Is attempting a charter service to Bimini or the Bahamas in any way feasible?

[Bob Quinn]

Trying to figure out what I can do if I am at some point able to retire from the tool & die / machine shop business and get out of the cold North.

We have been discussing trying to live aboard in the Florida Keys or the Caribbean.

I know there is a fast cheap ferry (at least one) that runs back and forth to either Bimini or the Bahamas.

Just wondering if there is any market for some kind of slow boat charter service down there on some kind of a Hatteras (or other). My gut feel is it would be hard to keep booked.

We did find a 60ft Hatteras that does sunset cruises out of Naples and had a good talk with the owners. They seemed to keep busy doing it.

Just looking for ideas and thoughts on the subject.

 

[Pascal]

Bimini isn’t what it used to be since Resort World Bimini Bay bulldozed and concreted the northern half of the island… we don’t even stop there on the way to the Exumas.

It is also very hard to book anything in winter because of weather. From November thru may, you typically have 2 or 3 good days followed by 4 to 5 days where the Gulf Stream gets kicked up and you re not going to be crossing. This means the odd of being stuck over there with guests eager to come back are pretty high

The charter market in Miami has changed quite a bit over the last 15 years or so. It s extremely busy but the problem is the quality of the clientele… we used to do a lot of day charters with a Johnson 70 we used run between 2008 and 2016. It was great. Nice guests, upscale etc. around 2015/2016 we started noticing a change. For the worst. And it has been all downhill ever since. After the 70, we started running an 84 Lazzara and started focusing only on Bahamas charters in the exumas. We re now running a 116 Lazzara and also only do exumas charters or day charters here in Miami but only with guests we know.

The Red Flu mess has made things far worst with people getting all that money from Uncle Sam for staying at home. Or coming on to party in Miami. If you don’t mind having rowdy drunk obnoxious people from Atlanta, Baltimore or Chicago partying and twerking on your boat, you can be busy….

On the legal side, you can only take up to 6 guests on a non inspected charter boat ran by the owner. You can take up to 13 as a bareboat but the owner (or owner of the LLC) cannot be the captain or even be on board.

Couple more thoughts:
Naples is an upscale market where the folks running that boat will not half to deal with the ghetto crowd on the Miami market..
The keys are more family oriented and probably better suited for sunset cruises or dinner cruises

 

[jim rosenthal]

Bob, I'd hazard a guess that you would ruin both your boating and your life.

 

[Bob Quinn]

Thanks Pascal, good info!


Jim, I could see the extra wear and tear on a boat, but ruin ones life? Please explain

 

[Eddieclemons]

Thanks Pascal, good info!Jim, I could see the extra wear and tear on a boat, but ruin ones life? Please explain

While my life experiences are no boating related, I do know many people that ruined things they love by trying to make a living at it. If you just kinda like boating or don't really need the money then go for it.

 

[Retired1]

Thanks Pascal, good info!


Jim, I could see the extra wear and tear on a boat, but ruin ones life? Please explain

Liking sausage is way different than having to make sausage. Oh yeah, Google up “Charter Boat Joe Cool Miami”.

 

[Captain Ralph]

Liking sausage is way different than having to make sausage.

Interesting analogy. I do agree.

We finally agreed we did not like the people wanting to charter. so we stopped doing river cruises.
Found a niche in off shore services. To many family members who had to go, got sick on calm days.
We finally gave up on drunks and pukers.
This was 20 to 15 years ago.
It has gotten worse. Now you have to have an endless bar and loud music. Worrying about some drunk or puke falling over is not worth it either.
Some have a repeatable business and no new customers. Bless those ships. Starting cold these days,, in south Florida,, Insane..

 

[Bob Quinn]

Well now I know what Jim R meant. Very good points.

I think it's best to just boat and stick with things I know.

Nice fantasy but not realistic.

Just thinking about what to do when I can retire, which means really semi retiring.

I can do programming, and die/tooling design. I guess I could do that from a boat LOL.

Can't bring the machine shop aboard haha.

 

[jim rosenthal]

In a previous life, I was a commercial photographer. I loved photography and was reasonably good at it (not great). Doing for a living ensured that I never had fun with it, shot a lot of boring subjects (factories, for example) and was too busy and tired to do what I liked, which was landscape photography. I gave it up, went back to college, got a second degree in biology, and went to medical school.

