The 8 pack charter

[softcrab]

The 6 pack charter rule has been around for longer than most of us have been alive. A licensed captain can take out 6 paying customers on an uninspected passenger vessel. The boat could be 20 feet or 80 feet long. It doesn't make a lot of sense.

I propose the rule be changed to 8 persons on a vessel greater than 40 feet in length. I know you could go the inspected route but that is difficult and expensive and would place a huge burden on the coast guard.

We are encouraged to think green. A vessel carrying 8 persons fishing on the same amount of fuel that otherwise would carry 6 is very green. Chavez and Ahmadinejad are against this proposal.

The economics look good. For example, a boat that normally charges $1200.00 for 6 people would under this new rule charge $1200.00 for 6 with 2 additional passengers at $150.00 each. Now the boat receives an additional $300.00 but each angler now pays $187.50 rather than $200.00. Now we would have 3 boats carrying the same amount of people that 4 do now. I assure you that the boat can use the extra $300.00 on increased fuel costs, safety eqipment, and general boat maintenance. Charter boating is not a get rich quick scheme. The increased fuel costs are endangering the industry.

Strike a blow for energy independence. Support and talk up an 8 pack charter rule.

Your comments will be appreciated.

[Capt. Brian Daley]

The 6 pack charter rule has been around for longer than most of us have been alive. A licensed captain can take out 6 paying customers on an uninspected passenger vessel. The boat could be 20 feet or 80 feet long. It doesn't make a lot of sense.

I propose the rule be changed to 8 persons on a vessel greater than 40 feet in length. I know you could go the inspected route but that is difficult and expensive and would place a huge burden on the coast guard.

We are encouraged to think green. A vessel carrying 8 persons fishing on the same amount of fuel that otherwise would carry 6 is very green. Chavez and Ahmadinejad are against this proposal.

The economics look good. For example, a boat that normally charges $1200.00 for 6 people would under this new rule charge $1200.00 for 6 with 2 additional passengers at $150.00 each. Now the boat receives an additional $300.00 but each angler now pays $187.50 rather than $200.00. Now we would have 3 boats carrying the same amount of people that 4 do now. I assure you that the boat can use the extra $300.00 on increased fuel costs, safety eqipment, and general boat maintenance. Charter boating is not a get rich quick scheme. The increased fuel costs are endangering the industry.

Strike a blow for energy independence. Support and talk up an 8 pack charter rule.

Your comments will be appreciated.

As I've been crying about all a long they F-n killed us (big brother is watching
us) just wait and see

[softcrab]

As I've been crying about all a long they F-n killed us (big brother is watching
us) just wait and see

Captain Brian-- I'm not sure what you mean. Please be specific.

I hope this thread sparks serious discussion.

[captcl]

Here goes on the serious discussion, I'll let you know what is my opinion and what I beleive to be fact. First a question for you (don't take this personally)
do you carry a USCG lisc of any type?It is not a rule but a matter of the liscense the Capt. carries and what he wants to do with it. Opinion, having a USCG ticket and jumping through their hoops( it is more trouble now just to renew!) means you are knowledgeable about nav, saftey, and the rules that others may not be. It does'nt make you any better than anyone but it does make you responsible for your vessel, the operation of the vessel, the people on that vessel and anything that takes place on that vessel or involving that vessel with you as the operator or officer in charge!Even at the dock!
I witnessed the changes when operating up on the Ches. Bay as the trend between say 1990 and now is to over 6 pass. Pesonally, I don't want that many people on my boat. I carry and have for some time carried the 6 pass ticket good for near coastal 100mi limit. Many charter operators run fine over 6 operations and there is one available her in OCMD for up to 15 pass offshore. I have fihed on other boats where we went 6 for 6 on YFT and it was fun but it started out as a riot and had to be organized by a skilled crew.
Imagine that with 8 (or more) folks in the pit! My hats off to guys who run over 6 offshore. I have also witnessed (up on the bay) pulling in next to an over 6 boat with 18 head and 12-15 stripers and heard the grumbling when they see my lowly 6-pak boat with 5 anglers and 7 30"+ fish. Opinion/fact you get what you pay for, I beleive 6 or less is a higher quality trip.
There are also some quality headboats that give you a great value one in paticular here in OCMD (did'nt thiink I could plug him).As for the green thing it is an honorable gesture but the boats are going to run if booked. I know I am! I don't want to give to many personal ops cause that is not what this is about.The over 6 boats exist and I'm sure there are more to come. Personally, I think(experienced) over 6 is more about the $ and not the fishing! That is why I now run a 22' Mako CC carrying 3 pass inshore/ Limited offshore as opposed to my old 43' Ches bay style boat. I (personally)should have downsized earlier in my carreer. Running a chater boat of any size is a major responsibility and investement of $ and time. The Capts I learned from told me that getting back floating, under your own power and with all hands unhurt was paramount. If that day we caught fish and got paid that was even better. If the customers came back agin to fish.... YOU WERE IN BUSINESS!!!

