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Captain/Crew Pay

Discussion in 'Yacht Crews' started by Linda Noble, May 12, 2010.

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  1. Linda Noble

    Linda Noble New Member

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    Location:
    Key Largo, Florida
    What is the going pay for a full time Captain onboard an 80'M/Y. Boat is kept in South Florida. About 70 days usage annually. We do not have a full time mate. When we cruise we hire a mate. What should his pay be? Should a mate and captain be able to do a few simple meals and clean up? should they be responsible for interior cleaning while cruising? I would love to hear other opinions......
  2. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Pay in SO. FL. is considerably less than here so I'll advise you to use the search above and you'll find plenty on the subject. If your captain is a F/t employee, outside cleaning and interior straightening up (not cleaning) is normal on a yacht this size with that cruising schedule. Cooking really depends. Some caps love to cook and do a good job of it, but it's not a normal part of the job. I'd recommend hiring a mate/chef as the job of a p/t per diem mate is very light. A captain is a marine professional, not a houskeeper. He's hired for his boating skills. A good captain enjoys being of service to his employer and tries to do things above his normal job as a favor to his employer, but if you try to treat him like a household servent he'll be gone.
  3. Ormond Bert54

    Ormond Bert54 Senior Member

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    Or you could find a good "Household Servant" and teach that person to be a Captain:)

    I have found that $300/day on a 1099 is a good start for regular work for a Captain on my 54 foot Sportfisher. My quick guess is that the same person would work for $250/day or $350/day depending on several factors. Location, working conditions, expectations etc.

    If cooking comes naturally to a certain captain or mate, it might be a good way for them to earn extra money as bonus or salary.

    Mike
  4. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    :D :D :D :D :eek:
  5. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    on the 70 footer i captain, I do a lot of the cooking while on charter because i indeed enjoy it (it's a french thing...) and judging by the feedback we get in our guest book and from brokers, the guests are happy! my GF does some of the cooking too and she's also the mate (she's licensed and also run the tender).

    on trips with the owner aboard, i run the boat alone and do much less cooking since the owner loves to cook...

    on a boat that size, the mate is also often the stew and indeed does interior cleaning too. I dont' mind helping out if needed. again, in that size range with limited crew flexibility is key and the goal is to make sure the guests (or owner) has a good time.
  6. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Myself, I personally don't mind housekeeping (although it's never been a part of my regular duties), but you don't want me cooling unless you like real simple (but good) food. :D Comes from being married to an Italian (ret. captain) who's a great cook. :D So, Ms. Noble, I guess the answer to your question is that every pot has a lid. You just have to look around for the right fit.
  7. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    A female I hope..On the other hand, I know you are liberal and open minded, and so am I.

    If it floats your boat..:D
  8. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Yes she is.:D
  9. akayemm8

    akayemm8 Guest

    :confused: What are the norms of wages on regular and daily basis for various traits/trades from Yacht Captain downwards on a 80+ m mega yacht which may have a crew strength of about 30/35 ? Do the rates vary for charter and private use of yachts? Does the location of yachts have any impact on wages, say in Mediterranean, in the Caribbean or East or West Coast and so on ?:confused:
  10. CaptTom

    CaptTom Senior Member

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    Another general rule of thumb (not dictated by a certain area) is the captain's annual salary is $1,000 per foot of yacht. On your 80-footer, captain can make around $80,000, more or less depending on things like those mentioned above. For a full time captain or crew, don't forget to consider vacation time (paid usually), flight home/back if not local and some level of bonus or such. Charter caps may be different due to number fo charters, location/movemement of yacht, tips, etc.
  11. jdpeterson

    jdpeterson New Member

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    In the US, from an Owner's or Manager's point, crew may be paid either within the tax system (W-2) or outside (1099). Either way the taxing and social welfare programs are due. If inside the tax system, the PAC (payroll added costs) that is due from the employer are slightly higher than 15% with the balance due from the employee. If outside the tax system, the employee must pay the entire amount which should certainly be taken into account when comparing positions, as should any additional benefit packages that make up the total compensation package. So just knowing the salary is just one part of the show. Many other countries impose higher taxes and social welfare tariffs and a few lower of non-existent costs on their citizens. This is never a level playing field and your personal mileage will vary.

    From an owner’s or manager’s perspective, I suspect third world crew are substantially less expensive and the more crew you need the greater the overall cost savings, both to meet the lower expectations of the crew and the reduced tax and social welfare costs of their respective country(s), regardless of whomever is paying them.

    There are marine industry publications that conduct annual compensation surveys for various sized yachts up to megayachts and these are the sources of that information. Google "yacht crew compensation survey" and you'll find a plethora of information to answer your questions about megayacht compensation.
  12. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    cheap

    I got a call the other day from a dockmaster who had a customer looking for a captain. Since the guy likes to run his own boat he'd only need the captain to deckhand, run the dink and run the boat back after he'd been drinking. So he figured to pay 1/3 the going rate. Needless to say, he got no takers, but his reputation grew by leaps and bounds. Having not found a cheap captain he called me directly to ask if I'd run for him the following day. His call went unanswered. I saw him out that day running his own boat and running his dink into shore overloaded and with no lifejackets since he had nobody on board responsible enough to tell him it was a bad idea. I also watched him spend the better part of an hour tied up to the marine patrol as he slowly wrote the tickets. Most captains in this area know the guys name and know he doesn't tip. If he can find someone to run for him he will be paying a big premium, and that's a big if. A captain charges for his knowledge, experience and responsibility. It doesn't matter what you use him for, you're getting that. It doesn't pay for an owner to get a reputation as being cheap. Word spreads on the docks fast. It ends up expensive.
  13. aeronautic1

    aeronautic1 Member

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    Ditto

    You got that right NYCAP. As I always say, "if you pay peanuts, you usually wind up with monkeys."

    I don't mind being the highest paid line handler in the marina, as long as I have confidence in the owner/driver; usually, I have trained them up. But, if my employment is predicated on the approval of the underwriter, then I am never more than five steps away.
  14. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    In small boat work you have to be in control of the boat no matter where you are; no matter what you're doing. Lessons especially are fun and relaxing.:eek:
  15. YachtmasterBVI

    YachtmasterBVI New Member

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    Ditto!!
  16. NelsonP

    NelsonP New Member

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    There is a say, penny wise / pound foolish. I guess the same applies here.

    Enjoy the benefits of a good captain and deck hand.
  17. captjohn22

    captjohn22 Member

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    Well put.