The great thing about medicine as compared to a hobby turned into a living is that no one is a part-time or occasional doctor. You are either in it or you aren't. There's plenty to improve about medicine, but at least we don't have part-timers or dilettantes.

 

[jmooney]

Bob , if you keep your boat, you will never retire, there will always be something to do !

 

[Captain Ralph]

Bob , if you keep your boat, you will never retire, there will always be something to do !

I remember reading a line somewhere about a retired guy.
He was so busy, he wondered how he could squeeze in his job before retirement.

I hope I did not mess that line up.

I bring that line up because like jmooney stated; just trying to keep 2 ole boats up now days takes all 8 days in the week.

 

[Retired1]

I remember reading a line somewhere about a retired guy.
He was so busy, he wondered how he could squeeze in his job before retirement.

I hope I did not mess that line up.

I bring that line up because like jmooney stated; just trying to keep 2 ole boats up now days takes all 8 days in the week.

I think we all can agree that it takes WAY more effort, time, and thought to choose how, and especially in WHAT conveyance and where at-to play- than it does just to “go to work”. Work is pretty much rote after awhile. Not much thought required once you “got it down” enough to be able to afford even the idea of playing full time. Work is easy, the goal of playing- especially adventures in exotic locations takes serious time and effort. So many choices.
For example I think Warren Buffet must find it easier to make money than to spend it. His whole life in a suit in Nebraska? Really?

 

[Passages]

To the OP. As a retired Tool & Die fabricator wanting to relocate to South Florida, you have options.

I’m in Fort Lsuderdale and can assure you, there is a huge demand sor your talents just servicing the marine trade. You could set up a small shop of your own or freelance using other peoples tools. Pick your hours as well as your clients.

I agree with others though. Starting a charter biz from scratch in South Florida will likely result in disappointment.

 

[Bob Quinn]

To the OP. As a retired Tool & Die fabricator wanting to relocate to South Florida, you have options.

I’m in Fort Lsuderdale and can assure you, there is a huge demand sor your talents just servicing the marine trade. You could set up a small shop of your own or freelance using other peoples tools. Pick your hours as well as your clients.

I agree with others though. Starting a charter biz from scratch in South Florida will likely result in disappointment.

That has been a thought, try to find something to make for boating... I've thought about the marquipt style stairs, ladders, canvas etc.

Not sure what I could do that involves tool & die / machining?
Open to suggestions!

One thing I have noticed is that in any of the areas I'm interested in (like the Keys) industrial space cost is through the roof!

 

[Bob Quinn]

Bob , if you keep your boat, you will never retire, there will always be something to do !

I'm finding that out LOL, just trying to live on it for a summer. OMG the to do list and how fast things break!

I will still need to make money though, I think I'm going to have to be semi-retired.

 

[jmooney]

Also taking your boat to Florida will really accelerate deterioration. Not only paint , but anything plated will go relatively quickly. I am amazed at boats from the Great Lakes area . Years old , but look like they were just built. In salt water in south Florida, stainless is the only metal to have especially 316 .

 

[Captain Ralph]

If you have not looked already, maybe time start shopping for an updated boat insurance policy for South Florida waters.

 

[Dan Mapes]

Boat insurance in Florida is one thing. Then the riders to keep it insured in the Bahamas will stun you. Ask me how I know LOL. That was one of the reasons we bailed out. The other was keeping a slip. The East coast of Florida is insane.

 

[ageless]

live on the Hatt, buy a $5k pontoon and sunset cruise with it. Find an area where kids can collect shells, watch sea life/nature, maybe even a few inshore fishing holes and you'll stay plenty busy wherever you land. The last thing I would want to do after retiring is lugging that big boat in/out for sunset cruises, a pontoon is PERFECT

 

[ageless]

Boat insurance in Florida is one thing. Then the riders to keep it insured in the Bahamas will stun you. Ask me how I know LOL. That was one of the reasons we bailed out. The other was keeping a slip. The East coast of Florida is insane.

insane is an understatement. I am discovering that the marinas have such high winter demand that they don't even offer monthly rates for live aboards, received $5/ft/day quote last week and that was with a Nov1-Dec 31 request= $18,000 for 2 months