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Professional Crew
Another way of earning money is to use your sailing skills as a means to finance adven-
tures afloat. When Maine-based sailors Bob and Maggie Daigle returned from a world cir-
cumnavigation aboard a friend's yacht, they weren't ready to swallow the hook. Instead of
returning to their careers, they moved into charter work, a step facilitated by the contacts
they had made during their circumnavigation. Now the licensed captains run a privately-
owned charter catamaran in the Virgin Islands. However, the couple agrees that “it's a
totally different mindset from cruising,” more work than play.
This line of work requires multiple certifications, from United States and BVI-recognized
captain's licenses to special endorsements required to operate a charter yacht. And there's
no underestimating the amount of work involved, Bob reports. “Both Maggie and I have
been very very hard workers throughout our professional lives, but both of us agree we´ve
never worked quite so hard before. During the charter we're literally on from 6 a.m. until 9
p.m. - with half an eye open in the night as well. The boat is heavily used, so we have
probably ten to fifteen items to fix, replace, or install during our twenty-four hours between
the end of one charter and the beginning of the next. This job may seem glamorous - but I
don´t think I have a T-shirt left that isn´t free of oil stains!” Their schedule is centered on
guest bookings, which usually prevent family visits during holiday periods.
So why bother? For one thing, it allows the couple to do what they love in a beautiful re-
gion, in addition to making interesting new acquaintances - even deep friendships - with
guests. The couple enjoy working as a team, too. “This crewed charter business is taking
full advantage of each of our skill sets, and stretching both of us continually to learn new
things. This is a very physically demanding type of work, so it keeps us both quite fit,
which we really like,” Bob explains. One perk is the eight-month-on / four-month-off
schedule, which allows the couple to relax and recuperate during the summer.
Another positive is that they essentially pocket all their earnings (a fifty-fifty mix of tips
and payment per charter from the boat owner), since their expenses during the season are
virtually nil. It did take a season to establish themselves in the business, but since then,
bookings have kept this crew bustling. But the job is not for everyone, Maggie cautions.
“This is definitely not a job for a couple who want to 'live the dream' for the first time.”
Bob suggests that sailors “take a year or two and go cruising to make sure you really like
this lifestyle. After confirming this, you can introduce guests into the picture.” That said,
the couple positively glows with satisfaction at their overall work “package.” All in all,
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