Chartering My 58TC

[yachtsmanbill]

OOH! OOH! I forgot that you had the flybridge open for the guests to enjoy the scenery! When did you decide on the full enclosure??? ws

 

[yachtsmanbill]

OOH! OOH! I forgot that you had the flybridge open for the guests to enjoy the scenery! When did you decide on the full enclosure??? ws

Didja notice the twin screw operation for nagitatin' the tennasea?? ws

 

[Sparky1]

Randy, by the time you figure out the learning curve...it will be too late. Word of mouth is the greatest tool you can use. You must know what people want and expect BEFORE you charter your first trip. If the first one doesnt work out good you may never get a chance to redeem yourself. Draw up a BUSINESS PLAN and redraw it at least 4 or 5 times. Then run it past the experts here. Ppat

Let's put it this way, when you're the only game in town, it makes things a little different. You have basically three choices for rolling on the river in Chattanooga.

You can ride with 75 other people on a 70' Skipperliner (inside and outside seating) that serves a bowl of soup along with water or tea which runs the same route I plan to run, but you only get to go one way. They do have a cash bar with beer and mixed drinks. Then they load you up on a school bus and take you back to your car. Been there, done that.

You can get on a high speed catamaran (inside seating only) which requires you stay seated whle you're hurled down the river at 50+ MPH while listening to some guy tell you what just shot by your window. About the time you get into the pretty part of the river, they turn around and take you back. Been there, done that.

Last but not least, you can ride on a genuine, imitation paddle wheeler (inside and outside seating) that makes the same run as the high speed cat, only at low speeds which makes the trip last longer. I don't know what you get for food or drink on that one as I've never wanted to ride it.

It shouldn't present much of a challenge to compete with these other charters as mine would be a whole different deal altogether. I can always come up with different package plans which include whatever folks want in terms of food or drink, but I'm thinking a good ole' boy redneck yacht ride would fit the bill in this case. In other words, pack up a case of PBR and some pork skins, and I'll haul y'all up to the big city where you can impress all your friends by stepping off a big yatchett while they're looking up in envy from their Bayliner's or Sea Ray's while seeing and hearing the o'fishall video on the big screen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrdQEo_qKA4

 

[captddis]

My royalties have not been arriving lately for us starring in the video. Did they get lost in the mail?

 

[Sparky1]

Yes.

 

[Brian Degulis]

You guys are missing the real opportunity here. If Sparky actually does this I'm going to open an auto repair shop near where he keeps the boat. You know after spending a few days with Sparky none of his customers cars are going start when they try to head home.

Brian

 

[captddis]

I am going in the towboat business. Brian you have another opportunity.

 

[nyrussell]

Randy,

Call me as I open this winter in NYC and am doing the 3 hour cruise (High End too) thingy. And do not hink about selling alcohol without a license or letting someone off the boat to drive home who is "DUI)

 

[Sparky1]

Thanks Noel, I'd never think of serving alcohol without a license. The added liability probably wouldn't be worth it even with a license. I'm assuming if somebody brings their own bottle, I'm off the hook if they leave the boat and choose to drive as long as I didn't serve them.

I don't plan to cater to the high end crowd, but again, I'm still doing my homework. I sneaked a peek at Angela's website (very nice) and saw her rates. I'm sure she's more than competitive in the Miami area, but I can't see anybody in these parts paying anywhere near that for an overnight trip on the river. Then again, I have nothing to compare against, so I guess I'll get to set the bar. There's a lot of money in Nashville, so who knows? I can always jack up the rate and offer a half-price, introductory cruise for the first x number of bookings.

 

[nyrussell]

Randy,

Better rethink that staement of being off the hook. If it was served in your establishment.... Scary, ain't it?

 

[yachtsmanbill]

FWIW.... In Chicago you are required to carry DRAM SHOP INSURANCE.
If some drunk leaves the joint and is a block away and falls on his face and breaks his nose HE WILL SUE YOU for being overserved. PERIOD.

dram shop liability insurance
A form of liquor liability coverage in which the basis for legal liability is a dram shop, liquor control, or alcoholic beverage law. The laws vary, but most provide that the owner of an establishment that serves alcoholic beverages is liable for injury or damage caused by an intoxicated person if it can be established that the liquor licensee caused or contributed to the intoxication of the person.

(See liquor liability laws.)


