Zachary Perry, Marinefuel.com News

Shipwrecks

Harsh weather, rocks, and war have sent many ships to the bottom of the sea for thousands of years. Airplanes and submarines have also met this fate. Divers now go about finding these shipwrecks and the associated sunken treasure, sometimes with great success. Fish and other creatures often live in and around shipwrecks as well.

DIVING FOR TREASURE WITH METAL DETECTORS

Divers use metal detectors for finding sunken treasure and remnants of shipwrecks. Ocean water interferes with some types of metal detectors, because of its salt content. A pulse induction detector will work best at sea. An induction-balance detector can also find metal underwater, but it’s more reliable in salt-free bodies of water.  Sunken treasure remains more likely to be found near shipwrecks.

Though one might expect the ocean environment to destroy sunken treasure, the opposite is frequently true. According to the Encarta Encyclopedia, silt (sediment) protects many long lost valuables from the elements. However, extra care must be taken to extract such items without damaging them.

HISTORY OF FINDING LOST SHIPWRECKS AND SUNKEN TREASURE

The instances of divers finding and recovering items from lost ships are too many to list, but here are a few…

Starting in 1959, divers found and began exploring the S.S. Pomona, a large commercial ship that sunk off California in 1908. An octopus is thought to live in the boiler. A sponge diver near Turkey found the wreckage of an ancient cargo ship in 1973; the vessel had been transporting a large quantity of glass when it sunk. The Spanish ship Santa Margarita was located in 1980, near Key West. More treasure was recovered from it as recently as 2007.

During 1983-1994, American and Turkish archaeologists removed tin and copper from a ship that sunk over three-thousand years ago. Almost an entire shipwreck was retrieved from the ocean in 1982, though it was sunken for more than 400 years. The Titanic’s wreckage was finally located in 1985. A French expedition recovered lost jewelry and kitchen items from it two years later.

DISCOVERING SHIPWRECKS AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE

Lost shipwrecks can be dangerous places to explore, so it’s important for divers to understand the proper safety precautions. Diving itself presents various dangers, thus the involvement of a shipwreck poses additional concerns. Training classes on shipwreck exploration and diving safety are available; they provide a good way of learning about this activity and finding professional answers to relevant questions. Some diving supply stores offer such classes.

Though there are many divers, the oceans are vast and shipwrecks plentiful, so finding sunken treasure and lost shipwrecks is still quite possible. Some of the locations prone to shipwrecks include Cape Horn (southern Chile), Diamond Shoals (Cape Hatteras), the Florida Keys, and Sable Island (Nova Scotia).

SOURCES:
1. Encarta Encyclopedia 2005, “Diving (underwater)”, “Metal Detector”, “Titanic (disaster)”, “Archaeology”
2. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
3. Indiana University Underwater Science
4. Lonely Planet
5. China Daily
6. Dive Hatteras

John W. Henry owns the fabulous “Iroquois”, a 164′ yacht which you may catch sight of if you visit the magnificent Boston Harbor Hotel, in Boston, MA.  This mega yacht can cost a pretty penny to fill up, and her Captain rightly takes the business of fueling quite seriously when the occassion to purchase 23,000 gallons of marine fuel arises.

John W Henry

John W. Henry 
Henry was born in 1949, the son of farmers. From an early age, he was very proficient at math. His family moved to a desert region of California after John W. Henry developed a serious illness as a teenager. He recovered from the illness, but his father died not long after. Henry operated the farm and became involved in food commodities trading, at which he laterd proved to be quite skilled.   Educated in California, he chose philosphy as his major and toured extensively with rock and roll bands Elysian Fields and Hillary while in college.

He began speculating in commodities full-time in 1981, after developing a highly effective trading formula the previous year.  Henry founded his current business John W. Henry & Company, Inc. in 1982. The firm advises and manages investments in currencies, stock futures, and commodities.

According to its website, the company frequently performs well during times of economic difficulty, such as when Japan had a recession in the ’90s and American stocks plummeted in 1987. The firm’s computer systems monitor massive quantities of economic data from around the world. Its customers include banks, insurers, and major corporations.

Henry’s other main business interest has been sports team franchises. He entered this field in 1989, focusing upon baseball and eventually NASCAR. John W. Henry owned the Florida Marlins for about four years starting in 1999. He became the primary owner of the Boston Red Sox in 2002. Henry helped create the philanthropic Red Sox Foundation soon after buying the team. He later set up his own foundation, which focuses primarily upon charitable efforts in New England (and Florida). 

