Click for Delta Click for Furuno Click for Northern Lights Click for Mulder Click for Burger

Need a Training Captain

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by luvtocruise, Jun 22, 2021.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. luvtocruise

    luvtocruise Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2020
    Messages:
    74
    Location:
    Texas
    We went final on the boat today. I am sure I am going to need a training captain for the insurance and to be honest — a 63’ twin diesel boat is much more than I have docked before.
    Any suggestions, on a good guy for me and my wife in the Bradenton, Sarasota area? I need someone who is more soft spoken for her, a woman would be fine for both of us. But an old crusty salt wont work for her.
    Any ideas?
  2. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2005
    Messages:
    2,904
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    The best boat handler I worked with is Capt. J out of Pompano Beach, ( he may travel for a fee.)
    A bit rough around the edges, but soft when you poke him:D
    Seriously, he can teach you how to run the boat, not just docking.

    Capt. Ken is also a Master at his craft, seem him in action too, but probably way too expensive for regular people:cool:

    I could probably help with the basics, but retired and lazy. :D
  3. luvtocruise

    luvtocruise Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2020
    Messages:
    74
    Location:
    Texas
    I will prob need a captain of record- -boat has a yacht controller and is 63’ so it seems to be much easier that a 35t contender with trip 300’s i am moving from. Almost like cheating with the remote— but it wasn’t windy
  4. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    Docking is just a small part and often easier in the larger boat, but many other things on which training is helpful.

    Capt J is definitely one who can do it, although location may or may not be an issue for him.

    Captain Chris, https://www.captainchrisyachtservices.com , and his wife get excellent references from many trawler owners I've heard from.

    Also, both Chitwood and Southwest Yacht Charter utilize training captains on their boats who may also be available to train on your boat as they are independent captains.
  5. luvtocruise

    luvtocruise Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2020
    Messages:
    74
    Location:
    Texas
    I saw that Capt. Chris’s Website and some videos showed him— I like him and his videos — but his website looked like he worked with much smaller boats — Ill contact him and see whats up
  6. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    Yours would be larger and faster than his norm. He's only licensed to 100 Tons.

    Capt J, if willing, carries higher license and more experience with boats in your size range.

    Norseman mentioned Ken Bracewell and yours would be like a tender compared to many of his.

    The captains used by Chitwood and Southwest are generally running smaller boats too.
  7. luvtocruise

    luvtocruise Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2020
    Messages:
    74
    Location:
    Texas
    I know in the great grand scheme of things I am buying a tender for most of you heavy hitters— I just dont want to end up on you tube as the video of the week and I want my wife to be comfortable operating the boat. Heck she may be the boat driver at the dock — I dont have any ego there— what gets us into the slip with no damage works lol.
    I know there is a tremendous difference between a 63 and a 35 - 45 but I think we can figure it out— thanks for any suggestions
  8. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    No, only a tender for Ken and not really for him.

    As someone with a wife who has the same license I have, I'm all for equal participation. We all have areas in which our skills exceed others. She still amazes me with radar as she sees things before I do and figures out quicker what she's seeing. I see an object, she knows exactly what it is, then shortly after I can tell and she's always right. She's also better than me in picking up things visually on the water, without equipment, and identifying them. We also employee 4 female captains and they're all amazing.

    More importantly is developing the ability to work together, to know what each is about to do. The team can be better than it's parts.
  9. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    An absolutely great way to start with a training captain is if you can afford the time for a nice trip. That way you get to experience all aspects of cruising and of being on a boat that size. You face more variables plus you can have a good mix of learning and enjoying without being focused just on training. That way you're enjoying the boat itself. You get into checks. You may even face some problems and address them. You dock, you may also anchor, you face different conditions. From your location there are so many places you could run, depending on how adventurous you are. It also means the drive isn't a big deal. You might do an initial run and even follow that up later with another.
    luvtocruise likes this.
  10. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,118
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    first sentence is spot on. Docking a 50, 60, 70 twin screws is the easy part. It’s the systems which will be the hardest thing to learn.

    The larger the bot the easier it is to dock as long you approach docking understanding that it is your job as captain to bring the boat into a position from which lines can be secured. Once you hit 50 or so there can be no acrobatics jumping on a dock and wrestling the boat into position. Oh... I meant 50 feet not 50 years old although by the time you hit 50 years old jumping on a dock is not a good idea.

    when nobody is there to help on the dock, you and your crew have to learn to secure the boat from the boat without anyone jumping off. It’s pretty easy actually.

    personally I m not a big fan of remote controls. Not only can they fail but I find the lack of visual reference difficult to deal with. You re standing on deck with the remote but unlike a helm or aft deck remote station I find it hard to grasp which watt the boat is pointing. Disclaimer I haven’t used a yacht controller more than a few times so maybe with time I d get used to it.

    Start with easy runs to build your confidence. The bigger boats don’t get blown off like smaller ones. Practice practice practice, first with a training captain. And built on that.

    Every time I ve gotten a bigger boat, my first reaction. Was ... oh s... this is big. First time docking and it became ... “piece of cake”. My first boat was 25 then 37 then the 53 Hatteras I still have now. A sa a captain I can tell you the 116 I run now is easier to handle than my personal 53...
  11. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2006
    Messages:
    1,721
    Location:
    Somewhere Sunny
    I've just sent a PM. My dad lives in Bradenton, and has all kinds of time on his hands due to COVID laying up his cruise boat.
    He also lurks here, I hope you don't mind Dad! :)
    f3504x4ps likes this.
  12. luvtocruise

    luvtocruise Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2020
    Messages:
    74
    Location:
    Texas
    Thanks!
  13. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2016
    Messages:
    277
    Location:
    USA
    I can vouch for RETIRED, not sure about LAZY. . . [Just say'n]:cool::cool:
  14. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2005
    Messages:
    2,904
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    Growing lawyer by the day.
    Need somebody to stain my fence, but too lazy to look up his number:eek:

    I sent you a PM Seamaster, send me an email or PM,
  15. rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2019
    Messages:
    1,578
    Location:
    Vero Beach
    Wait. What? There are systems aboard? Lol...I thought recently I would take away or two and create the outline of an "owners manual" for the boat and then embellish it for thoroughness of any crew hired or future sale. Then I realized I needed more time as well as more information...and I did most of it...
  16. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2005
    Messages:
    2,904
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    It should say “growing lazier by the day”, but spell checker took over..:rolleyes:
    Mod can fix..Thx Mod.:cool: