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I am interested in buying a used charter boat and eventually becoming a charter captain. I would deeply appreciate hearing from any charter captain on how to determine the reliability of a used boat - say 15 years old or older. Thanks in advance. Jim
Here the advice we can give you, all other captains can also give thier views, first have boat inspected before you buy, when you go commericial most insurance companys want boat inspect every four years or less, michigan requires dry and wet inspection, you must pass your captains license, phyical,ohio wildlife fees. and your boat must now meet coast guard requiremnet, upgrades of all life jackets. night beacons, commericial first aid, two radios, insurance usually doubles,
depends were you dock docks double, and the list goes on, Make sure before you buy stringers and transom are freshly redone, check engine and transmisiion. these repairs will cost you 40.000 to 50,000. jUST DUE ALL HOMEWORK .
The Reel Sport Charter Team
If you want to call me I will be more than happy to share my experiences with you. 614.327.7144 thanks jim
Boats for chartering and charter insurance need inspected/surveyed which costs plenty. If they dont pass this insp. spend the money a fix all the items then see how bad they hit ya for ins. Older and some newer Sportcrafts will need new stringers and sometimes the stern/transom is rotten. Some Baha Cruiser have transom issues also. You need plenty of water time over 5 year period on great lakes and /or western rivers. A month of weekends of class and then pass a near day long test. Lic fees, countless gear, safety gear, and this is just the start. Figure out what you would want to do when you get the license. Fish, touring, boat transfers, sailing trips, yacht charters, oil rig boat crew. 1 to 3 person fishing trips, 4 or full 6 person aka 6pack lic. Get your masters for more than 6 people/ recommended ! I went thru Sea Tech Marine training out of Buffalo NY. They teach you instead of just tell you enough to pass the test. The basic lic for the great lakes area would be the 6 pack for Great Lakes and Western Rivers of the US for up to 6 paying passengers. Dont worry about the boat first.
The Lake Erie Charter Boat Association (LECBA) has their annual conference the first Saturday in March each year. It is held at the BG Firelands campus in Huron. A lot of useful information can be obtained there. As others have indicated, there is a whole lot more to it than the boat. I am not a captain, but first mate for 3 different captains and have seen what they must go through. The physical is 10+ pages, and if you suffer from Type II diabetes or other issues it can be very difficult to get your license in the first place. I'm not telling you what to do; just trying to make you aware that it is not nearly as simple as one might think.
If you're strictly talking boats, I would say you need to be knowledgeable of engines and 12 volt electronics... especially if you want to be a captain. Otherwise the little you make in profit will be spent on mechanics. It seems as though something always needs tinkered with or serviced. You shouldn't buy a boat without a good survey. Personally, I think Captain Tony surveying is the best. He will find anything and everything. This should make you aware of any problems and help you negotiate a price. A big block inboard will need rebuilt around 4000 hours, keep that in mind. I would suggest an inboard, there's just less that can go wrong. Like Jim said, give him a call, he's very knowledgeable.
Greg
Thank you for sharing this information with me. I really appreciate it.
Jim give me a call, I believe I have some helpful information for you. Thanks, Gary 419-382-7138 or email me -- [email protected]
I'm not a captain, but I am curious as to if you know what kind of boat you want? That makes a big difference on the advice. A lot of captains use larger inboards (such as a 30' Sportcraft or Baja, etc) A lot of other captains use 20 Ranger type tournament boats with outboards... Both serve their purpose, and both serve a target market... What kind of boat are you looking for?
-Matt