Charter boat mate jobs?

[cheferson]

Any advice on obtaining a mate position on a charter boat? Im burned out with cooking, looking to to take a break. I have limited experience fishing from boats , but have many hours logged in the surf. Looking for something in S.county or Narr bay.

Thanks

[slow eddie]

this is definetley the wrong time of the year. just about everyone except the head boats have pulled theirs out. you just may have to gut it out until the weather starts to break. this is not a well paying job chef. been there, done that.

[cheferson]

I know not , now . I was looking for May. What kind of pay?? Wanted to just cook 40 hrs or less and possibly do this in the mornings.

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by cheferson

I know not , now . I was looking for May. What kind of pay?? Wanted to just cook 40 hrs or less and possibly do this in the mornings.

Odds of finding something that be just mornings are somewhere between slim and none. Almost all charter boats want someone for full days. You might be able to find something on a 1/2 day fluke boat when that season starts. Check with the Frances fleet and rthe seven Bs, they are the only boats in RI that regularly do 1/2 day trips.

[nightfighter]

Apply for the job at the Cuttyhunk Fishing Club. Breakfast only, mid June til Labor Day.

[Goose]

Craigs list, has an ad in the boat section someone looking for the same thing ...I think you'll get some good ideas from it.

[big jay]

You might want to check out the RI Charterboat Assn website - they have a list with all the Cpts and their phone#'s, websites, and emails -- just start contacting people and see if anyone has an opening. You could also walk the RISAA show this winter and introduce yourself in person to any of the RI boats.

Getting a regular gig to start off might be difficult, but offer up to be a fill in - If you can fill in on a couple of different boats, I bet you would find a regular gig by the end of the season.

As for $ - tips at first, some Cpts will guarantee you a certain amount per day (guard against someone stiffing you). If your really experienced or have been with a cpt a while some boats will also pay a flat fee per trip or small % of the charter. How you do on tips can depend on the boat -- some guys are very up front about tipping the mate when people book, others just kind of leave it up in the air. We're really clear about the tipping thing when people book, that way the people don't feel surprised at all, and the mates end up doing better too.

Most important thing - show that you have a good way with people, are curteous and polite -- on some boats the mate spends more time with the customers than the capt, so many would rather teach a good guy how to fish, than have a crackerjack fisherman that shows up hung over and is rude to the customers.

Last thing -- all Captains and Mates are supposed to be enrolled in a random drug testing program. Every year someone loses one of their college kids to this -- if you can register in the program ahead of time ($75, Newport Alliance-they have a website) you will be a step up on anyone else looking.

Hope that helped. Good luck.

[Swimmer]

I know the six hour trips on a charter out of Falmouth Harbor they get $150.00 right up front for the mate. Thats as a tip. You must get something from the Cpt./owner also.

[sportsman]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

I know the six hour trips on a charter out of Falmouth Harbor they get $150.00 right up front for the mate. Thats as a tip. You must get something from the Cpt./owner also.

That sound a little high to me.
How big was the boat?

[Raider Ronnie]

I don't think mating on a charter boat is something you get into for the money!
More because you LOVE fishing and just being on the water!!!
If you figured out how must $ you make an hr, you could do better flipping burgers at McDonalds!!!

[zacs]

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

I don't think mating on a charter boat is something you get into for the money!
More because you LOVE fishing and just being on the water!!!
If you figured out how must $ you make an hr, you could do better flipping burgers at McDonalds!!!

i agree with Ronnie. you could do better [moneywise] working at cumbys. but the benefit of being on the water and learning the game are hard to put a $ to.

[Hooper]

As a kid I worked summers on a boat in Harwichport. I was well paid by the skipper and I earned tips. For a high school kid, I made a ton of money, as an adult I would be homeless right now. I like the idea that someone mentioned, get word out as a fill-in with a group of boats in a busy harbor. When I was working that was the tough part, finding a replacement when I had to take a day off, as it turned out, days off ended up being very rare! Good luck Chef, some of the best days of my life were on that 31 JC south of Nantucket.

[beamie]

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

I don't think mating on a charter boat is something you get into for the money!
More because you LOVE fishing and just being on the water!!!
If you figured out how must $ you make an hr, you could do better flipping burgers at McDonalds!!!

That about sums it up!!!!!

I ocassionally work as a fill in mate on various boats in Green Harbor if I am available and they need me. It is a long day ground fishing east of the bank. About a 12 hour day. Most boat owners will pay you $50 and the rest is tips. Sometimes you can do ok.. $200 for the day, but per hour forget it, and I have been stiffed before too. It is just about being on the water and seeing some one that your helping land a 50 pound cod on ocassion. As a groundfishing mate you always buzy assisting, teaching and dehooking fish, dogfish and filleting. And you have to have some people skills too, which isn't always easy depending on the charter. Your well beat at the end of the day.

Chef, with you surf experience I think you'd do allot better having a shore guide service in the mornings.

[Hooper]

It's funny, I run charters now for a captain when he needs time off and as a skipper I can see the value in having a super mate. The big keys are this, be personable with the charter and talk with them! Second, be able to run the show on deck. If a mate can do these two things he should do very well on tips $$$. Plus, that allows the guy running the boat to focus on catching fish, not yappin' with the customers!

[cheferson]

Originally Posted by beamie

Chef, with you surf experience I think you'd do allot better having a shore guide service in the mornings.

I dont have enough experience to do that yet, i still know next to nothing.

Thanks for all the advice

[Swimmer]

Originally Posted by sportsman

That sound a little high to me.
How big was the boat?

It was Doak's boat, the Eastwind, out of Falmouth. It wasn't that big. We paid it up front for 18 guys, three boats for eight hour trip.

[thefishingfreak]

I make so much money mating I don't have to work all winter.

[big jay]

So was that $150 tip per boat, or the total tip upfront for all 3 boats?

[sportsman]

Big Jay kind of beat me to the punch but to add to his question, was it an eight or six hour trip??