How much commercial skippers are paid?

Gedimin

Gedimin

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I'm risking to open Pandora box here, but does anyone know how much commercial motorboat/ship skippers are paid in the UK? More specifically in the south and London? Let's exclude big ships (bulk carriers, containerships, anything over 200 passenger etc). I know that it is still huge difference, but I'm trying to figure out median. If you can - give a type of job and potential range, or just guess.
 
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Apologies, I should have made it more clear: motor vessel, not training or leisure yacht, but some sort of small passenger or small freight vessel.
 
Please be forewarned, it's exceptionally difficult to get work unless you are very well connected.
I started a major career change a couple of years ago to work on the water and it's been a real struggle. I've literally (today) been offered a skippers job on a safety boat on a trial basis at £15.00/hour. That's after a years experience running trot boats and line boats with full STCW modules and a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster offshore (power) certificate of competence, virtually on minimum wage.

As above, a BML will help massively if you're on the Thames, but virtually impossible to obtain unless you're working afloat under a master or can self fund the 240 days service required.
Not trying to put you off, but if I really had any idea how difficult it really is, I'm not sure I would have started the process.

As far as pay goes, JM is right on the money from what I've seen. Tug skippers and qualified engineers will be earning a lot more, but probably easier to start a career as an astronaut in all honesty.

EDIT: If you're on facebook, have a look at the seaworthy consulting group. They very regularly post job ads, usually in the region of £120-300/day, virtually all requiring experience, but will give you an idea of salary ranges.
 
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£150-200 is the right arena.

I too took a complete career change a few years back and having come from a well paid job in another industry where I was at the top of the game I had to accept that I’d be coming in at the bottom. I worked on small wildlife cruise ships for £100 a day as the bosun, doing everything from driving the boat, helping the chef to cleaning and maintaining the boat. It was awful money but actually good fun as I was in a beautiful part of the world.

Three years on I’m loving life and my wages, whilst still far from what I was doing before, are back to an acceptable level, coupled with a huge amount more enjoyment and fun.
 
Gedimin said:
I'm risking to open Pandora box here, but does anyone know how much commercial motorboat/ship skippers are paid in the UK? More specifically in the south and London? Let's exclude big ships (bulk carriers, containerships, anything over 200 passenger etc). I know that it is still huge difference, but I'm trying to figure out median. If you can - give a type of job and potential range, or just guess.
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The small holiday type pleasure trip around the lighthouse skippers around here get around £9-12 ph, over 12pax you need a boatmaster ticket.
12 or under you can get away with a power boat level 2 commercials endorsed as long as you stay within 3 miles of your nominated port.
Most of the skippers are retired guys earning a few extra bucks.
 
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You need to decide what kind of job you are looking for. Or explain here if you want reliable information.

Most people here are recreational sailors, sailing a variety of small yachts. A few are involved with sailing commercially under the RYA system. Sailing schools, or charters. Still within the recreational market.
I have worked as a sailing instructor. My wife never accepted I was actually working, I was going sailing for fun and getting a small payment for having fun.
I suspect most jobs are similar in nature, low paid, part time, mostly fun.

There does appear to be a bit of an industry in the uk suppling crew for big super yachts. Working for the rich famous powerful owners of all sorts of nationalities. From what I hear it can pay well.

What do you mean when you say small commercial vessels. 200 passengers is quite a significant boat. Even 100 or 50.
Truthfully I am not sure, where the overlap or cutoff in the uk lies between RYA certificates and purely commercial certificates.
What minimum qualifications are required for which of the variety of small vessels operating in the area you would like.
I have seen on here YM commercial certifacte can be used on some small work boats and wind farm boats.

Small commercial vessels can pay quite well if you have the required certificates.
The best way to find the answer you are looking for.
Is to talk to a well recognized training center.
A good training center will have contacts with employers.
 
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With a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster offshore you can run up to 24m or 200gt up to 150 miles from safe haven.

A lot of workboats are now going to requiring Master 200gt which also gives you 200gt but is an MCA ticket rather than an RYA one, it requires YM Offshore with 6 months sea time, a GMDSS radio ticket (choice of restricted operators certificate but will give you a restricted ticket, or general operators certificate), a management and human elements course, and finally an oral, a discussion with a master mariner where he or she can grill you on any section of the syllabus which is pretty big. Master 200 also gives you OOW 500gt.
 
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