His interest in car racing is not limited to business deals. As ESPN Magazine revealed, John W. Henry regularly enjoys playing computerized racing games. Not one to settle for a joystick or arrow keys, he has a steering wheel, pedals, and shifter set up at his computer. He even co-founded iRacing.com MotorSport Simulations which is a membership based racing site to compete online with other players.

John W. Henry owns an impressive Feadship motor yacht known as the Iroquois. It measures 164 feet (fifty meters) in length, with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure. The yacht was built in 1998 and came from Holland. It boasts two 1,370hp Diesel engines with a maximum speed of sixteen knots. The Iroquois yacht holds nearly seven thousand gallons of water and almost 23,600 gallons of marine fuel. It accommodates eleven crew and ten guests. The yacht cost $34,000,000 dollars.

As a result of his success in two fields of business and important philanthropic efforts, John W. Henry has received several awards and honorary degrees. His story serves to remind us that the ability to merge professional talents with personal interests is quite possibly the true key to success.

SOURCES:
1. John W. Henry & Company
2. SuperYachtTimes
3. LiveYachting
4. Boston Magazine
5. StateMaster
6. Woodrow Wilson Center
7. ESPN Magazine
8. iRacing.com

By Tim Plaehn, Marinefuel.com News

schooner yacht artists

Avid boaters and sailors often want their art to reflect their sailing passion. The beautiful lines of schooner yachts have inspired many artists through the years and a search for schooner yacht paintings and schooner artists can result in the discovery of some amazing pieces. The search for schooner representations can lead down a couple of paths. Where to view examples from historic schooner artists work and where to get an artistic representation of a beautiful schooner to hang on the wall.

Some of the best places to view older, quality yacht focused art is to visit historic yacht clubs. Many of these clubs were formed when the only way the keep records of the yachts were paintings and drawings. For example, the New York City Yacht club has amassed a collection of over 150 paintings and water colors. The works are displayed in the club’s New York clubhouse and the outpost, Harbor Court in Newport, Rhode Island. Some of the more famous marine artists with works in the collection are British artist Barlow Moore, renowned European artist, Italian Chevalier Edoardo de Martino, Americans James Edward Buttersworth and Frederic Schiller Cozzens. Other artists with paintings hanging in the NYYC are Archibald Cary Smith, who was also a shipwright and yacht designer, Elisha Taylor Baker and Conrad Freitag. If you belong to or have an older yacht club in your local area I would not be surprised of you can find some beautiful yacht works hanging on their walls.

If you want to own some art depicting schooner yachts there are a couple of avenues to search. These are options for those who are not serious art collectors, but want a beautiful and stirring piece to hang on the wall. Online site Fine Art America provides a location for artists to sell both original are reprints of their works. The Schooner Paintings page has a selection of art you can buy or contact an artist to see what other schooner art they may have available. 1st-Art-Gallery.com can provide a hand painted copy of just about any piece of art. You can even select the size for your own piece of schooner painting. On the website, famous marine artist James E. Butterworth has five pages (20 paintings per page) of works listed that copies of which can be purchased through the website.

For the sailing enthusiast, the works of current and historic schooner yacht artists can be compelling. If you want to ferret out local example of these works check out the historic yacht clubs. If you are looking for your own piece of schooner yacht art to hang on the den wall, the Internet provides several resources with a wide range of choices and prices.

Source: Magazine Antiques, July 1999, Fine Art America , 1st Art Gallery

By Tim Plaehn, Marinefuel.com News

houseboat rental

Houseboat rentals are a great idea for  families or groups of friends looking for a getaway vacation. Although there are many boaters who own a houseboat, houseboat renting is an adventure activity enjoyed by millions. If you are contemplating a houseboat rental vacation here are some considerations to consider and a quick listing of some of the most popular houseboating destinations.

A houseboat vacation can include slowly sightseeing around your selected lake or waterway. Anchoring in a cove or on a island and spending time swimming, jet-skiing, BBQing and enjoying a relaxing time with your friends and family. This great type of getaway is a little more about relaxation and having a good time and less focused on driving or navigating a boat. I found one rental company on the Mississippi River that offers dockside houseboat rentals where you can enjoy this laid back lifestyle and never leave the dock!

