Your boat is your oasis, whether you like to wind down and relax or are looking for a place to hang out with friends and family, and the crew you select will directly impact your experiences.

So, if you are looking to replace or hire new crew members for your boat, how do you go about it confidently? Let’s lay out a plan…

Before the interviews, look at what YOU want. 

• Do you want a full-time or seasonal crew?
• How many positions do you need to fill?
• What duties do you want to be handled?
• Are there any jobs you want to remain involved in?
• What are the most essential characteristics of the crew?
• How do you envision your interactions with the hired crew?

Every boat, every owner, and every ideal situation is unique.  So will be the captains and professional crew members for hire.

Professionalism & Personalities are Priority

Above all, it matters if your personalities and expectations of professional conduct are aligned.  No matter how incredible, a yacht will feel restricted when there are tensions or disappointments between you and the crew.

Some of the interactions will be determined by how well you lay out your expectations and what boundaries you wish to retain while you are onboard.  For example, do you prefer a quiet and more private experience with your guests and have limited distractions from your crew, or do you like to hear their travel stories and enjoy occasional conversational banter?  How involved do you want the captain to keep you in the day-to-day interactions?  Regularly updated, or you hired them to handle it?

But you’ll also want your captain and crew to quickly pick up on the ques and be able to anticipate your needs. Your captain will be essential in setting and maintaining the right tone aboard.

This component of selecting the best yacht crew available for hire is the most abstract.  Personality is personality. It’s not changed or built by experience or training.  (Unlike professionalism that is a skill and developed to some extent.)  But when working with someone 24/7 in close corners, personalities—no matter how professional the crew—become evident. So it’s less about finding the crew with the best personality and more about finding the best MATCHING personality.

Calling referrals and talking to your prospective crew’s previous employers can be helpful.  But perhaps even more enlightening is talking to their previous coworkers.  Can your prospective crew give you their referrals? 

Crew Experience & Skill

While matching the personalities of you and the yacht crew you hire is essential, so is matching your crew—particularly the captain—with your boat. 

Just like people, boats are unique too.  And their uniqueness, changes in how they are handled. Power or sail.  Single engine or twin.  Swift or stout.  Modern and high-tech or classic and simple.

Seeking out professionals with expertise in vessels like yours can be advantageous because there will be less of a learning curve. In addition, if your crew finds themselves in a challenging situation, whether that be mechanical, weather, or situational, they will have that built-in, ready-to-go knowledge base allowing them to respond more quickly and confidently.

Asking a few questions about how your vessel’s anticipated unique handling characteristics—and in what situations that may make a difference—can start the conversation about the level of experience on your type of boat.

Cruising Destinations & Local Knowledge

While a competent captain will have the skills to safely navigate unknown waters, there are advantages to seeking yacht crews for hire that have local knowledge of where you will be traveling.

For example, if you will be taking (or joining) your yacht in the Bahamas, your captain’s navigations skills are different from that of the US coast.  The shallow waters must be navigated not by markers and buoys but onboard navigation equipment and visually reading the water. 

Further, the weather patterns for cruising locations can vary dramatically.  Hiring a captain and crew familiar with the patterns may allow them to make safer and more comfortable decisions regarding passages and anchorages. 

Finally, a little local knowledge can go a long way in designing stellar itineraries and influencing your experiences while aboard.  Your crew will be able to better lead you to the best private beaches, fishing grounds, or shore excursions.

Yacht Crews for Hire are at Risk for Poaching

As unpleasant as it is to consider, the crew you hire is also looking for the best fit for themselves. As a result, it’s not uncommon to see a high turnover of hired staff—even mid-season.  Whether it’s due to being poached from other boats, captains, or crew placement agencies or moving on to bluer oceans, crew replacement, and retraining is expensive and intrusive to your valued time aboard.

