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Cost of a crew for an 80 foot yacht

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by hat4349, Mar 21, 2021.

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  1. hat4349

    hat4349 Senior Member

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    I was asked today if I know what it would cost to hire a captain and crew for an 80 foot Hatteras motor yacht. I've never hired just a captain for any of my boats, operated them myself. Of course the biggest boat I've owned is a 48 footer. I was wondering how much it would cost. Being nosey since I am currently boatless due to health reasons.
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  2. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    It's going to be a wide range of costs. Typically for an 80' boat, you'd have a crew of 2 or 3 people. The salaries could run from $110k to $200k. Then add 15-20% for fringe benefits including taxes and insurance. So a total of $130-240k.

    On top of that you may have other related expenses.
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  3. hat4349

    hat4349 Senior Member

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    The other related expenses you talk about, what do you mean? I understand maintenance costs, insurance costs, slip costs, and other miscellaneous expenses. If you are referring to crew I have no idea about any of them.
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  4. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Are you asking about F/T crew, P/T crew or per diem crew? Do you need a chef? Will your crew be doing the washes, etc. or will you be hiring a service? I ran several boats around this size on a per diem basis. The owners and their family would generally be my crew for docking etc. For F/T crew a boat of this size will often have a husband & wife team. So you see there are a lot of variables. Depending on your needs and desires the cost could run anywhere from less than $1,000 each day you cruise to the numbers Olderboater stated. Very often with the boats I ran I was treated as family, and so would be included in meals and shore excursions
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  5. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Crew travel, crew meals, crew uniforms if you use them, crew supplies, potentially crew lodging (boat in yard in distant location and so crew has to stay in hotel), crew covid testing for trips. Those are just some examples.
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  6. hat4349

    hat4349 Senior Member

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    I am glad I never had crew expenses and I hope if I buy another boat not to go that big I need a crew!!! My Pennsylvania Dutch blood boils at the thought of those costs. LOL
  7. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    You do realize you're commenting on the value of the services of about half the members here?

    We employee crew and best money we spend. I realize it's not affordable for all as boating isn't affordable for the majority. But for one's blood to boil if it's something they could afford strikes me as a bit much. Do you ever fly? Does your blood boil at what the pilots make? It's a profession that deserves reasonable compensation. What about business executives? Much of life is about how and where we spend out money. When younger we saved and spent little we didn't need to, although we still had a boat. Now, in retirement, we spend on things that make our life better and boat crew is sure a big part of that.
  8. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    Haha. OB- way to watch out for the pros. That being said, this doesn't offend me. I get that professional crew isn't needed for every boat and every situation. Truthfully, I'd rather the folks who's blood boils at the thought stay in their budget and size-range. Having an owner who resents costs isn't good for anyone who's involved with the situation.
    Personally- I'm happy to pay $100/week to the kid that washes my personal boat. That's what fits in my budget.
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  9. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    I'm not offended either but then it's not my profession. Just we offend take offense at what professions earn. Take a group like lawyers but sure are valuable if needed.

    You're so right about an owner who resents the costs and tries to scrimp. It's like any business owner or executive, the people making $300k a year fighting about $15 an hour.
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  10. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    And it didn't cause you palpitations to buy a B.O.A.T.? lol. As someone who earned his living on boats I'm not at all offended btw. I love seeing and helping people save their hard earned bucks, but most of those I worked for paid me well upwards of 150% of what I charged. So I can't really remember anyone grumbling about what I cost. Personally I consider big boats a big life complication with little reward since most spend most of their lives tied to a dock. Besides crew cost just coordinating with crew is a complication. I like smaller boats cause, besides the costs, just having to coordinate schedules with a crew is a pain unless you have them F/T and on call. I like to see the weather when I wake up and then decide then if it's a boating day. Most of my summer schedule was booked up by February. Not how I'd like to boat if I were an owner.
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  11. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    don’t forget the captain will do a lot of maintenance which will save the owner a lot of money. Not just wash but systems. If the captain does just 20 hours a month of maintenance... that saves the owner $2000 or more.

    I just spent 6 hours replacing a leaking cylinder on the stabs... that s almost $1000 on labor. And since we re in the Exumas for the next 5 weeks... we now have both fins working instead of one.

    A used 80 Hatteras runs about $3M. Depreciation and interest is going to be $300/400k a year... $150/170k for a captain and a mate in only a fraction of the overall costs
  12. hat4349

    hat4349 Senior Member

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    I did not mean to upset anyone, I added LOL so people would see I was joking. I am from Lebanon County in PA, Lebanon and Lancaster counties are the heart of PA Dutch Country. The PA Dutch are known as being tight with a dollar, I was making a joke at my expense. I think anyone that does this work is worth every penny you pay. I am sorry.. it offended some of you.

    I know the value of having a good captain that does maintenance and would appreciate that type of expertise and be willing to pay for it if I ever buy that size boat. I have always done my own maintenance on my boats because I enjoyed it. When I came out of college and went into computers I didn't get to do maintenance on anything anymore. When I bought a boat I stayed small enough so we could crew it and I got work on it
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  13. ChiTown

    ChiTown Member

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    All true, but the tag line of the forum is "We know Big Boats" ( even if mine is barely mid size) ! BTW I think hat 4349 was just referring to his general inclination to not spend money on things without a financial return, even though he obviously does. A bit of self deprecation more than criticism of the cost of able crew and services.
  14. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Just to be clear I was not offended :) I m no snowflake.
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  15. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    It opened things up for a response, didn't mean any of us were offended. It also led to starting a thread on the subject of cost of yacht crew.
  16. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Not offended either, I am worth every penny..:cool:

    I have seen both sides being an owner and a Captain, and I hire guys to work for me all the time, divers, detail guys, specialists in systems, etc.
    Rarely had to hire a Captain or a Mate, but be happy to if I want to drink rather than drive.
    (I keep getting the occasional request for Captain Services, but always turn it down, instead posting on a web site for local Captains and get 15-20 responses from young and hungry Captains needing to make $300-$400 in a day to make ends meet. Probably sharp and hard working guys, if I get too many charter requests I just may hire one of those guys. All good)
  17. 55 Sea Ray R

    55 Sea Ray R Member

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    So I am considering getting a larger maybe 70 Hatteras MY leaving FT Laud area. Capable of running fixing etc. myself but like the idea of having a capt to do these things so I can enjoy the trip and the fruits of his experience places to stop etc. on the way to the Virgin islands. On this type of extended trip how would one pay a captain. How long of a trip would it be doing it casually ?
  18. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Typical rate would be $400-500 per day. Most captains also will not run without a mate.
  19. Danvilletim

    Danvilletim Senior Member

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    That’s a long trip. I see captain rates a 300 -450 a day. And of course there is room to discount if you are doing an extended period. I would interview well and if you have time, hire your favorite for a day each on the boat. Even if just at the dock you ll get a sense of skills and more importantly who you enjoy being with.

    Add on a stew for 200-300 a day that can prep light meals, handle lines, etc. Now your yachting! Lol.
  20. rtrafford

    rtrafford Senior Member

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    You're getting into the class of yacht that needs a consistent eye on systems, maintenance, and overall care. Yeah, you can be cheap and save the cost of the crew member, be it a captain or a quality mechanic, but you absolutely pay for it one way to the other, and the other costs way more...

    Murphy's Law plays a big role, too. If you're diligent with your care, your failures have better odds at occurring more often at times that won't kill your trip.

    I really believe from experience as an owner, this is very much the penny wise dollar foolish scenario when it comes to boating.
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