how to become a charter skipper

[mck54]

after years of fishing with my own boat i want to step up and become a charter skipper . what qualifications and regulations do i need to do this .i cant find out online and would like some help please

[Brian Carragher]

First call will be to your local authority to find out what licencing requirements they want.

You may find that after obtaining insurance quotes , working out your boat costs and finding out what the local authority want to charge you for a licence to operate, that you may not bother.

Depending on where you intend to work from there may also be additional port charges for moorings etc

[Leon Roskilly]

You will get some help here:

 

 

Professional Boatmen's Association

http://www.pba.org.uk/

 

or

 

National Federation of Charter Skippers

email: JulieOnfcs@aol.com

[Ian Burrett]

after years of fishing with my own boat i want to step up and become a charter skipper . what qualifications and regulations do i need to do this .i cant find out online and would like some help please

 

All boats are now licensed through certifying authorities on behalf of the MCA. The local authorities are no longer imvolved.

 

The full document is at http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mgn_280-2.pdf

 

The requirements change depending on which category you go for.

 

There are basically 3 mile limit, 20 mile limit, 20-60, over 60 miles

 

For the first two the RYA day skippers, and speed boat course is suffice ( I forget the full title)

The last two require the coastal akippers certificate.

 

You will then need First aid, Sea survival, VHF certificates.

 

It is quite difficult getting a boat to conply so you may be better buying a boat with History i.e. has been coded before or a new vessel to the modern speck. You have to prove things like buoyancy, stability etc. Many older boats haven't got enough buoyancy, gunnels aren't high enough etc.

 

The boats have a 5 yearly survey which can be expensive and a mid term survey.

 

You will be in for long days with the time at sea working out at probably half your work load. The rest is taken up on maintenance, bookings, book keeping etc.

 

When the fishing, craic and weather is good it is the best job in the world. and many of your customers will become life long friends. It is certainly the best move I have ever made.

[Humber]

Boatmaster's 3 is an other option depending on where you are and anticipate going.

 

Good luck with it all and have fun.

 

Oh, nearly forgot, do the medical first - ENG1 or ML5 depending on your choosen route.

 

I think the Boatmasters is via the MCA and the others are via the RYA but both will be your starting point for further advice.

 

 

Ian is it the PowerBoat Level 2 that you were thinking of?

[Stoaty]

Isn't the first move to have your brain surgicaly removed, then throw your lifesavings into the sea?

[big_cod]

Isn't the first move to have your brain surgicaly removed, then throw your lifesavings into the sea?

 

Bang on stoaty.

[Stoaty]

I often get people asking me to take them out on my boat and offering me money. I won't do this. They usually tell me that the charter boats are too expensive. I tell them that If it was me I would be charging more. Most anglers don't have a clue about how much it costs to run a boat. Chuck on top of that the number of days work lost to weather and all the aggravation you get from anglers. I don't know how some charter skippers make ends meet. Except those that have another job as well.

[big_cod]

I often get people asking me to take them out on my boat and offering me money. I won't do this. They usually tell me that the charter boats are too expensive. I tell them that If it was me I would be charging more. Most anglers don't have a clue about how much it costs to run a boat. Chuck on top of that the number of days work lost to weather and all the aggravation you get from anglers. I don't know how some charter skippers make ends meet. Except those that have another job as well.

 

The reason i do the job is simply the love of fishing i get a real thrill when i see fish coming aboard, i have been fishing since i was old enough to have a rod in my hand and doing something you love well i suppose thats a bit special a hobby and a job in one is hard to come by.

But as you say stoaty the cost are begining to spiral in this job exspences overall have reached an all time high fuel prices on fast boats have rocketed and are really making things hard but you battle on its just unfortunate you have to pass a small increase on each year or you would go out of buisness harbour dues, insurance, advertizing, fuel, banks, maintaining your boat spare parts all these things go up each year, a lot of my regular customers understand this and i appreciate the fact that if you dont put an increase on each year you are going backwards.

If when booking your charter somebody is charging £20 for a 10hour trip i think very carefully before stepping aboard.

[bob@reefcatfishing]

We looked at chartering in the UK before making the decision to do something new here in Portugal. Been at it a couple of years now, and despite huge administrative problems, and a years delay in gettting a new boat built, we have no regrets.

 

We have had to learn completely new fishing techniques, but what a buzz, we have had 50lb tackle completely spooled by an unseen fish, probably a bluefin tuna. Even the white marlin will take 300 metres of line in a few seconds, and they only weigh 60 - 90 lbs. We have yet to hookup a blue marlin, but this year we will have the boat capable of finding them, can't wait.

 

We lose very few days to weather, and you have the chance of finding some very serious fish. I don't think that I could go back to the south coast of the UK and charter from there. Too cold, and not enough good fishing anymore.

 

If you go ahead and do it, best of luck, if you have the inclination, look at doing it somewhere other than the UK