But proactively considering this during your crew hiring process can mitigate the risks. Paying attention (and out-right asking) what your captain and crew are looking for out of the positing can help eliminate otherwise suitable selection because a low chance they will find the long-term satisfaction they are seeking. So it’s better to seek out that symbiotic match from the start.

Many hired captains will require that they be responsible for selecting all hired crew they will be managing.  It gives them the ability to bring on loyal members they have worked with and trust.  And it allows the captain to curate an efficient team that works together, especially since many onboard roles have overlapping responsibilities.

It can be the making of a dream-team crew on your yacht with the right captain.  The risk is that sometimes the captain goes to another boat—and takes the whole well-oiled team with him.  Ouch.

There’s no way to 100% avoid this risk but looking at the longevity and loyalty of previous placements may also hint at how well your prospective crew was received by previous boat owners—and their likelihood of staying aboard the entire season or longer. 

Also, hearing what they value most regarding compensation, feedback, and working environment can create a more stable and long-lasting working relationship from the start.

Where to Search for your Next Hired Yacht Crew

Many boat owners find their crews through word-of-mouth and personal referrals.  Ask around with friends, yacht club members, marina staff, and boat brokers.  It will still be prudent to check backgrounds and get additional referrals for any prospective crew you find this way.

Large crew placement agencies online will open up a large selection of options and can usually fill your needs quickly.  Be mindful, however, of the experience level for some of the candidates on these large sites.  Many will place crew members with no experience or mediocre references.

Smaller boutique crew placement businesses can offer a best-of-both option.  Onyx is an example of a company that hand-selects reputable captains and crew and offers either on-demand or long-term placement options for the best-matched professionals and boat owners. 

Best of luck navigating the hiring process, and see you on the water soon.

The post Yacht Crew for Hire—Selecting Your Crew Confidently appeared first on Hiring Crews for Your Yacht.

You have to hire a yacht crew that is available, has experience working on boats like yours, fits within your budget, has a solid reputation…

Let’s simplify things by breaking down what you need to know to make hiring a crew for your boat straightforward and successful—the first time.

We’ll look at:

1. What type of crew you require
2. What staff positions you need to fill
3. How to define the kind of service you want
4. Where to find available crew
5. How to verify your crew’s experience, history, and compatibility

#1 Define What Kind of Boat Crew You Need to Hire

Let’s start with the most essential task first—what type of crew do you need to hire?

You can hire a captain for an afternoon cruise around the harbor.  Or you can hire a captain—and a whole fleet of crew members—to run your boat year-round.

Of course, there is every option in between, too.

So, to save time, define what type of crew services you need to hire.  From there, your pool of potential captains and crew just got more manageable. 

Here is how the most common hired yacht crew services breakdown:

Long-term- The captain usually manages your boat year-round, either full-time or part-time.  They will frequently handle all the routine maintenance of the vessel, hire additional crew, and oversee any repairs or upgrades. In addition, they will run the boat while you are on board or move the vessel to different locations so that you can meet up with it in other ports.

Short-term- Captain and crew can be hired for just a season or a few weeks while you vacation on the boat.  While they attend to running and maintaining the boat while aboard, they won’t be responsible for the overall maintenance needs of your boat, like scheduling yearly services.

Delivery Services- Delivery captains move your boat from one location to another.  They are often hired for new boat purchases, if you move, to attend boat shows, or to deliver your boat so that you can fly in and join it at your cruising destination without having to be aboard for the travel days. 

Single Event- Even if you usually operate your boat by yourself, there are times when you may rather focus on the friends and family that you have onboard with you.  Hiring a boat crew can allow you to safely participate in the activities on board.

On-Demand- If you require a captain or crew several times a year but not consistently enough to have a full-time crew always at the ready, using a service that can help place a qualified professional with you on short notice may be an option.  You may not get the same crew each time, but you won’t have to spend the time searching for a team every time you need to hire one.  Plus, the crew services agency will already know the details about your boat and special requests that are important to you.

