Would you work as a flotilla leader?

[Nostrodamus]

I see Lakesailor put up a post where Sunsail are advertising for flotilla skippers.

Now I haven't really gone a flotilla myself but I should imagine that you need to be quiet young. Having said that they require the following qualification

RYA Offshore Yacht Master with Commercial Endorsement

We know getting this is an expensive process so I wondered just how many youngish skippers who meet the standards are out there.

The second part to the question is.

Most of us are old gits but put your zimmer frames and catheters aside for a moment.

If you were in your 20's, free and single would you do it.

What are the advantages/ disadvantages?

 

[Whiskey Bravo]

Although many of them are young[ish], there seems to be a growing 'professionalism' with some of the larger companies and with it a growing number of skippers of more 'mature' years. Not always completely a good thing, but the days when flotilla skippers could drink a lot of the day and party all night are a receding memory. One of the reasons being that many 'clients' are more demanding now and won't put up with shoddy skippers out for an easy life.
In answer to part 2, probably, but not for too many years as many 'clients' are more demanding now and won't put up with shoddy skippers out for an easy life.

 

[Nostrodamus]

I agree with you Whiskey, standards do seem to have gone up of the flotilla leaders if not the charters.
When we were bare boating many years ago the flotilla leaders usually had died blonde hair in a pony tail and wore saris.
I see sunsail actually offer a uniform.
Is RYA Offshore Yacht Master with Commercial Endorsement too high a qualification.. I don't know.
It looks like fun but I imagine it is bloody hard work with some customers.
Would I have done it when I was younger.... yes for the experience alone. I should imagine there are very few scenarios you do not come across in that year.

 

[Tranona]

The qualification requirement also reflects the increased supply of qualified people who have invested in the fast track courses as an entry into professional crewing. Flotilla leader is a good step on the career ladder. Because of the seasonal nature it also attracts very mobile people who have alternate winter employment. Working in the winter cutting Xmas trees and clearing up storm damage is popular, as is going down under for their summer to do farm work and kiwi fruit picking!

 

[mjcoon]

It looks like fun but I imagine it is bloody hard work with some customers.

That's certainly true, though I don't think it ever applied to anyone on the same yachts as me!

Some people try to monopolise the lead crew, and some people have medical emergencies which take precedence over more minor troubles...

Mike.

 

[Nostrodamus]

We became good friends with a Dutch flotilla leader many years ago.
He did mention that you have to leave last, get there first and have eyes all over. Even on short sails they would loose a boat that would go to the wrong destination and even the wrong island.

 

[Uricanejack]

Yes.

I never have so can't really answer about advantages or disadvantages of the job. There again you might have meant being young. I can’t begin to explain the advantage of being young.

I suspect you need a great deal of patience and the ability to deal with organising things for difficult people. The job sound like it would be very like being a tour group guide.

When I was young the club 18 30 thing might have been ok. I preferred a backpack and going it alone and mixing with the locals.
Today it would be annoying I think I would be more compatible with a more seasoned flotilla.

I enjoyed instructing, sail training and I think I would have enjoyed leading a flotilla of independent sailors.

I don’t think I would have enjoyed working as a charter or private skipper. Though I never did so who knows I might have missed an excellent opportunity for fun and adventure.

 

[Sandy]

If you were in your 20's, free and single would you do it.

Yes.

I've done two RYA courses and both had chaps in their 20s going for RYA Yachtmaster Offshore. The examiner knew within 20 mins if they could sail or not. I am doing the qualifications for fun and to prove to myself I do have the skills I think I have, and you learn a shed load from a crew under instruction/examination.

Sadly today you need more and more bits of paper to do anything as companies need people's experience to be validated by another body just incase something goes horribly wrong and they all end up in court paying very highly qualified lawyers shed loads of money to string out a case and laugh all the way to the bank.

 

[chinita]

Go for it Nostro - and report back at the end of the season.

Just get some piercings and tats, wear a blonde wig and - if you think they are sussing your advancing years - tell them that you had a very tough paper round

 

[jordanbasset]

Having witnessed the work the flot leaders do I would not want to do it, atleast not at my current age. Perhaps when I was younger and had the energy to work all day and party most nights it would have been different.
Re the qualifications I remember asking a few years ago a Sailing holidays flot leader what qualitifcations were needed and it seemed to be a fortunate meeting up with the owner of Sailing Holidays while he was teaching his family to ski. That said he was an expereinced sailor, from South Africa, but had little in the way of qualifications. Seemed a nice chap and well liked by the guests.

 

[Nostrodamus]

Go for it Nostro - and report back at the end of the season.

Just get some piercings and tats, wear a blonde wig and - if you think they are sussing your advancing years - tell them that you had a very tough paper round

I think you are describing a Brit on the Algarve there.

 

[flaming]

I very seriously considered it a few years ago. I was working for Sunsail in the uk, and they had a chap come home mid season and needed someone to fly out and finish the season. A few of us were asked.

Probably would have gone if the pay was the same as the uk operation, but it's seasonaire type pay - where you get all your food and accommodation but then just get "pocket money". Works fine for many people but didn't suit me at that point.

Regarding qualifications. I'd say YM is a good standard, and to get paid you do need to be commercially endorsed.

 

[Victoria Sponge]

Sunscape and Seafarer have two older couples who work as flot leaders. Ipek the female skip is Turkish but has worked in the UK and is excellent. She works alongside Sila her Turkish engineer partner. The other couple are Irish and gave up their jobs to bum around the med in their boat, but then ran out of cash. Would I do it? It seems like a lot of responsibility with new idiots turning up every week, too much stress if you ask me.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Probably would have gone if the pay was the same as the uk operation, but it's seasonaire type pay - where you get all your food and accommodation but then just get "pocket money". Works fine for many people but didn't suit me at that point.

I wondered what they meant by 'good salary'. They certainly didn't mention a figure in the advert!

 

[Nostrodamus]

I wondered what they meant by 'good salary'. They certainly didn't mention a figure in the advert!

John, I think it was a misprint and they actually meant "Good Salad" which I believe you can still get in Greece unless they have added a tax to it.

 

[john_morris_uk]

John, I think it was a misprint and they actually meant "Good Salad" which I believe you can still get in Greece unless they have added a tax to it.

Good point. Although even if they had meant 'good salary' I think my interpretation of what a good salary is and their interpretation of what a good salary is might be different!

 

[Nostrodamus]

Good point. Although even if they had meant 'good salary' I think my interpretation of what a good salary is and their interpretation of what a good salary is might be different!

I probably agree. I should imagine but I don't know it is a pretty basic salary with fringe benefits of the boat, not paying for fuel and free meals. Even so for someone younger than me it would be good experience for a year.
I don't know John but I believe you teach. Would you be happy to let all your day skippers loose on a charter yacht alone in unknown waters?

 

[michael_w]

I was a flotilla leader in 1981! No tickets required in those days. Yes, it was hard work, more like marine pony trekking than cruising, salary not good, so one worked for tips, always being bought drinks and most food found helped too.

One problem was that I was provided with a UFO 27 as lead boat, a good coastal cruiser, but not enough space for an engineer, let alone all the spares one needed. Ideal lead boat would be a 40' Nelson.

 

[Koeketiene]

RYA Offshore Yacht Master with Commercial Endorsement

We know getting this is an expensive process so I wondered just how many youngish skippers who meet the standards are out there.

UKSA (and others) started a 'zero to hero' fast track program to meet this demand.

 

[Nostrodamus]

UKSA (and others) started a 'zero to hero' fast track program to meet this demand.

But how much is the course and how many young people have the money to go on the course?