Although the first step is to pick the location for your houseboat rental, I will discuss some of the ins and outs of houseboats first. Rental houseboats range for 36 ft. models with room for six up to over 70 ft. with accommodations for 12. Amenities can include DVD and CD players, satellite TV and even a hot tub. According to AAA’s Via magazine, houseboat rental can cost from $1,500 to over $6,500 per week. Taxes and the fuel you use will be the major extra charges. Rates are usually highest in the summer and vary by location, size of boat and amenities. Spring and fall rates can be significantly less than peak season and rental companies may through in extras like free jet-ski rental or free gas.

A rental should be fully equipped including kitchen hard goods, linens, safety and boating equipment. The main categories of stuff you need to bring are clothing, food and beverages and sunscreen. Here are a couple of items from a writer’s personal experience I want to pass along:

• Pack lightly: Those new to houseboating bring too much stuff. The houseboat will be well supplied and the renter just needs to bring food, a few clothes and bedding.
• Bring toys: Time on the water is much more fun with a bunch of rafts or inner tubes.
• Bring Ice: There is no such thing as too much ice, and also your favorite beverages.

For a complete listing of what should or may be included in a houseboat rental and what you should consider bringing on your vacation check out this Houseboat Rental FAQs from Houseboat Magazine.

Do not be worried about renting even if you have little or no boating experience. Each year, 25% or more of houseboat rentals are by first-timers. The rental company will provide a one to three hour training cruise to insure you can safely pilot your houseboat.

To get you even more excited about a boat rental vacation, here are some of the most popular locales to try houseboating:

• The Florida Keys
• California: Lake Shasta, Trinity Lakes and the Sacramento River Delta
• Lake Powell, Utah and Lake Mead, Nevada on the Colorado River
• The Mississippi River
• Lake of the Ozarks
• Kentucky Lake

Check them out and enjoy your houseboat vacation!

Sources: Houseboat Magazine, Via Magazine, houseboating.org

By Connie Motz, MarineFuel.com

Commissioned in 1938 by German Luftwaffe commander, Hermann Wilhelm Goering, the de Groote Beer yacht was designed and built by Dutchman, Janus Kok.  Or so the first story goes.  The second, and more verifiable story about the de Groote Beer yacht, is that the ship was commissioned by Dutchman, Theodor Temmler, owner of a pharmaceutical company with apparent ties to the Nazis.

Oddly enough, following either story, there ended up being a connection between Goering and Temmler that didn’t even involve the de Groote Beer yacht.  The Temmler pharmacy company produced a methamphetamine (brand name Pervitin; commonly known as speed) which served as a stimulant to combat fatigue and hunger of the German military during World War II.

What we do know for sure is the 52’ de Groote Beer (meaning Big Bear) yacht was a traditional Dutch botter fishing boat which featured a flat bottom for easy navigation within shallow grounds.  Mainly constructed of oak, it was also lee-boarded, gaff-rigged, and was powered by an 80 HP diesel engine.  A hand-crafted marvel of its time, the de Groote Beer yacht featured exquisite hand-carved teak, marble, and traditional Dutch delft tile.  In strict conflict to its construction, the de Groote Beer also featured a wood burning fireplace.

A Yacht Owned by Many

Confiscated during the war, she was purchased at auction in 1947 by Dutchman Willem Greeve; Anton Fortuyn was hired to design the interior of the de Groote Beer.  She finally took her maiden voyage in 1948; in 1953 she was sold for USD $75,000 to an American, Charles Donnelly of Connecticut, President of Feadship, a sales conglomeration of Dutch boat manufacturers still operating today.

Following some controversy with possible smuggling of Nazi guns as the de Groote Beer made its way from the eastern seaboard south to Florida, the ship was sold once again in 1955 to Robert Johnson of Portland, OR.  Johnson sailed the de Groote Beer in the 1957 Transpac (transpacific) yacht race finishing in 17 days, and 19 hours.  Then it was given to the Sea Scouts of St. Elisabeth Parish in Portland in 1958 which earned the yacht many fond memories from the participants in the scouting program.

Along the way in the United States, the de Groote Beer yacht was updated to include both 110 and 32 volt electrical systems, a modern galley featuring hot & cold water plus refrigeration, two staterooms, two heads, and ample onboard storage.  It was sold a few more times (with USD $250,000 reported as the highest amount paid) being based in Alaska, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Newport Beach, Bremerton (Puget Sound), and Oregon; she remained on the west coast of the United States until 2001 when the de Groote Beer returned to its roots in Holland.

Purchased by Jan Willem de la Porte of Spakenburg, ironically the grandson of Willem Greeve of so long ago, the de Groote Beer yacht has now been restored to its former glory and sits restfully moored in the main harbor of Volendam.

