Delivery skipper - what's a fair rate?

ThereAndBack

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Delivery skipper - what\'s a fair rate?

I intend to have My Bavaria 37 delivered from Hartlepool to the Costa del Sol next month. I have posted on the 'Crewing Opportunities Forum' (here: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1548993&page=0&vc=#Post1548993) and will post on Crewseekers.

Can anyone advise me what I should expect to pay a delivery skipper for this journey?

Obviously, his/her expenses would be down to me so I am looking for a daily rate or an overall idea of the price.

I know this is a ' how long is a piece of string' question, but I am hoping to find someone who will do a one -off rather than someone who does this for a living and want to end up with a fair figure.

Thanks in advance

Alan
 

ThereAndBack

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Re: Delivery skipper - what\'s a fair rate?

[ QUOTE ]
For Skipper + crew??

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes or no. I would guess that getting a crew for shared expenses only shouldn't be too big a problem.
 

PIGLETSDREAM

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Re: Delivery skipper - what\'s a fair rate?

As someone who crews when they can for a delivery skipper, this is a hard question to answer. This boat is your pride and joy and therfore you will expect the person who undertakes the trip to be fully competent, professional and perhaps to have undertaken the or a similar journey before, so as to know any problems, refuges on the way. So how do you put a cost to the job. Fixed prices put a lot of preassure on the skipper should they encounter bad weather on the way, my last delivery the owner stated that the boat must not be out of the harbour in winds or forecast winds of F7 or more. As a result we ended up in La Rochelle for 4 days waiting for the wind to ease. Rightly so the skipper was on a day rate. If you were asked to take responsibility for 3 people yourself and a boat circa 60- 80k, what would you expect to be the rate, personally as a professional person I would reckon that £150 per day plus expenses would be reasonable. Bear in mind that this equates to £6.25 per hour not much above the minimum wage.. Having crewed for the same skipper for many years I have sailed from the med and to the med as if I was popping across to Cowes, I have also done the same journey and thought that the world was going to end and my number was on the clipboard. It boils down to what would you consider to be a fair reward for a skipper and crew that will meticuously scrutinise your boat and invent before departure, who spend a day covering exposed parts in the saloon ,galley, heads and cabins with pipe lagging and protective sheeting and putting waterproof covers on your upholstery. You would expect the boat to arrive at destination in the same condition if not better than it was before it left, so at a rate that is less than you would pay a babysitter £150 pe day is probably cheap.
 

jeremyshaw

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Re: Delivery skipper - what\'s a fair rate?

Don't forget to think about insurance.
A 'professional' delivery skipper will have insurance. Otherwise you'll be relying on your insurance. And if your skipper is 'negligent' then the outcome of a claim could be interesting....
 

H4B

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Re: Delivery skipper - what\'s a fair rate?

Well said.

Sailing other peoples' boats, with all the responsibility that goes with it is a proffesional job and should be rewarded as such I think your estimate is on the cheap side.
 

PeterGibbs

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Re: Delivery skipper - what\'s a fair rate?

If you provide the insurance cover, as owner, you will have to verify and declare the details of the skipper and accept terms including the minimum number of crew etc. Since the hired skipper is working for reward, the insurance company will take a different view of the premium than if you were leading the trip yourself.

If the skipper provides the cover, you will want verification that it is and will remain in order, and of adequate cover value, until the vessel is safely handed over at the end of the trip! Etc Etc.

A professional will want to make the trip as direct as possible and work all favourable weather. Likely he will insist on choosing his own crew.

£150 a day for all that? Expect to pay more...And if you make it a fixed value contract expect the boat to be under pressure. Frankly, anyone accepting a fixed contract would arouse my suspicions..

PWG
 

glenndraper

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Re: Delivery skipper - what\'s a fair rate?

The answer my friend has to be:
Have a competent company deliver by lo-loader or put the vessel on a ship and deliver to Gib.
1. you save on maintenance for the engine (you will almost certainly have to carry out a planned maintenance after the trip)
2. As you dont say you are accompanying the vessel you will not miss the adventure
3. When one takes into account the fuel and maintenance costs the price is very reasonable
4. they unwrap the boat in gib and you take it from there!
 

purplerobbie

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Re: Delivery skipper - what\'s a fair rate?

[ QUOTE ]
Don't forget to think about insurance.
A 'professional' delivery skipper will have insurance. Otherwise you'll be relying on your insurance. And if your skipper is 'negligent' then the outcome of a claim could be interesting....

[/ QUOTE ]
I considered having mine brought back and there wasnt one company in the back of PBO that offered there own insurance they all wanted me to have there skipper put on mine.
Be careful with pricing this as there are a lot of extras that they stick on.
I was quoted for a similar trip between £2000 and £2500 but then there is fuel and marina fees on top then they wanted to charge a foul weather allowance of £150 a day and a subsistance allowance?? (wonder what the £150 was for then??)
Doing that trip with the way the weather has been you could easily be stuck in port for a few days.

If you are going to do this pm me and i'll tell you a couple of companies to avoid.

Rob
 

AIDY

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Re: Delivery skipper - what\'s a fair rate?

agree - lands the way to go if you dont intend to join the adventure. less wear and tear on sails engine and rigging and quicker.
 

PilotWolf

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Re: Delivery skipper - what\'s a fair rate?

[ QUOTE ]
rather than someone who does this for a living and want to end up with a fair figure.

[/ QUOTE ]

...in other words you want to do it on the cheap! See above posts for the consequences of using an amateur rather than a professional delivery skipper/crew.

Personally I charge on a daily rate as I think its fairer for every one as it removes pressure on the skipper to push on when it would be wiser to seek shelter and also removes the pressure applied to cut corners to shorten the route too much.

W.
 

Seven Spades

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Re: Delivery skipper - what\'s a fair rate?

Why not do it your self over a number of weekends and just fly back. You will get to know your boat and the costs are likely to be similar?
 
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