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WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A SKIPPER and HOSTESS ON 62ft MOTORYACHT

Discussion in 'Yacht Captains' started by david_japp, Jun 22, 2014.

  1. david_japp, Jun 22, 2014
    #1
    david_japp

    david_japp Senior Member

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    We are planning to have a young man and his girl-friend, both in their mid-twenties, as part-time skipper and hostess on our 62 ft Motoryacht in the Mediterranean, generally with my family and occasional guests aboard - normally 4 max 6 passengers in total - for periods of a few days to up to 2 weeks over the summer. We intend to cruise leisurely along the Italian coast, sometimes moored in marinas and other times lying at anchor. We prefer an informal and relaxed atmosphere aboard and intend to have maintain friendly relationship with the crew and we are happy to help out but at at the same time we do want a reasonable level of service, and we certainly don't want to spend our time looking after them. The skipper is qualified and has quite a bit of delivery experience and in fact he has been involved with the post-refit UK commissioning over the past 2 months but his girlfriend has not been a crew/hostess before. Can anyone help me with a list of duties that we can reasonably expect from the the crew, and especially from the hostess ?
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2014
  2. Fishtigua, Jun 22, 2014
    #2
    Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    All yachts/owners differ. As the owner, you choose how much "staff" and pampering you and your guests really need.

    #1. Keeping the boat clean.

    As you just spent years of your life getting her looking beautiful, the upkeep is going to have to be top-notch. Make up a list of what needs to be done daily/weekly, this must include when guests are aboard and when back in the marina. Galley cupboards emptied and cleaned, fridge and oven spotless and all the normal housekeeping jobs any householder does. Laundry duties and cabin cleaning, bedding changes in a hot climate.

    #2. Meals and Service.

    How much do you want the crew to be part of the family? Will they do all the cooking and serving and the have eat on the foredeck/in the galley. Or will they sit and eat with you? This, believe or not, is a very important part of life for crew.
    On one yacht, the owners wanted a private breakfast while crew got on with their duties, had lunch with the crew at the table and then either had a private dinner or went out to a restaurant. This worked well. Going out to dinner with the owners and BBQs on the beach, were everyone joined in, was also part of cruising.

    #3. You, as the Employer.

    Wages must be paid on time. Leave planned. Medical cover discussed. When the yacht is back in port, will they live on the boat or get an apartment?


    This is just to get the ball rolling. You've had years of boating experience, so know what is possible and what is just wishful thinking.
  3. david_japp, Jun 22, 2014
    #3
    david_japp

    david_japp Senior Member

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    Thanks for this helpful start - all pretty much what I had in mind and will be the basis of conversation I will have with crew everyone is clear whats expected . best
    David
  4. NYCAP123, Jun 22, 2014
    #4
    NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    On a personal services contract you're entitled to have anything (legal) you want. So simply talk with the candidate and negotiate. For instance, although I have no problem with washing the decks and keeping a boat clean, I don't "wash" boats. That's fine with the owner I work for. He'd rather have it done by a professional.
  5. david_japp, Jun 22, 2014
    #5
    david_japp

    david_japp Senior Member

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    noted. Thanks
    D
  6. K1W1, Jun 22, 2014
    #6
    K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Hi,

    What happened ? You have spent the last few years on here telling us at every opportunity that you are a professional.

    If there are only a couple of you then you need to each do whatever is needed to get the job done.

    There is no place for a primadonna in any crew on a big vessel let alone a 62 footer with 2 crew.
  7. SomeTexan, Jun 22, 2014
    #7
    SomeTexan

    SomeTexan Member

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    I thought he was a professional captain, not a professional boat detailer. Kind of the difference between going to the coin-op car was vs the professional auto detailer.
  8. david_japp, Jun 22, 2014
    #8
    david_japp

    david_japp Senior Member

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    Actually, it's not. We have a company car and driver at my office. He is employed principally for my use but also to take other members of staff around and also pick up guests etc. Amongst the driver's various duties when he is not actually driving the car is to keep it clean, including washing it himself although every so often we get it professionally valeted. ( incidentally at Other times when he's not driving he's got to do a myriad of other jobs around the office including general handy man chores, shopping for groceries and other stuff needed in the office and even occasionally walking my dogs in the park when I am otherwise occupied or unable to t (I've just had foot surgery) which, incidentally, he loves doing. )
  9. Capt J, Jun 22, 2014
    #9
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    A professional Captain (under 80') is (or should be) a professional boat detailer, a professional engineer, as well as professional electrician, plumbler, grocery getter etc......there is nobody else to do it......I agree with Kiwi, on a 62; with 2 crew, you have the labor and you can't be afraid to get your hands a little dirty to get the job done. I cannot tell you how many trips I've done working 2 weeks straight without a day off as the ONLY crew on a 60' +/- boat with 4-6 guests where I'm doing it all......exterior maintanence, engine room stuff, running the yacht and the tender, little to no inside cleaning and no cooking and that's pretty normal. In addition to running the boat every other day as Captain. But then again, 85% of the time I get a very nice tip from every owner trip I've ever done. I have a lot of owners that tip me 50% of my pay.

    When I started in this business I worked as a mate/deckhand and worked my way up......that included learning ALL of the in's and out's of keeping the exterior clean, wood varnished, teak decks cleaned, s/s polished etc.....

    I have an employee that washes all of my management boats. But on a trip, I wash the boat when it needs it if I am the only crew on a 60'. Everytime I hire someone at various ports, Bahamas, US etc......their work has been acceptable, but far from professional......or to Palm Beach Standards.....more like Pensacola Standards.......


    Back to the OP: You're going to have to play it by ear depending on usage

    Typically On a 62' I would expect the Captain to do all(or most) of the exterior maintanence when possible, with the ability to hire a day worker here or there to wash the boat down or do varnish etc. I would expect the Captain to do all of the engine room maintanence and maintanence on systems. With the ability to hire a mechanic to do a major servicing........Now if the boat is being used 20 days of the month, he is going to have to hire outside help to get things done on time and in time. You're going to have to use your own judgement based on usage.

    The stewardess should be responsible for interior maintanence totally, making the beds, cleaning the staterooms, fixing snacks, catering to the guests needs, provisioning, getting the lines if they need to move the boat with just the 2 of them, cooking (if you hire her as a stew-chef) and helping the Captain here and there as necessary.
  10. SomeTexan, Jun 22, 2014
    #10
    SomeTexan

    SomeTexan Member

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    I fully understand that a captain's duties can and often do include cleaning the boat. I do know some owners that also have detailing crews come out and clean, treat, polish, basically refinish the entire above the waterline exterior of the boat, every little nook and cranny included. I saw this done with a friend's forty-something foot hatt, there were 4 vans worth of equipment, but when they left, the boat looked better than the day it was launched. Although his captain keeps the boat spotless, it was nothing like a full detail. Maybe I mistook NYCAP's intentions, but I took it as he would keep it clean, but wasn't going to be a detailer.

    Mr Japp, I do fully understand that you have a gorgeous restored classic, and you probably want to keep her pristine. Like NY said, that's all in the contract between the owner and the employee. I was disagreeing with K1W1's statement that not being a boat detailer made NYCAP not a professional captain. If the owner is happy with the deal they have, that is all that matters. Now, if he ran the boat into some rocks, then was the first person aboard a liferaft, then I would question his professionalism.