Hi Guys Need some help

[Intentional Drifter]

Little Otter --

Frankly, I don't really think you're looking for objective advice, but rather are seeking support and validation for your ideas. Please don't take this (or the other excellent comments) in a negative or defensive way, but rather in the spirit in which they are intended: Honest, experienced, uninvolved, objective feedback.

What you are proposing is very, very difficult to pull off. Now, if you can convince someone to simply give you enough money so that you can buy a boat and have the learning experiences associated with it, well...enjoy. But, don't expect to somehow turn that into something that resembles a profitable business. The vast majority of charter companies operate on paper-thin margins and are high-risk businesses. All it takes to wipe you out is one inconvenient storm, or a single poor decision by a captain that destroys your boat and/or harms a client. A few of them make it, some of them manage to survive, far more of them fail.

Also, and please don't be offended by this, but put yourself in the shoes of the potential client: If I'm looking for a crewed charter and willing to shell out say $6 or $7K for that luxury, believe me I'm going to be doing some research about it. If I've got a choice between a 45 year old captain with 20 years experience, thousands of nm's under the keel and who won't be proselytizing to me for the week I'm turning over the lives of my loves ones and myself to him; versus someone under the age of 20, with relatively very little experience and who may be spending a lot of time talking to me about his religious convictions while I'm on holiday. Well, I would put my money with the other guy.

ID

[Little Otter]

I see your point.

[Therapy]

Try a small boat locally.
Take friends out to start with to see if they think it is worth giving you something in exchange for the experience.

[Little Otter]

Okay good idea, I just posted a thread on wether or not people would like to see a multi friendly marina where monos pay higher slip fee, any feed back would be nice.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

In reading your profile and several of your posts, Little, I come away with the following impression: You are probably even younger than your stated 16. My guess is that you're closer to 11 or 12, and you think you need to stretch it to 16 to gain credibility. If you are 16, then you are a very young 16.

Oh, darn. I'm with Little Otter, you're just saying mean things because you're a monohuller - Bwahahahaha.

(Funniest stuff (and when I say stuff I mean crap) I've read here in a while)


Little Otter - It would be awesome if someone gave me 350k for a boat. Where are you at? I'll come and chat with your dad and tell him how unreasonable he is being. You do need a charter partner, right?

[Little Otter]

Ex-Calif if your serious about being a charter partner i'm on east coast USA.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Little Otter

Ex-Calif if your serious about being a charter partner i'm on east coast USA.

Before I buy a one way ticket to Ga from Singapore you might want to tell your dad that you have been chatting with some 47 year old dude online who is interested in starting a live aboard charter business with you as long as dad buys the $350k boat.

Be careful though as he might take away your keys to the internet.

[johneri1]

Holy smokes, I've been missing out! There are a lot of lessons in this dialogue. Most imortantly: the price of admission is definitely offset by the entertainment value. Thanks men.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by johneri1

Thanks men.

You should thank Little Oyster, too.

TaoJones

PS: I couldn't resist voting for "MABYE."

[Little Otter]

HAHAHA no problem guys, but just for Ex-calif you can wait on the ticket a couple years till I could get my captains licnese and if you brought your boat we could really make some money! haha tao.

[ldrhawke]

Originally Posted by Little Otter

HAHAHA no problem guys, but just for Ex-calif you can wait on the ticket a couple years till I could get my captains licnese and if you brought your boat we could really make some money! haha tao.

Well you've got one thing right Little Otter, if you want to make money in the charter boat business, figure out away to get someone else to put up the capital and buy the boat. That's exactly how the charter companies like the Moorings do it. Then if charter and travel business turns down, like it is right now with the oil crunch, someone else pays the bills for the big boat not making any money.

I just can't picture your dad being too thrilled about the guy footing the bills and loosing all the money. I have a feeling he is going to ask for a business plan. so you better start working on one.

[Little Otter]

Oh I am and he already has so i'm alittle bit annoyed cause he'll spend a bunch of money on my sister for a place for a horse that won't get him any money back but he wantts to see a plan for my idea.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Little Otter

Oh I am and he already has so i'm alittle bit annoyed cause he'll spend a bunch of money on my sister for a place for a horse that won't get him any money back but he wantts to see a plan for my idea.

Let me guess - he didn't sell a building for $350k and give it to your sister so she could get a place to board her horse.

TaoJones

[Little Otter]

nope he aint sold it yet but apearently a horse is more important well i can see why he wants to see a plan cause he wants to turn the economics around on me but I know how to get around that so i might have a chance this year.

[Aussiesuede]

Originally Posted by Little Otter

nope he aint sold it yet but apearently a horse is more important well i can see why he wants to see a plan cause he wants to turn the economics around on me but I know how to get around that so i might have a chance this year.

Well I ran the idea for the Hamster charter business by a neighbor and since there was no sailing vessel present, we decided upon a powerboat instead. Well we now know that Hamsters, Gerbils, and Guinea Pigs are Sailors and NOT power boaters. While he enjoyed being on the water, he just couldn't stand all that noise and really wanted to work some sheets and halyards. But I think we're onto something. This rodent charter business is bound to take off. Here, look at the video and see for yourself. This has Microsoft potential written all over it....

YouTube - Guinea Pig in RC Boat