The slow death of Party Boats

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Capt. Frank

Lets not forget timing. Boat fulls of regulars on Saturday and Sunday don't mean anything the other five days a week. Especially now. And more people fighting for the two day a week fare bonanza means many will fail over time.

As in the past. There is cheap and dirty. And there are people you go out of the way for to use.

Many think getting a OUPV is their ticket to riches. HARDLY! IT's a short season here in NE. Boat costs must be covered, repairs, and what's left is your salary. Did chartering out of Shark River for 3 seasons. It's not fun, and it's NOT LUCRATIVE.

With all due respect Capt, if its not fun, and not lucrative why does anyone bother?... Honestly, if the remaining capts are going broke, why not just pack it in?.. I personally don't buy the " the sea gets in your blood" shtick either..
thats fine for a while, but when the bills come due, you need to have money to pay them...

Society is full of people that went into a business they were in love with, but had to give up because they had to eat.. It happened to me.
If it was as poor a business as some say it is, why are we seeing some capts buying new boats, and new charter businesses coming on line each year?... I am NOT saying these guys are getting rich, by any means.. I am saying that most of them are eating and paying bills ok... if not they simply could not stay in business, despite the call of the sea... bob

[Super]

After expenses, I don't see any captains getting rich changing $60pp. On the other hand, I can’t afford to pay $60 every time I go fishing.

Anyway, Capt Cal II has a $85 striper 3:30-10pm trip limited to 20 people in May-June? Love that idea.

First trip: Gambler, 1980 night bluefishing. I put a 6/0 hook through the palm of my hand. Didn’t slow me down much.

[MrAC1980]

My first time experience was also night blue fishing in the late 80's on the Shamrock, Gambler, etc. One of my uncles made me a huge sign that said "Walk It Down" that hung over my bed for yearsssss. Sadly those boats are gone, most of the family I grew up fishing with are gone, the sign is gone, and I haven't gone night blue fishing in a few years!

[TerriMc223]

Originally Posted by shrimpman steve

Is the cock robin going somewhere?

The Cock Robin is now the Capt Cal II.

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

With all due respect Capt, if its not fun, and not lucrative why does anyone bother?... Honestly, if the remaining capts are going broke, why not just pack it in?.. I personally don't buy the " the sea gets in your blood" shtick either..
thats fine for a while, but when the bills come due, you need to have money to pay them...

Society is full of people that went into a business they were in love with, but had to give up because they had to eat.. It happened to me.
If it was as poor a business as some say it is, why are we seeing some capts buying new boats, and new charter businesses coming on line each year?... I am NOT saying these guys are getting rich, by any means.. I am saying that most of them are eating and paying bills ok... if not they simply could not stay in business, despite the call of the sea... bob

People buy boats and charter part time to pay off the boat.Total write off.There are full time charters but not many.Most have a full time job.Most of the new ones coming on line do it part time. you need a mate and he has to make money every week. It ain't easy.

[Capt. Debbie]

Speaking as someone who has actually done it, is you convert you love for the water and fishing into making a living.

As yes, MOST FAIL. A blown engine can and did result in lost work and a huge bill to repair.

You find fares on charters bring dimwits. Drunks that show up drunk and you have to worry about the moron falling overboard the whole time you're running offshore.

You have to pick dicey weather days that you would have preferred not to run.

You find lazy fisherman that do little making it look like you puny reports are captains fault. Dealing with people suck. And don't get me started on the money collections. When you want to fish, and have to bait hooks and tie on swivels it loses a lot.

Example: Ran repeat charter out to Chicken Canyon at 23:00. Set up and start chunking. At dawn I can see easily 40 feet down off transom and there's YFT all over the place. All four fisherman are sleeping. I bump one telling him we have tuna at the transom. He says cool and goes back to sleep. They are paying, if they want to sleep instead that's how it works.


The fun is taken out of it quickly. At least for me. And the money marginal. You cant afford to consistently lose money so it's not going broke. It's just getting by.

BTW Bullet do you love your real job?

Originally Posted by bulletbob

With all due respect Capt, if its not fun, and not lucrative why does anyone bother?... Honestly, if the remaining capts are going broke, why not just pack it in?.. I personally don't buy the " the sea gets in your blood" shtick either..
thats fine for a while, but when the bills come due, you need to have money to pay them...

