some experience before we take delivery.

I know myself. I am quite able of learning the necessary systems on the boat withing a few months. That includes GPS, radar, radios, furling systems, etc. Yes, I am technical. You have to be somewhat to learn all the systems and handle a complex aircraft. I know you never stop learning but I have no doubt about my abilities physically or mentally regarding learning the sailing part. I've done enough to know it won't take too long but have no time limit on that. If it does, I'll just pay a Capt. the going rate to sail it for us and learn slowly. (By the way, as experienced in my aircraft as I am, I would have never flown down that area the Yankee pitch flew at that altitude)

How old did I say the person we were talking to was? He's in his early 50's.... geeze, am I that old??? (43) ouch. I'm in better shape then when I played organized baseball... ;-)

[ssullivan]

Michalel, are you checking PMs? Because you never answered mine, which was relevant to this thread.

[Jolly Roger]

Whoever you choose you should not confirm any appointment, (nor will your skipper if he has any sense), until you have been out there in a good blow. People change when they get into thick weather, and both you and your perfect, (dryland), employee might have a different opinion of each other when you get back to port.

[GordMay]

New job recruitment website launches in US

A new web-based recruitment agency, that targets the international marine industry, has been launched in the US.
RobertSage.Net allows job seekers to post their resumes/CVs and search for jobs online for free.
The new website also allows industry employers and recruiters to post job listings, and search resumes nationwide. For a limited time only, employers can post five jobs on the RobertSage website for free.
To take advantage of this opportunity, register at www.RobertSage.Net
For more information, contact Mark Sage, company president, at sales@robertsage.net

[yotphix]

If you are willing to pay an agency fee you may have very good luck finding candidates through a yacht crew agent. I would recommend that you have a conversation(after the Lauderdale Show) with Sue Price at Crew Unlimited in Ft. Lauderdale. She is a sailor and I konw she deals occasionally with smaller (only to florida) boats. She once offered to put me forward for a job on a Norhaven 63. She could also give you realistic dollar figures I am sure.

[bvimatelot]

Originally Posted by michael201

How old did I say the person we were talking to was? He's in his early 50's.... geeze, am I that old??? (43) ouch. I'm in better shape then when I played organized baseball... ;-)

Ageism, Ageism!!! I'm 56 (I think. I gave up counting after 50) and consider I'm a better skipper now than I ever was. Health and strength are important as well of course!! Tony