Hiring a delivery captain: what to ask, what to pay, and what to put in writing

Bought a boat a few states away, or just don't have the time or sea miles to bring her home yourself? A delivery captain can be money well spent — here's how to hire one without surprises.

What to ask before you commit:

• Credentials and miles — a USCG license (and the tonnage/route it covers) plus real experience on a boat your size and type. A great inland captain isn't automatically the person for a long offshore hop. • References from recent deliveries, and call them. • Insurance — ask whether they carry their own coverage, and confirm your policy allows a hired skipper and the planned route. • Crew — solo or with mate(s), and who pays them.

On pay, expect a day rate plus expenses; longer or offshore runs cost more. Get the structure clear up front so a weather delay doesn't turn into an argument.

Put it in writing, even a one-page agreement:

• Day rate, who covers fuel/dockage/food/travel home, and how delays are billed. • Start window and a rough timeline, with weather as the override — never pressure a captain to beat a forecast. • Condition of the boat at handoff and a short pre-departure checklist both of you sign.

Get the boat surveyed and squared away mechanically first; a delivery is not a shakedown.

If you've hired one, what's a clause you wish you'd added?