Society is full of people that went into a business they were in love with, but had to give up because they had to eat.. It happened to me.
If it was as poor a business as some say it is, why are we seeing some capts buying new boats, and new charter businesses coming on line each year?... I am NOT saying these guys are getting rich, by any means.. I am saying that most of them are eating and paying bills ok... if not they simply could not stay in business, despite the call of the sea... bob

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Capt. Frank

Speaking as someone who has actually done it, is you convert you love for the water and fishing into making a living.

As yes, MOST FAIL. A blown engine can and did result in lost work and a huge bill to repair.

You find fares on charters bring dimwits. Drunks that show up drunk and you have to worry about the moron falling overboard the whole time you're running offshore.

You have to pick dicey weather days that you would have preferred not to run.

You find lazy fisherman that do little making it look like you puny reports are captains fault. Dealing with people suck. And don't get me started on the money collections. When you want to fish, and have to bait hooks and tie on swivels it loses a lot.

Example: Ran repeat charter out to Chicken Canyon at 23:00. Set up and start chunking. At dawn I can see easily 40 feet down off transom and there's YFT all over the place. All four fisherman are sleeping. I bump one telling him we have tuna at the transom. He says cool and goes back to sleep. They are paying, if they want to sleep instead that's how it works.


The fun is taken out of it quickly. At least for me. And the money marginal. You cant afford to consistently lose money so it's not going broke. It's just getting by.

BTW Bullet do you love your real job?

I am retired... i certainly meant no disrespect to anyone that runs a for hire boat for a living.. I merely stated the fact that if it was as bad as some are saying, it is a waste of time and why bother doing it?

Many of the NJ and NY party/charter operations are family businesses in their 3rd generation, and still at it.. If they are struggling and can't make payments and payroll, wouldn't it make more sense to do something else??.

I am NO expert, and maybe I'm wrong, but I bet most of the established PB captains lead a solid middle class life, and are doing ok.. NOT rich, but getting by ok, and doing what they enjoy.. Many of our friends here seem to think that party boat captains and crews are starving, and on the brink of foreclosure. Personally, I have my doubts. If that IS the case, then I am wrong and I suppose insensitive to their plight and would be first to apologize...
Like any business, some don't make it long term, but as stated, a LOT of these operations have been going strong for many decades, and as long as there are fish and fishermen will continue to operate, some years good, others not so, but that after all is like many other business concerns out there... bob

[Mako1]

Mackerel on the Teal out of Staten Island.

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

I am retired... i certainly meant no disrespect to anyone that runs a for hire boat for a living.. I merely stated the fact that if it was as bad as some are saying, it is a waste of time and why bother doing it?

Many of the NJ and NY party/charter operations are family businesses in their 3rd generation, and still at it.. If they are struggling and can't make payments and payroll, wouldn't it make more sense to do something else??.

I am NO expert, and maybe I'm wrong, but I bet most of the established PB captains lead a solid middle class life, and are doing ok.. NOT rich, but getting by ok, and doing what they enjoy.. Many of our friends here seem to think that party boat captains and crews are starving, and on the brink of foreclosure. Personally, I have my doubts. If that IS the case, then I am wrong and I suppose insensitive to their plight and would be first to apologize...
Like any business, some don't make it long term, but as stated, a LOT of these operations have been going strong for many decades, and as long as there are fish and fishermen will continue to operate, some years good, others not so, but that after all is like many other business concerns out there... bob

Why would you get involved in something you no experience or clue about what it takes to do this for a living?

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Capt Sal

Why would you get involved in something you no experience or clue about what it takes to do this for a living?

Ok sal, have it your way.. ALL the captains are on the brink, about to lose everything, but stay with it because of the "call of the sea".... Oh brother..

I know nothing about what it takes to run a party boat, and NEVER anywhere in this post said i did.. However, entire families don't stay in a business generation after generation if their businesses were unsustainable..
before you make nasty comments, I will ask politely that you read more carefully..
I merely said that I would wager most boat operations with a steady clientele are doing well enough to maintain their families, their homes, their employees, and their boats.. If they are as bad off as you and some others are saying they are, they would not be handing their livelyhoods down to their children as so many do.. We all know its not an easy business, but the fact that so many stick with it indicates that for now, there are enough fish and enough customers willing to pay to catch them for most of them to make a living..

I know they aren't millionaires. Neither are their customers...
However, most are still there for the time being, and probably will be for a while.. At least until the regulations are so restrictive that salt water fishing in general is dead.... bob