#2 Decide What Hired Yacht Crew Positions You Need

Understanding the roles of professional boat crews can help you decide how many staff you need to hire, what roles they fill, and how they serve you. 

On smaller boats with only one, two, or three hired crew aboard, the crew will often wear several hats, overlapping duties.  But it helps to have a clear expectation and understanding of what their primary responsibility is.

Note: In many cases, a crew placement agency or the captain may require a minimum number of crew members.  This can be determined by the size of the boat, type (sailboats often require additional crew), and destination.

Captain- At a minimum, they will have a captain’s license that covers the size vessel and how many people will be aboard.  While they are hired, they will be responsible for the operation and safety of the vessel and all crew, both whiles underway and while moored.  If other hired professionals are on board, for example, a first mate, they are responsible for directing them in the boat’s operation.

Co-Captains, Mates & Deck Hands- Depending on the size of the boat, an additional crew may be required for boat operation tasks. Other times they may be optional.  Co-captains and first mates will be able to stand in for the captain in their absence. When safe to do so, they may also be involved in entertaining and serving you and your guests aboard. They may also perform deck cleaning and routine boat maintenance tasks.

Chefs and Steward/ess- Their primary focus is serving you and your guests aboard and attending to interior tasks, from preparing and serving meals and drinks to setting out fresh towels. 

Engineers-Larger vessels with long-term staff may include some sort of engineer position.  The engineer is hired to keep the boat running, maintaining the engine room and related systems.  When available, they often participate in serving guests as well.

Regardless of what the titles are—or how many crew members you hire—defining the roles and responsibilities in writing at the time of hire is standard.  Clarity is key.  Ask as many questions as needed to ensure everyone understands the expectations (you and your crew).

#3 Clarify What Type of Service You Want

Nothing will have a more significant impact on how much time you enjoy your boat than the trust and interaction you have with your hired crew.  No matter how large of a yacht you are on, it’s still a relatively small space.  And your crew, while professionals, are always human. So it’s critical to create the right working relationship.

Clearly identifying what style of service you want during the hiring process is essential to finding the best-matched crew.

To do this, answer questions like:

• Would I prefer a quiet service with a priority on ensuring my privacy, or would I rather have some fun interaction with my crew?
• Do I want my captain and crew to share information with me so I become more confident in handling my boat myself, or would I rather keep a completely hands-off approach and just enjoy the experience?
• If hosting a party, do I want more formal service from the crew, or would I like to see them create a lively atmosphere?

Whether you are hiring crew for your boat directly or working with an agency that provides crew placement services, clearly defining your expectations and preferences at the start will yield much better boat crew matches.

Tip: If you are asked to complete a preference sheet that asks questions like the above examples, take the time to fully develop your answers.  Loving and trusting your hired crew is the single biggest factor affecting the experience you have on your boat.

#4 Learn Where to Find the Best Yacht Crews For Hire

An obvious place to start looking for your crew is referrals from people you know.  Nothing beats first-hand knowledge.

You may also be able to find a private, or “freelancer” captain, meaning they don’t work for a crew services placement company. 

Private captains are most often available for short-term or delivery-style jobs.  With this hiring option, you are 100% responsible for background checks, verifying licenses, calling references, determining fit, and reviewing contracts.

Agency-style crew services placement websites are easy to use and limit the amount of calling around you have to do yourself.  They tend to work with a vast pool of captains and match you with one available in your area. Some agencies offer more custom requests than others.  

Tip: Caution may be warranted when the same website you are using to hire a professional crew is also boldly advertising that they are hiring-NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! 

Smaller, customer-oriented crew services placement companies can offer a best-of-both-worlds option.  They hand-select their marine professionals and choose only crew members that meet their quality-focused models.  They take care of the business-end of vetting the crew AND work as matchmakers for finding the best professionals for each client’s individual requests.  Sail Onyx is a prime example of a client-focused company helping match boat owners and hired yacht crew.

