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Choosing a Delivery Captain by Paul Foer
HOw TO HiRE a Delivery Captain by Paul Foer
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Boat owners can be faced with a dilemma when their boat is at Point A but they want it at Point B and are unable, unqualified, or unwilling to move it from A to B. The boat could be trucked or perhaps put on a ship. Maybe a friend could do it. This article is concerned with how to hire a delivery captain and crew. There are services that do this while acting as agents or employers of the pros, and there are independent professionals who do this directly with the boat owner.
My first advice to the owner is that if he wants a trusted professional mariner, he’s going to have to pay for it. Do not shop on price alone. The pros know the labor market, and their rates reflect that. Those willing to do this kind of work for the lowest price should be avoided. An owner who tries to save $50 or so per day over a five-day trip is practicing poor economics when it means the difference between on-time satisfaction and a dissatisfied day or two longer—or maybe something worse.
Delivering boats can be a tough way to earn a living, and we need to realize that in order for there to be a decent labor market, owners must be willing to pay for such services. Hire a professional and not the person doing it for the lowest price or a friend who wants a leisure cruise.
“Hire a professional and not the It’s probably not a good person doing it for the lowest price or idea to introduce yourself to the prospective skipper by first a friend who wants a leisure cruise. asking, “What do you charge?” Of course, the fee is important, but would you approach a doctor, lawyer, accountant, or a house painter in the same fashion? We’re talking about placing your beloved boat in someone else’s hands. Most boat owners want
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to know who you are and your experience, and whether you’ve made this trip before, are licensed by the Coast Guard, and are enrolled in a drug-testing program. What about references? And then, they talk about their boat’s condition and gear.
Unfortunately, my experience informs me that some prospective clients do first ask for my rates. I question how they can afford a boat if they’re wondering how to afford having it delivered. This has proven to be a red flag. I do not discuss rates until I know who they are and more about the boat. The best client-professional relationships have always developed from those clients who first asked the questions specified above. Furthermore, when boat owners are trying to cut a few dollars here and there, you can bet they’re counting pennies on maintaining the boat, another source of future difficulty if you do the delivery.
The professional skipper is not going on a joy-ride or pleasure cruise. Sure, there might be some pleasurable aspects, but the delivery skipper’s job is to move to Point B and keep it moving, as fast as is possible without compromising safety. While the owner might make the trip from A to B by waking up late, enjoying coffee, and then leisurely sailing until early afternoon, it’s a very different situation for the delivery crew.
On most deliveries, I am usually underway around sunrise and cruise toward the destination until sundown. All this depends on route, time of year, type of vessel, and weather. Often we’ll push through the night, thus truly working a 24-hour day. But on every delivery, we are away from home, and on the boat, so it’s really always a 24-hour day. Sometimes, we have to be at Point B by a specific date, and we have to average a certain distance each day. That’s work. And it takes us time to clear our calendar, pack our gear, and get to the boat.
As on any cruise, bad weather or breakdowns can cause delay. Delivery pros will often do some repairs while underway, either due to necessity or to save time, but should not be expected to replace professional mechanics. At Point B, they should clean up your boat to a ready-to-sail condition and usually will leave promptly.
In summation, do some research to find a real professional. You can find independent pros and delivery services online or by asking brokers and other marine professionals or boat owners. Try to meet with the captain in advance and establish whether he is a sober, experienced professional and performs in a business-like fashion. The process of actually contracting and preparing for a delivery is somewhat more complicated, but hopefully the above will get you started in the right direction of hiring a real professional.
About the Author: A USCG-licensed captain, Annapolis sailor Paul Foer has been doing deliveries along the East Coast and ICW as well as offshore since 1977. paul@foerfront.com
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