Dont forget the ZERO TOLERANCE placard!! I'd just leave a bowl-a'-chaw on the table with a spit bottle fer everbody. ws

 

[SportFishCruising]

A Business Plan, recommended by Ppat, is a very valuable idea. It helps by putting your ideas on paper for review, updating, etc and keeps all your plans & research in one document. I have made a Business Plan for Chartering. Perhaps it might be useful to you as a Template for your own. If interested, PM me with an email address to send them in Word format.
My Plan has been a work in Progress for 4 years and includes Running Boat Cost Calculations for various Tours, Template Invoices, Itineraries, Sample Brochures, Marketing Plans, Operational Plans, Financial Plans, Company & Executive Summaries, Local Competition Comparisons, etc.
A Business Plan is a real-time document that when properly cared for, reflects the past, current and future of the Operations and is extremely valuable for keeping focused, improving, financing, etc.
I am not suggesting you don't already know these things, I am simply offering my Business Plan to you as a Template to designing your own.

 

[Sparky1]

Hey, I appreciate the offer and would love to look at what you have. My email address is on my signature line.

I'd love to think I could make a living or at least turn a considerable profit by chartering my boat, but I'm really expecting this just to be a week-end thing that will give me the opportunity to be paid for something I'd do for free while subsidizing the cost of ownership. Heck, I may even interview potential clients to see if I even want them on my boat. Maybe my company slogan will be, "We don't cater to assholes". That should do it!

If I were serious about making money (real money) in the charter business, I'd be looking at Florida. Let's face it, I've got 6-7 months of boating weather here, and I don't envision anybody wanting to do a winter cruise.

 

[Sparky1]

Dont forget the ZERO TOLERANCE placard!!

I think my company slogan will pretty much cover that.

 

[34Hatt]

Now then, who wants to give me some advice? Better yet, who wants to book a cruise?

O.K I will be your first Charter and since your talk about this learning curve how much are you paying me for it.

 

[Robby]

Hey, I appreciate the offer and would love to look at what you have. My email address is on my signature line.

I'd love to think I could make a living or at least turn a considerable profit by chartering my boat, but I'm really expecting this just to be a week-end thing that will give me the opportunity to be paid for something I'd do for free while subsidizing the cost of ownership. Heck, I may even interview potential clients to see if I even want them on my boat. Maybe my company slogan will be, "We don't cater to assholes". That should do it!

If I were serious about making money (real money) in the charter business, I'd be looking at Florida. Let's face it, I've got 6-7 months of boating weather here, and I don't envision anybody wanting to do a winter cruise.

I dont know about that Sparky.Folks this part of the Tennessee is beyound belief.Thos mild bright sunlit evening on the Tennessee might sell 9 months out of the year.I can see your boat with 5 bass boats tied up to it at a big tourney.Wifes stay on the boat and the boys go fishing.Robby

 

[Sparky1]

Hey Robby, you're a wannabe Hatt owner (and I say that in the nicest way), how much would you be willing to pay for such a cruise on a spiffed up 58TC?

No, I'm not asking you to commit to a cruise, but I'm just curious what you think such a cruise would be worth. I figure there are a lot of folks like you and Bren who appreciate these old boats and would love to take such a charter. PM me if you don't want to post a figure here.

.

 

[Robby]

Most cruises we have been on in the past on the big cruise lines we have paid 100-200 dollars per day.I dont think you could do it for less than $1000 for a three day two person cruise and still make the $1 you want.Something You should know is that there used to be houseboat rentals at Yellow Creek.We did that one year and had a blast.To get a rental boat now you have to go to the Cumberland.So you might just have a good nich market for this.The Insurance is always the thing that would scare me.If you could tie this in with the marrage market as a honeymoon thing that might be a boost.

 

[Sparky1]

You can't really compare chartering a boat to booking a cruise. Even with the houseboat thing, you're talking bareboat plus fuel. Take a look at Angela's site and you'll get a feel for what it costs to charter a private yacht... in south Florida anyway.

Maybe I'll use her site as reference for my half price sale.

 

[Robby]

So whats it gonna take?PMs accepted---My comment about the houseboat thing is just to say that there are no rentals or charters avaliable on Pickwick,Wilson or Wheeler Lakes.Southern living would be a good Ad window or source to start with.Hope it works--Robby Ps Florance to Knoxville would be Suuuuper!!!!