What is a boat captain?

[AlanBoatman]

In terms of ocean racing does any one know what the job of boat captain entails?

I am guessing the boat captain deals with housekeeping issues, watch keeping and day to day management of the Crew, while the Skipper is in charge of strategic decisions and ultimate responsibility for the boat and crew? Any ideas?

 

[horatio_nelson]

Seems to be "the oldest bloke on the boat" usually

 

[RobbieW]

In terms of ocean racing does any one know what the job of boat captain entails?

I am guessing the boat captain deals with housekeeping issues, watch keeping and day to day management of the Crew, while the Skipper is in charge of strategic decisions and ultimate responsibility for the boat and crew? Any ideas?

Skipper and captain are interchangeable so far as my experience is concerned, I'd only note that captain seems a more common appellation on yachts in North America.

 

[prv]

Skipper and captain are interchangeable so far as my experience is concerned, I'd only note that captain seems a more common appellation on yachts in North America.

Missing the point, I think. This seems to be a racers' term, and the "boat captain" is not the same person as the skipper.

Pete

 

[flaming]

In terms of ocean racing does any one know what the job of boat captain entails?

I am guessing the boat captain deals with housekeeping issues, watch keeping and day to day management of the Crew, while the Skipper is in charge of strategic decisions and ultimate responsibility for the boat and crew? Any ideas?

If you're talking about the Volvo then I'm pretty sure that the position of "Boat Captain" is the head of the shore crew - the person responsible for the preparation of the boat in port. Certainly that's what I understand by the term.

 

[AndrewfromFal]

In terms of ocean racing does any one know what the job of boat captain entails?

I am guessing the boat captain deals with housekeeping issues, watch keeping and day to day management of the Crew, while the Skipper is in charge of strategic decisions and ultimate responsibility for the boat and crew? Any ideas?

On racing boats, the term Boat Captain (BC) is the adaptation of an old term (frequently shorted to BN), which became socially unacceptable. - Basically this person is often the paid hand, and in charge of maintenance, moving the boat between regattas, logisitics etc. On boats that don't have any other professional crew, their status when there are other people are aboard varies. The one boat I raced on that had a BC, when we were actually racing he was the bowman.

 

[AlanBoatman]

Yes I was talking about racing and specifically the Volvo Ocean Race - it is interesting if it is Flaming's definition - i didn't think of that! Abu Dhabi and Vestas have Boat Captains, Alvimedica a General Manager. Still a bit confused.

 

[AndrewfromFal]

Yes I was talking about racing and specifically the Volvo Ocean Race - it is interesting if it is Flaming's definition - i didn't think of that! Abu Dhabi and Vestas have Boat Captains, Alvimedica a General Manager. Still a bit confused.

I imagine it relates to the kind of pay scale the individual is on.

 

[Tranona]

Yes I was talking about racing and specifically the Volvo Ocean Race - it is interesting if it is Flaming's definition - i didn't think of that! Abu Dhabi and Vestas have Boat Captains, Alvimedica a General Manager. Still a bit confused.

Nothing unusual about using different titles for people who do the same job. Happens all the time in other areas of employment. It is the job description that is important, not the title and I guess that different teams might well organise themselves differently and even if the job title is the same, the responsibilities may be different.

 

[AlanBoatman]

Yes I see - I am fascinated by the way the crews are organised in the VOR and I am sure each boat is different. I was thinking it was like a rugby team with well defined roles as in match racing or inshore fleet - Skipper, Pitman, Mastman, Bowman, trimmers, helmsman, tactician etc.

It seems everyone has at least 2 jobs - actually more when you consider that different crew members will be trained in a further speciality - medic, sailmaker, rigger, electrician and so on.

 

[[70521]]

Seems to be "the oldest bloke on the boat" usually

No, no, no, that is the "old man".

 

[Tranona]

Yes I see - I am fascinated by the way the crews are organised in the VOR and I am sure each boat is different. I was thinking it was like a rugby team with well defined roles as in match racing or inshore fleet - Skipper, Pitman, Mastman, Bowman, trimmers, helmsman, tactician etc.

It seems everyone has at least 2 jobs - actually more when you consider that different crew members will be trained in a further speciality - medic, sailmaker, rigger, electrician and so on.

There is an element of fashion in this. People will look at successful teams and how they are organised, then adopt what they see as practices that contribute to success. At the same time a "language" develops to describe what is going on, so the people involved can communicate with each other. If you do not know the current language the conversations might be difficult to follow and understand! Like most languages it develops over time to reflect patterns of usage. Nowhere more obvious than when you compare sailing terminology in the US compared with the UK.

 

[AndrewfromFal]

There is an element of fashion in this. People will look at successful teams and how they are organised, then adopt what they see as practices that contribute to success. At the same time a "language" develops to describe what is going on, so the people involved can communicate with each other. If you do not know the current language the conversations might be difficult to follow and understand! Like most languages it develops over time to reflect patterns of usage. Nowhere more obvious than when you compare sailing terminology in the US compared with the UK.

There's also an element of culture that differs depending on the type of campaign itself (irrespective of the nationality of the team), a lot of 'anglo-saxon' campaigns in traditionally French disciplines (Figaristes, Open 60s, Multihulls, etc) don't have Boat Captains, but 'Preparateurs'.

 

[Tranona]

"language" and "culture" are manifestations of the same phenomenon - that is something that is shared by a group. Shared language is one of the defining characteristics of culture. Neither language nor culture is necessarily defined by national identity, although it is often the case.

 

[Jamesuk]

Boat captain on a race boat is like a bosun on a superyacht.

They will have a role like trimmer but if something is up with the boat speak to the boat captain

 

[mcframe]

Boat captain on a race boat is like a bosun on a superyacht.

They will have a role like trimmer but if something is up with the boat speak to the boat captain

So somewhere between Chief Engineer, Crew Boss and Sailing Master - to mix metaphors ;-)

 

[Tranona]

So somewhere between Chief Engineer, Crew Boss and Sailing Master - to mix metaphors ;-)

I think it is fair to say it means whatever you want it to mean. Already several plausible explanations on this thread. You need to be "in" with the group where the term is being used to understand what they mean, as their meaning can be very different from that of another group.

 

[Keen_Ed]

Yes I see - I am fascinated by the way the crews are organised in the VOR and I am sure each boat is different. I was thinking it was like a rugby team with well defined roles as in match racing or inshore fleet - Skipper, Pitman, Mastman, Bowman, trimmers, helmsman, tactician etc.

It seems everyone has at least 2 jobs - actually more when you consider that different crew members will be trained in a further speciality - medic, sailmaker, rigger, electrician and so on.

Hard (impossible?) to make a living as a pro sailor without a second string to your bow.

 

[guernseyman]

One of my sons has been both a captain and a bosun on sailing super yachts. He described the bosun as being in charge of equipment and maintenance. The captain is in charge of the boat and crew, under the owner.