Current day rate for Captains?

Very true and I think that's been established. However, when you're paying a lot of money for something it's important to understand why you're doing it. A captain's job is to keep you out of a jackpot. If he does his job well you could forget why you have him.

At this day and age, most Captains would prefer to have a yearly contract..!! BUT DAY RATE IT IS..!! I have issues thinking about the amount of say 250-350 dollars as I would make that in 10 minutes or 700-600 an hour when working for the towboat co. But, not being on call 24-7 is nice.. Picking up a job here and there is all but non-existent down here.. We do get some every once and a while. Someone buys or sells a boat and it has to go somewhere, but that's about it.. NOTE: There are a bunch of dudes around who move boats etc. w/no license but have working experience. They seem to get a lot of work as they are cheaper than actually hiring a capt. (This will open a can of worms) ;0)

We have a saying over here - 'If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys' - which I 'm sure you will agree is true of all industries and the yachting industry is no exception.

The principle role of a captain is to ensure safety at sea and that's what suffers when owners employ 'monkeys'. I'm not in favour of regulation and all the bureaucracy that accompanies it and I think that our industry does quite a good job of self regulating itself. But, one day, a 'monkey' is going to be responsible for an accident that causes considerable loss of life - and then the powers that be will come down on us like a ton of bricks.

In my humble opinion, Captains who are qualified, not only on paper, but also by years of experience and hard work, deserve every penny (or cent) of the going rate. We should be shouting that from the mast heads and keeping our industry safe and secure.

"NOTE: There are a bunch of dudes around who move boats etc. w/no license but have working experience. They seem to get a lot of work as they are cheaper than actually hiring a capt. (This will open a can of worms)"

Well, captsam 54, revdcs geave you the can of worms. Let me add: How much of their working experience actually entails using electronics, how good are they at navigating, and do they actually know how to dock a boat of whatever size? Oh, and if they happen to run someone over how does the owner explain that to his insurance company in a way that shows due diligence on his part. It's a situation that probably won't change, but it's penny wise and pound foolish. Not to say that a license can't be held by captain crash, but at least the owner has someone he can point to.

IS OUR DAY RATE POST HERE DEAD??
OR HAVE WE WORN IT OUT AND MOVED ON??

Hi,

I guess that entirely depends upon the people involved and their opinions.

Just back from bringing a boat down to Ft. Lauderdale. The owner had (2) licensed masters on board, one acting as mate. Along the way we heard a call for help from a boat near us (about 30 miles offshore). Their captain was on the floor in a fit, foaming from the mouth with a pulse rate of 110. Luckily, they also had another person on board capable of running the boat so I didn't have to transfer my mate on board which would have cost us a bunch of fuel and a lost day. (The C.G. announced that they were under their care 3 hours later.)
This owner didn't do this on the cheap. He wanted the boat brought down safely and he got the care he paid for. It beats having your 10% deductable cruising out to sea with nobody at the helm.

Glad you had safe passage and delivery.... but what's this? No incriminating pictures or tales of debauchery?

NYCAP123 you seem to think all owners have lots of money. If they hire less expensive you think they are taking advantage and or the Captain is not experienced. Last Captain I hired for a move up from Mexico to Seattle. Was picked after I called three different captains. There rates were all close to the same price (within $50 per day). And a lot less then NY. After reviewing resumes I picked one (not by price) and he hired 3 other people for the move. All went well. Even thought I hold a 100ton I could not make the trip as I had to work. Not that rich owner, just a person that loves to be on the water.
Also most deductibles on bigger boats are 1 to 3%

accidents can happen and will happen, in this job it's all about managing risks. I feel the risk of a heart attack, sizure and stroke are as low, if not lower, than hitting a container or log 30 miles offshore.

it has nothing to do with being cheap... it has to do about sitting down with the owner and making a decision about how the delivery will be done. some owners woudl rather save money on fuel and wear and tear on the boat and enjoy their boats more, i think that anyone who believes budgets are unlimited is living in la-la-land.

This is exactly how a captain should be chosen. Yes, rates will vary in different locations, but (as in the above) they should not be the determining factor. We all live within budgets. If someone can only afford a 40 footer they shouldn't be owning a 60 footer and asking others to help them pay for it. Captains (and all others) in the trade must earn a living wage or they will leave the trade. On the east end of Long Island mechanics and captains are hard to find because they can't afford to live here. Ask yourself how much it costs to live in your area and and how many third and fourth issue working captains you can find. That will lead you to the right rate and if the rates are driving people out of the profession in your area.
As for running alone, we all take calculated risks and from time to time we all run alone. On long trips I don't think it's a good idea, but that's just my opinion and doesn't mean it can't or even shouldn't be done. Just that it deserves serious thought. As for the odds of something happening, they're probably better than the odds that I would be within 3 miles of a boat on which it was happening 30 miles out at sea off the coast of North Carolina on a run from NY to So. Florida.

Hi,

Pascal, You mentioned earlier in this thread you have done a bit of PIC alone.

How about this.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/7715345.stm

Every Captain charges what he is worth in my opinion. If an experienced Captain is discounting his rate, there is usually a darn good reason for it. Neither is length of time, I know of several 30 year Captains that are semi-retired yet tear up a set of running gear on a different boat a year. Their resume's do not reflect that. I would choose a captain usually based upon word of mouth from someone that is knowledgable and I trust. Yacht brokers will usually know who the good captains are and have a relationship with them. As well as look at their resume and references.

Wow I just read through the whole thread. The market is the market. There are alot of "captains" out there, and some are, good some are not. The market is not up right now. Supply of captains is higher than the demand. If you can keep your rate high- do it. If you cannot, well you have to feed the family somehow. I disagree with the "higher the $ the better the captain" logic. I know several captains who charge over $350 a day and are idiots. I know many more that are level headed, experienced... and unemployed. While I understand that if you see a brown cow you cannot say all cows are brown, but that's what I see- I work in SF and Long Island. Both have their share of each type- as does every place I've worked. The toughest part of this industry is finding a good owner- not finding one who will pay you lots of $. If I was unemployed I'd be asking for $350 a day- if the market could "bear" it- if it did not, I'd be asking less. God bless you if you make more and are busy.

A suggestion from a marketing standpoint: You don't want to nichel & dime with people. More times than not I'm paid in 50's or 100's. Deal in 20's, 50's & 100's; not 5's. I think you'll find $375 turning into 360 or 350 while $380 turns into 400 when change time comes. That's 40 or 50 a day difference while requesting virtually the same amount.

There are a lot of captains, but very few who do this for a full-time living. At least that's the case up here. Your rates are fairly on target. F/T, good caps are hard to find around here, but price doesn't determine whether a captain is good. That's why there is no need to compete on price. Trouble comes when guys try to compete by giving bargain basement prices. In the end they only hurt themselves. How busy we'll be this year is anybody's guess, but $50 more or less won't be the determining factor. The one good thing about this economy is that it will shake things out. The only ones staying in the business will be those who have good reputations and know their job. This is not the time for dreamers to quit their day jobs to get a 6 pack license and become a "yacht captain".

I prefer the saying "If you're going to pay peanuts, you're going to get monkeys" hehehehehe

To me it's very much a matter of self-respect. If a 1st issue 50GT wants to charge $150 that's cool. By doing that he tells the client what he's getting. I'm more years on the water than many of you are alive and 20 years professionally. I'm not going to be the cheapest. Some clients will shop experience; some price. That's two different stores.