40ft Sunseeker Charter viable in the UK?

[nickjh]

All,

I am still considering upgrading my Mariah to a Sunseeker 375 Portofino which i have fallen for but the annual costs are quite scary!.. I don't really want to share it, but may consider off setting the costs by chartering..

Has anyone done or is doing this in the UK?

What is the likey return/rate i could expect?

Any pitfalls?

One of the boats i am looking at is coded, one would need to be. What are the costs?

What are the minimum qualifications for local (solent) charter?

Is is best to join a charter management company or market it solo?

Is there a premium for events such as Cowes?

Appreciate any feedback, thanks

Nick

 

[matthieatt]

Never done this but have just completed RYA Powerboat Level 2 course which I was told is the minumum you need to charter any boat upto 24m in Europe.

 

[Renegade_Master]

wrong the power boat level two only gives you an ICC up to 10m loa.

 

[Renegade_Master]

Hi Nick cant comment on charter potential int UK. cost to code from scratch about £4-5500 . To take out paying passengers skipper must have commercially endorsed Yachtmaster.

 

[Whitelighter]

Speak to Mark Poulton at Clarity Charters - he will put a proposal together for you.

 

[Jonmendez]

Yes it can be done and you dont need to have a Commercially endoresed Yachtmaster, it can be a lower level in the solent, however without excellent marketing you will struggle to get enough custom to cover your costs, let alone make any money. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[matthieatt]

Not wrong ACTUALLY, my ICC specifically states 24m. Not that it should, the training was performed on 3m ribs. Quite an easy certificate to achieve...

 

[Jonmendez]

The ICC can only be used for chartering a boat for you to use, it cannot be used commercially - I.E. you carrying fare paying passngers or guests.
For that you need a comercially endorsed certificate, which the ICC can't be.

 

[Renegade_Master]

If your ICC states 24m it is WRONG as you did a power boat level 2 on a rib it should read 10m.

Unless of course you did this before Jan 2005, which is when they changed the rules, though of course you did say you completed it recently so assumed after that date.

 

[Renegade_Master]

Hi Jon yes I do believe there is a restricted coding limiting one to a distances between certain marks? I believe there is a guy on the forum who has a Doral 35 coded thus. What then does the skipper need just an ICC?

 

[Planty]

There is a Sunseeker in Ocean Village of this sort of type and length, it has "Charter" adverts all over it. Moored just under Harbour Lights Cinema. Obviously I'm normally down at weekends so can't really say for in the week, but the prop growth etc suggests it doesn't do a lot.

Sorry can't remember name of charter business, (obviously that ad works!) but think you might get them through mec sail, or OV office, to perhaps ask how it's going for them if you are in a different area of course, don't suppose they'll divulge to a possible competitor?. P

 

[mjf]

I believe the IOW can issue a cert that allows you to charter without coding. You cannot go beyond Bembridge eastwards nor beyond the Needles to the west.

Others I'm sure have more knowledge of this ??

 

[matthieatt]

So what do you need to do to get 24m certified then?

 

[AdeOlly]

MBM ran an article on this some time ago (at a guess 12-18 months) with a couple of case studies. I can't remember the detail of what you needed to do, however I do remember one guy seemed to cover most his running and finance costs runnig a charter in the Solent.

 

[AdeOlly]

Take your ICC exam in a craft greater than 10m LOA I was told when I did mine last March.

 

[Solitaire]

[ QUOTE ]
So what do you need to do to get 24m certified then?

[/ QUOTE ]

Minimum is Day Skipper practical - Power! The boat it's taken on should ideally be over 10 meters. Does not have to be twin engine.


As a note, if you did you PB Level 2 before end of December 2004 then you would have an ICC up to 24 metres. From 1st January 2005, as Sun Coast has said, you would (SHOULD) only have been issued an ICC up to 10 metres.

 

[Renegade_Master]

Power boat level two is for ribs, day boats and small cuddy cabin boats, hence the syllabus reflects this i.e. basic chart nav no night hours lots of single engine handling, and its only two days long. Basically designed for small day boats.

The 24m ICC is gained when undertaking a either a 4 day Day Skipper course which includes night hours, lots more navigation, tides etc, and is done usually on a twin engine vessel with proper cabins and often longer than 30ft.

Or you can do a 3 day ICC course aboard such a vessel, (no night hours on this ICC)

 

[Jonmendez]

Does not matter what code, ICC cannot be used for the skipper of any commercial craft. You can use a vessel coded to local code withing the solent, but this is changing to MCA codes in the future, code is being changed to reflect the normal MCA code, i.e. with a liferaft. Certification list is available on the MCA web site MGN 280.

 

[Renegade_Master]

extract from your earlier post:

" Yes it can be done and you dont need to have a Commercially endoresed Yachtmaster, it can be a lower level in the solent,

_____________________________________________________________

Seem to be at odds here I stated that he will need a commercial certificate to skipper a charter vessel, (obvously dont need one to code the thing). You seemed to say he did'nt yours confused in Spain

 

[Solitaire]

Clive, different requirements in force as long as the charter is within the confines of the Solent - technically uncategorised waters! For example, Red Jet ferries don't even have DSC VHF radios!!! On rib charters for example either a local boat license of just a Level 2 PB certificate will suffice. I'm operating a rib charter out of Gunwharf Quay in Portsmouth Harbour, but I use commercially endorsed skippers, but that is my choice - not a requirement.