[WAHOONBOX]

8 ?

THEN YOU SHOULD MAKE YOUR VESSEL A COAST GUARD INSPECTED VESSEL AND YOU CAN CARRY A LOT MORE THAN 6 .....NOT THE UNINSPECTED TYPE WHICH IS MORE COMMON


WHERE IS CAPT TERREL GOULD OF THE CAROLINA PRICESS MHC WHEN YOU NEED HIM???


HELLOOOOO "COASTALHICK"............SPEAK UP!!!

[eppefour]

I think the rule should stand as is. If a person wants to carry more than 6, he is asking for greater responsibility. I think this should equate to a higher standard- ie Inspected vessel and masters ticket. I think captains would still take less than 8 if the trip was still profitabl, so the green approach may not pay off.

[softcrab]

and I run the "Big Easy" out of Hatteras, NC. I am using my wifes computer. I spilled coffee on mine the other day and it is at the computer clinic.

The 6 pack rule seems dated to me. There are a lot of very modern boats which could easily carry more than 6 people in safety and comfort. I believe the 6 pack rule was entirely arbitrary when enacted. An arbitrary rule can be changed if situations change.

I am not out to change the world or tilt at windmills. If the majority of my fellow captains feel there is no merit to this idea then I am content to forget it.

So far, I have been accused of being greedy and not having a license.

But I have not heard any serious rebuttal to the initial comments.

bigeasy

[WAHOONBOX]

and I run the "Big Easy" out of Hatteras, NC. I am using my wifes computer. I spilled coffee on mine the other day and it is at the computer clinic.

The 6 pack rule seems dated to me. There are a lot of very modern boats which could easily carry more than 6 people in safety and comfort. I believe the 6 pack rule was entirely arbitrary when enacted. An arbitrary rule can be changed if situations change.

I am not out to change the world or tilt at windmills. If the majority of my fellow captains feel there is no merit to this idea then I am content to forget it.

So far, I have been accused of being greedy and not having a license.

But I have not heard any serious rebuttal to the initial comments.

bigeasy

A CLEAR CASE OF WAHOONBOXITIS............THAT IS ....SOME PEOPLE JUST WANT TO FIND SOMETHING TO ***** AT..... SO SCREM UM


ROCK ON BIG EASY!

[frankypettolina]

When I went through "survey school" in 1995 there was a lot of talk about the 6 pack becoming an 8 pack, but it obviously never happened.

I believe there is room to make a change like this, and while I would not want 8 people on a regular basis, the ability to take the 7th would come in handy. 8 on occasion would be nice too. Especially when the extra 2 are kids.

As far as the idea of most uninspected boats becoming an inspected boat, that is much easier to say than do. A majority of the inspected boats were designed and built with becoming inspected in mind. Take, for example, a 1980 46 foot Post and try to make it inspected. Not an easy task. Is that boat any less safe than some of the inspected boats I have surveyed? No, it was just built to a different standard. And, I can tell you, even though the USCG is doing a good job inspecting boats, I still see stuff that passes inspection that I am afraid to lean my ladder against and climb on in the boat yard. Remember the "El Toro"?

Doc, I do think the idea has merit, but it may be a tough sell.

[captcl]

Softcrab, I was merely asking a ? I rarely respond to threads like these for people taking the response the wrong way it is hard to judge unless you can look at em. I watched and listened to the over 6 ("T-boats") ***** and moan about all the added regs and the yearly inspections and then brag about how much more they made per trip while cutting every corner on the saftey equipment to keep their cost down. I've got some strong opinions and am notgoing to back away from them they are what theyn areafter 56 yrs.But it's noting personal and you know opinions...... I basically wanted to know more about you and where you were coming from. What do the Capts down on the dock theres say? Unless you have a boat like the one box mentioned you don't(in my opinion ) have the room to doit safely. Hell how are you going to get the
Coasties to change it. You will also have to change the CFR.