How to be a Guest on Someone’s Boat
Whether you're a beginner or old salt, getting invited onto a competent captain's boat is a powerful way to learn. Aside from builidng friendships, you'll see new ways to do things. It's one of the fastest ways to up your game.
Here's how to be a fabulous guest, and ensure you get lots of invitations.
Travel light. Captains dread having a guest step aboard with giant tackle boxes, ice chests and many rods that overwhelm the boat's storage capacity
Don't ask if you should bring lunch for the captain. Instead ask something like "what kind of sandwhich do you want?" That removes any awkwardness. And make sure it's a really good sandwich.
Be ever helpful, but make sure you're doing things the captain's way
Stick around to help wash the boat
Pay your share of expenses. That includes gas for the boat, ice, bait and launch fees. It doesn't usually include truck gas, unless you rode along in the truck.
Don't over pay your share. That could get the captain in legal trouble for acting like a paid guide.
Be friendly and courteous. Don't go on and on about how you would do things better
Speak up if the captain asks you to do something you don't know how to do. Get the help you need rather than "faking it" and breaking something
Have fun!
In other words, the golden rule. Good guests and crew are hard to find. if you don't have a boat of your own, follow these rules and maybe you'll become regular crew!
This article orginally appeared in the Ocean Coach newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter to get great articles like this in your inbox twice a month. Become The Captain Everyone Trusts!