Sources:
CometoSea.US
Jack van Ommen

By Tim Plaehn, Marinefuel.com News

south florida yacht

South Florida Yacht Scene – One of the Greatest in the World

The south Florida coastal area stretching from West Palm Beach south through Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Miami Beach and into Biscayne Bay is one of the great yachting areas of the world. The south Florida yacht environment includes those who live and own boats there as well as visitors coming in on their own yachts and a thriving yacht charter business environment available to individuals and corporations.

The south Florida yacht scene centers on Fort Lauderdale and Miami/Miami Beach and stretches out from there. The water environment includes open ocean boating, the Intercoastal Waterway, beaches and bays. Excellent year round weather attracts new residents and visitors to south Florida, many who want to take part in the fun of owning or renting a yacht. Sport fishing is also another facet of the areas boating and yachting possibilities.

Those interested in buying an new or used yacht can become overwhelmed by the number of boat dealers and yacht brokers. The Florida Yacht Brokers Association and their website could be a good starting point to find the professional broker to assist in a yacht purchase.

There is no central depository for information on south Florida yacht charters. A google search using the term “south florida yacht charters” returns 305,000 possibilities. The availability of charters runs the gamut from a relatively small power yacht for you and a few friends hitting the Intercoastal for a few hours to sport fishing charters to super yacht charters with full crew, catering and bartender! Finding the right charter company will take some searching and phone calls. Hopefully, the results will be a water borne excursion you will never forget.

The area supports a couple of the largest boat shows going. The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Palm Beach International Boat Show and the Yacht and Brokerage Show in Miami Beach are a few of the major venues. The boat shows happen late or early in the calender year when things are cold in more northern latitudes so schedule some time at a south Florida yacht show.

My long and winding trip around the Internet researching this article allowed me to stumble on a few websites that are of interest to yachters and south Florida visitors. Super Yacht News is loaded with interesting news clips about super yachts from around the world. Closer to south Florida, this listing of  Florida yacht clubs could be a good place to start for others with the same passion. Finally, I found this page on one of the charter boat service’s website providing a short listing of activities for a yacht charter out of Miami Beach and in the Biscayne Bay area. If these pictures do not get you excited about the possibilities for yachting in the south Florida area, nothing will!

Sources: Marine Industries Association of South Florida, Florida Yacht Brokers Association -good stuff on the Resources page under the Links link.

Perfect LA Starting Point: Cabrillo Marina

By Connie Motz, MarineFuel.com

With its prime location in San Pedro, Cabrillo Marina is the perfect starting point for any southern California boat outing including Catalina Island which is a mere 19.4 miles away or whale watching in the Catalina Channel from January to March.

Operated by the California Yacht Club and located in the West Channel, Port of Los Angeles, CA, Cabrillo Marina offers 885 permanent docking slips ranging from 25 to 75 feet in length.  Operated by California Yacht Marina, Cabrillo Marina offers an inviting atmosphere with friendly employees, well maintained concrete docks, and tons of complimentary parking.

As part of the 370-acre Cabrillo Beach Recreational Complex, guests of Cabrillo Marina can enjoy water sports and swimming at adjacent Cabrillo Beach including use of the historic Cabrillo Beach Bathhouse; kids can visit Cabrillo Museum and the Youth Waterfront Sports Center while the whole family will love the educational fun at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, celebrating 75 years in 2010. The marina is also conveniently located near the Los Angeles Airport and major California freeways.

The Ports O’Call Village adjacent to Cabrillo Marina offers seaside walks on cobblestone streets, boutique shopping, and quaint restaurants with some of the freshest seafood in the Los Angeles area. If you’d rather try and catch your own, popular sport fishing areas are easily accessible from San Pedro while fishing bait and tackle can be purchased at the marina.

Other services available include water hookup; 30–50 AMP electricity; pump-out facilities; secure access; restrooms & showers; laundry facilities; phone hookup; dock carts; lockers; on site fuel dock; dinghy racks; a nearby boat launching ramp on Stephen White Drive; plus yacht club and social events.

If you decide not to stay onboard, the beautiful 3-star Doubletree Hotel San Pedro is tucked between Cabrillo Beach and scenic Cabrillo Marina. Offering spacious accommodations and “first-rate amenities” including high-speed internet access and a heated swimming pool, the Doubletree Hotel San Pedro regularly offers special discounts including family staycation, bed and breakfast, and getaway rates.

