What would you guys consider a reasonable rate for instructor on a bigger boat.

Uricanejack

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I bumped into an old friend and associate today. We had a chat. The just of which was would I consider doing some instructing.
Which I haven’t done for many years.
My preference back when I did. was sailing. However I did do power boat occasionally.
Sailing I did pretty much for fun, remuneration wasn’t high.
I just got to busy with other aspects of life so let my registration as an instructor lapse.

Our chat was about bigger power boats. 20m plus. Apparently It’s not so easy to find someone locally who has both the experience of bigger boats and a good reputation as an instructor.

I see there are some people here who have boats in this kind of league. Who probably have no requirement for an instructor.

My questions are do you guys think there is a market or demand? Or would you guys feel comfortable having owned a much smaller vessel. Just getting on with it. Do people start with 20 m boats.
If there is would you consider paying significantly more for an instructor for this sise of boat . Rather than for say a typical power boat course. Assuming someone had the required experience.

Or am I being unreasonable,

I presume there must be some demand if, I am being asked. Still considering how to reply. I did a little bit of own boat instruction in the past. I usually wasn’t keen on it. I preferred instructing on a school boat.
I get the impression, this would be someone buying a much bigger boat. Not school boats. So working through a sailing school for broker or a new owner.
In my regular life. If I am training someone. I am still responsible. Regardless of who’s paws are on the controls. My reputation is on the line if it goes pear shaped. Not the students. Which is why I am not keen on own boat stuff.
My feeling is when all said and dome, they are asking me to work on my time off. For me it’s a bit of a bus mans holiday.
 
£40 a hour or £300 a day ??

I went from a targa 40 to a squadron 65. There was an extensive handover of systems. Boat handling was as I recall about 3-4 hours.

I would imagine that is typical as the bigger boat is pretty stable and in all probability has bow and stern thrusters.

you also probably need to clarify whose insurance is providing cover. I am with Y insurance and queried just this. They said pro skippers all had their own insurance. I would not be so sure !
 
we went from small motor boats to our current boat in one jump - it did feel pretty intimidating at first, but the principles are the same as small boats, I feel that things happen more slowly, and with the big plus of having rather more control with two engines and a bow thruster too. I did pay for some instruction in combination with assistance bringing the boat back from Portsmouth to Poole. Also I realised that powerboat level 2 isn't a sufficient qualification for bigger motor boats, so have put that right and done the ICC powerboat evaluation since.
I found instruction useful, I think I paid £150 for the day as it was my boat and fuel being used, I can't recall the cost of the ICC bit, my take is that tuition is pretty cheap when taken in context to the other big costs of running our boats.
 
If your not keen on ‘own boat’ and it’s a busmans and holiday during your spare time
Plus your are concerned about your reputation
Why ask the question ref rates/ pay?
Plus Most marinas will require insurance cover, either through an ‘establishment’ or your own independent cover
If you feel you have the experience to instruct / help novice or new owners on motor cruisers/ ‘larger’ sports boats
Plus the urge to do so
Try a couple of Gigs through ‘word of mouth’ bookings
Instill on the owner that if the boat ( or others) are scratched it’s down to him/ her
Hairy that though!!
 
I would think that the market for this sort of thing is all about coaching on the customer’s boat. The type of person who can afford a 20m yacht and has the inclination to learn isn’t likely to want to scrum down with a bunch of hairy-arsed strangers in a school boat.
How big that market might be in the Pacific North West, I couldn’t say. But I don’t imagine that, if it exists, it is overly price sensitive.
 
Thanks.
If I do this it will all be through a school. I expect it’s a fairly small market.
I guess if its, interesting and worth my while. I will give it a go. Probably not this year. I am to busy, maybe next year.
 
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