#5 Selecting Experienced, Vetted & Compatible Crew

Whether you are hiring a crew directly or working with a company, knowing when and how frequently background checks are performed is a smart move.  Never hesitate to ask about the vetting process.  Some companies do a background check only once when initially hiring.  Other companies will recheck their professionals before every placement. 

Reviewing enough testimonials from previous clients should give you a solid feel for their skills and professionalism.  If you are hiring a crew directly, not through an agency, it will be up to you to verify that licenses are current. It will also fall on you to follow up on at least a few referrals from recent customers.

Tip: Be honest with yourself.  Using a placement agency might be a safer alternative if you’re not inclined to do the background research.

Finally, while hiring an experienced crew is the main objective, finding one that just feels right on a personal level is just as important.

Whether it’s for a week or a year, you’ll build a personal relationship of some type with your crew—finding the personalities that make it most enjoyable is essential.

You’ll want someone who can anticipate what you want and how to deliver it. 

And—if things go differently than planned—you’ll want a crew that reacts and communicates in a way that makes you feel reassured and confident. 

This is where working with a boutique-style agency can make a big difference.  They can take the time to really learn what you are looking for, and they will know their hand-picked captains and crew well enough to make a solid match between boat owners and hired yacht crew.

The post 5 Tips for Hiring the Ideal Yacht Crew for Your Boat appeared first on Hiring Crews for Your Yacht.

Let’s look at what makes a sailboat delivery different and how that may affect which captain you hire for your delivery.

Speed

It seems obvious, a sailboat is slower than a powerboat.  But how does that affect your delivery?

Your captain will have to be better able to accurately judge how many miles per day your boat can travel.  And many factors play into that—weather, engine size, onshore or offshore passages, number of crew aboard, sail inventory aboard, and more.

Miscalculating may lead to more days for the delivery than quoted (thus more money than initially quoted).  It could also mean more or different overnight stops—having to stay at a marina instead of the planned anchorage (also more money).

There is also a safety factor. You’ll want a captain that genuinely understands the speed and power of your sailboat.  For example, if they navigate an inlet, will they have calculated the time well enough to arrive in daylight?  Have they checked the tides?  While going against an outgoing tide in a narrow inlet may be nothing for a powerboat, it can slow an underpowered sailboat to a knot.

Draft

If your sailboat has a deeper draft, there may be well-traveled routes that are not an option.  Even shoaled in channels can be a concern.  A delivery captain used to working on sailboats will be more aware of areas that may need to be avoided our only navigated when timed with the tide, reducing the chance of running aground in your boat.

Bridge Clearances

While any captain should be able to look up the bridge clearances within the delivery route, a sailboat delivery captain will be more familiar with how the bridge restrictions will affect the overall time delivery timeframe.  In South Florida, for example, some sailboats will have a difficult time making it from one timed bridge opening to another, reducing the distance considerably for the day.  The captain may also have to circle in tight and congested areas with a strong current in front of the bridge while waiting for an opening.  A sailboat captain will have more experience in safely handling the boat.

Weather

Indeed, weather plays a part in any boat delivery, but more so for sailboat deliveries.  A powerboat will be less affected by the direction of the wind.  But on a sailboat, the wind direction is critical—even if motoring.  Delivery captains with more sailing experience will make better judgment calls on how the weather will affect the boat and make changes to the route, adjust sailing angles for comfort, or even select different anchorages for the night.

Sailing Knowledge

It’s when things don’t go as planned that hiring an experienced sailboat delivery captain really makes a difference.  Will your captain know how to handle the boat under sail if the engine cuts out?   Will they be able to react instinctively if the halyard wraps and prevents the sail from furling?  How quickly will your captain be able to troubleshoot a steering problem?  All captains should be skilled at man-overboard procedures, but will yours know by nature how to handle a rescue under full sail in any sea condition?

