What to pay the crew?

Yep, thats about right.

Yep, and like I said, if cooking is also a primary duty it goes up to around $45k. You should be able to find good people for that.

the way things are going in the ''yachting world'', make a ridiculous low ball offer.....then stand by your phone....it will ring all day and nite...

You may have missed this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BFux2AAMso
You don't want your phone ringing all day with crew that will leave you behind on a sinking boat . One call from the right crew is better.

It's good to know if you're going to charter or not up front. If you already have crew, no worries, but you often get different people for charter boats and private boats. Some prefer one to the other, and operations come from a slightly different point of view. Operating a charter boat you have to focus more on the business aspect, where as with a private boat, the focus (of the budget and vessel "add ons") is what ever the owner wants it to be from safety to fishing to diving or whatever. In those cases you want to find someone who has extra knowledge in the area of your greatest concern.

If they're a couple, that's fair enough. If they do an extraordinary job for you, you can keep them from jumping ship after a year with bonuses. If not, they'll pick up a gig on another boat a bit bigger that pays a bit more and you get a new crew at the same wage.

Are you, as the owner of a 72', going to spend $110k on crew wages in the first year? Any successful trips with the family yet? Good charter record with repeat business?

A month by month deal seems more realistic to me, though an honest, open deal with the crew up-front should be the way to go for the long term.

Fish

Or if they're making a percentage of each charter and are making good charter tips, it's enough.......I had a 4 night/ 5 day charter on a yacht his size and they tipped me $2500 (split it with the mate) but was very happy with the whole outcome.

Typically here in the US, they're paid every two weeks or monthly or weekly whatever the percentage of that comes out to. So if they don't work out they got paid weekly, but not a lump sum of the whole year.......

You pay every other month, 6 times a year? And your crew are fine with that?

I think he means twice a month......I wouldn't want to get paid every two months......I've been paid once a month before and was ok with that......but I'm an exception and most people want to get paid twice a month or every two weeks

Heck J,

If you are paying me $75,000 a year to run a little 72' you can pay in pink toutous and baubbles as long as the Bank accepts them. Just to get paid from owners is nice bonus sometimes. The more remote the harbour, the more remote the chance of getting paid.

And yes, I've been in some very dodgy harbours and a pink toutou may be the currency of choice.