If traveling by automobile, Cabrillo Marina can be reached from the north by following 405 South to 110 South, then taking the Harbor Boulevard exit, turning right at 22nd Street, then right onto Via Cabrillo Marina, then left following Whalers Walk to Cabrillo Marina located at 224 Whalers Walk. If traveling from the south, follow 5 Freeway North to 405 North, then onto 110 South, exiting at Harbor mBoulevard, turning right at 22nd Street, then onto Via Cabrillo Marina, following Whalers Walk to the Cabrillo Marina.

As Cabrillo Marina is part of California Yacht Marina (CYM), ‘reciprocal berthing’ is permitted at other CYM locations which include CYM Chula Vista in San Diego, Port Royal in Redondo Beach, and CYM Wilmington/Berth 202 located in the Cerritos Channel.

Flickr.com Photo Credit: Sail Boat Reflections by Shzaknitter

Sources:
CYM Cabrillo Marina
The Port of Los Angeles
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
Doubletree Hotel San Pedro

John Brown and the Reynolds Park Yacht Center

What do John Brown and the Reynolds Park Yacht Center have in common?  Green Cove Springs, of course.  With a population of only 6,000 residents, Green Cove Springs in Clay County, FL, is an outdoor lover’s paradise.   Just a short drive from Jacksonville, Green Cove Springs offers a year round temperature of 70°, with opportunities for golfing, and water sports such as swimming, boating, fishing and even surfing.  Now that you know how they’re linked, let’s take a moment to learn more about John Brown and the Reynolds Park Yacht Center.

For the last 25 years, John Brown has been employed as the Senior Property Manager for Clay County Port, Inc., which does business as the Reynolds Park Yacht Center and as the 1,700 acre Reynolds Industrial Park.  Clay County Port, Inc. in turn leases these two complexes which include a private airport, piers, office space, along with industrial and commercial warehouses.  John Brown and the Reynolds Park Yacht Center are also connected to the Cattail Creek Golf Club which is also part of these facilities.

According to Brown, his main duties within Clay County Port, Inc. include “negotiating leases, overseeing the administrative side of things, and tenant relations.”  Clay County Port, Inc. also employs a Dockmaster, David Peden, who oversees operations at Reynolds Park Yacht Center, and Roger Zeigler, who is in charge of the Reynolds Industrial Park properties.  Now that introductions have been made, let’s go back and take a further look some of the businesses involved.

Located on St. Johns River only 25 miles from Jacksonville, Reynolds Park Yacht Center is a full service marina offering 30 fresh water storage slips with docking facilities for watercraft up to 350 feet in length.  Reynolds Park Yacht Center also offers full in-house megayacht servicing through Coastal Yachting Services, Inc.

As part of Reynolds Industrial Park, the David R. Bouck designed Cattail Creek Golf Club has been entertaining golfers since 1954.  Recommended for seniors and young players, this par 72, 18 hole public golf course, is fun to play while featuring three sets of teeboxes.  Now for the bad news about Cattail Creek Golf Club.

Earlier this month, course operator (and designer) David Bouck retired, and unfortunately the search for a replacement has not been successful.  The story has made headlines in Green Cove Springs newspaper, Clay Today, where Brown suggested any interested parties should contact Reynolds Park Yacht Center immediately.

Even though John Brown and the Reynolds Park Yacht Center was still holding out hope, to everyone’s dismay, Cattail Creek Golf Course is now permanently closed.  The course is undergoing a complete liquidation auction on Saturday, October 3, 2009, with a pre-auction viewing inspection to be held on Friday, October 2, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The auction is being conducted by Elrod Auctions of Penney Farms, FL, where all course equipment including golf carts, mowers, shop tools, and all restaurant equipment will be put up for sale thus ending an era of local golfing in Green Cove Springs.

Sources:
Clay Today
John Brown
Reynolds Park Yacht Center
Clay County Port/Reynolds Park
Wikipedia
Elrod Auctions

By Tim Plaehn, Marinefuel.com News

I am a fan of historical stories, especially those that show us how the nature of human kind is the same and also show how things have changed. I saw a little bit of information about the schooner yacht Guinevere and I was intrigued enough to dig up a little more historical data.

The schooner yacht Guinevere is actually a pair of yachts of the same name owned by the same person. Edgar Palmer was President of the New Jersey Zinc Company and a trustee of Consolidated Edison. He graduated from Princeton and was a philanthropist for the town and university. He donated Palmer Stadium in 1914 to Princeton paying the entire $300,000 cost. Edgar Palmer was also an avid yachtsman, owning several besides the two Guineveres. He served asCommodore of the American Yacht Club, Rye, New York.