Specialized Equipment

While power and sailboats share a lot of the same equipment—navigation, VHF radios, and safety gear.  There is usually a lot of specialized gear on a sailboat that your delivery captain will have to become quickly familiar with.  Even the charging systems may be different.  The charging systems may be more dependent on solar or wind and have smaller battery bank sizes.  Access to the engine and other systems may be more difficult.

What licenses should my captain have?

Your delivery captain should—at a minimum—have a current USCG license. 

Note: USCG Captain’s Licenses must be renewed every five years.   You can verify your captain’s license with the Department of Homeland Security.

There are two primary types of licenses your delivery captain is likely to have. Let’s break them down to understand the differences:

• OUPV-This is commonly referred to as the “six-pack” license.  It allows the captain to operate a non-inspected vessel (a recreational vessel) up to 100 tons (roughly 100 feet). In addition, they are allowed to have up to 6 people on board (this includes paid crew and guests combined).
• 25/50/100 Ton Master License-These licenses allow the captain to operate non-inspected and inspected vessels (commercial vessels—like ferries and water taxis).  The size vessel is dependent on the license, from 25 tons to 100 tons.  Captains that hold this license may carry more than 6 people on board.
• USCG Sailing Endorsement-Captains that carry the Master License can also obtain either an inland or near coastal USCG Sailing Endorsement. (Note: Captains with the OUPV license cannot add a sailing endorsement to their license). 

Since most sailboat delivery captains will have the OUPV license and will not be eligible for the USCG Sailing endorsement to demonstrate their hours of experience or testing competency. 

So, as a boat owner, how do you determine your captain’s sailing experience?

Ask specific questions, follow up on referrals, and read their previous client’s testimonials.  If you are new to sailing, it may be helpful to have a knowledgeable friend with boats like yours to be present while talking to prospective captains. Or you can work with a reputable captain and crew placement company, and they will handle all they will be able to match the most suitable captain for you, your boat, and delivery location.

Preferably you’ll want to hire a delivery captain that has experience with similar boats to yours. However, even sailboats can vary dramatically in handling depending on their build.  For example, a heavy, full-displacement monohull and a light, the high-freeboard catamaran will handle almost every condition differently. They will have different points of sail that are most comfortable for the boat (and crew), react to large seas differently, and use different approaches when docking.

Of course, it doesn’t mean that your delivery captain isn’t fully capable of adapting to a new boat, but given a choice between two equally competent and personally compatible sailboat delivery captains, it makes sense to choose the one who won’t be learning aboard your boat.

Do I need more than just a captain for the delivery?

Maybe.  There are a lot of factors that determine how many crew should be aboard—the size of the boat, the length of the delivery, the route, and more.  Many companies that provide delivery services will require a minimum of a captain and mate aboard any sailboat.

Note: If you are hiring a private captain for your sailboat delivery and they will be selecting their own crew, make sure they aren’t just bringing their girlfriend/boyfriend who has little experience along for the vacation.  If you are paying for extra crew, you want them to be fully capable of handling your boat in place of the captain if needed.

How many hired boat delivery crew members you have onboard may also depend on if you will be aboard your sailboat for the delivery and your experience level. 

What should I ask a prospective sailboat delivery captain?

In addition to all the other questions you should ask when hiring a delivery service, here are a few specifically for sailboat delivery captains:

• What licenses do you have? Do you have a sailing endorsement?
• Tell me about other deliveries you have made.
• How much time have you spent on boats like mine?
• Do you know of any depth or bridge restrictions along the proposed route?
• Do you see any challenges with my boat specifically handling this trip?

There are a lot of exceptionally skilled and capable delivery captains available. You just need to know how to sift through the less experienced captains to find the best one for you.

Do you have any tips on hiring a delivery captain on sailboats?  Please share with us in the comments.

The post What’s Different About a Sailboat Delivery? appeared first on Hiring Crews for Your Yacht.