The two Palmer owned yachts named Guinevere were both 3-masted schooners of approximately 200 feet in length. Edgar Palmer gave both of them to the U.S. Navy in wartime, the first in World War I and the second in World War II.

One Guinevere, the second I believe, was built by George Lawley and Son of Boston. The steel 3-masted schooner was the largest American yacht of its times (the 1920’s). It was the first yacht ever to have Diesel engines (the Diesel engine was invented in the 1890’s) which spun Westinghouse generators that propelled the yacht, powered winches to raise and lower the sails, provide cooking power and spin a gyroscope that helped keep the yacht upright. The Guinevere (No 2) went on her trial voyage in 1921.

During World War II the Guinevere was outfitted with a depth charge launcher, one 3 inch and four 20 mm. guns. The 3 inch/50 caliber, as it was called, had a range of 7,000 yards and is the gun you see in the WWII war movies mounted on submarines. During the war, the yacht escorted convoys out of port, helped protect merchant stragglers and did shore patrol against enemy submarines. I could not find any account if the Guinevere survived the war or what happened to it following the war.

This article from the Washington Post in 2001 tells the story of a Navy sailor who served aboard the Guinevere during WWII. The article claims the schooner was the “last sail-powered warship in the Navy.”  The article raises doubts about the effectiveness of a sailing warship in the 2nd World War era:

“It was part of the general unreality of World War II, particularly World War II aboard the only schooner on convoy duty in the North Atlantic.

“We were supposed to patrol for U-boats but we stayed just out of sight of the convoys. It would have depressed the merchant sailors too much to think that all that stood between them and Hitler’s navy was a sailing ship.”

With that I lift a drink to the age when men would donate their super-yacht to the war effort and men would go try to sink submarines with a sailboat.

Sources: Other Industries of New England 1924,  The Washington Post

Average Boat Captain Pay Yacht Captain Wanted

By Connie Motz, MarineFuel.com

You’re a boat captain looking for a yacht captain wanted advertisement, but where do you look?  And how do you know if the rate of pay they’re offering is in line with average boat captain pay?  Several websites offer the answer to this type of question so let’s take a look at just what is the average boat captain pay and then we’ll look at finding that yacht captain wanted ad.

PayScale Inc., with headquarters in Seattle, WA, has been providing free salary reports since 2002 based on current compensation data that includes job location, job title, education and skills, plus experience.  According to PayScale, the average boat captain pay within the United States as of September 2009 is as follows:

• With one to four years experience, the average salary is USD $54,000 – $105,000
• With five to nine years experience, the salary range is $66,129 – $122,251
• With ten to nineteen years experience, the salary range is $60,505 – $124,376
• With twenty years experience or more, the salary range is $72,726 – $152,777

This will help to put the salary offered in the yacht captain wanted ad into perspective.

Indeed.com is another salary search website that provides the average salary for jobs according to their location.  This search can be a bit more tedious as each city would have to be searched individually.  Using specific city examples, here’s what we’ve found for the average boat captain pay as of October 2009:

• In St. Petersburg, FL, the average salary is USD $52,000
• In Los Angeles, CA, the average salary is $58,000
• In Seattle, WA, the average salary is $51,000
• In Wilmington, NC, the average salary is $57,000
• In Boston, MA, the average salary is $66,000

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, boat captain jobs are expected to increase by 16% over a period of ten years, from 2006 – 2016.  The average boat captain pay in 2006 was $53,430; the majority of boat captains earned a salary of between USD $38,880 and $69,570 with the highest reported wage for a boat captain being $89,230.

The job search website, Simply Hired, offers a salary calculator for many positions and lists the average boat captain pay as USD $35,000 but advises that boat captain salaries and all salaries “can vary greatly due to company, location, experience, and benefits.”

If you haven’t found that ‘yacht captain wanted’ ad yet, here are a few places you can look.  Maritime Jobs offers a regular listing of yacht captain wanted jobs plus you can display your resume on their website for prospective employers to see.  Yacht Crew Register is a placement website where yacht captain wanted jobs are regularly posted, as is Crew Unlimited.

For international yacht captain wanted jobs, Dovaston Crew Recruitment in Spain is a placement website as are The Crew Network in France, Major Yacht Services of Australia, YPI of France, and Wilson Halligan of the United Kingdom.  Keep in mind the average boat captain pay rates, and you’ll be sure to find the yacht captain job of your dreams.

Sources:
PayScale Inc.
Indeed.com
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Simply Hired