As a private boat captain, our job is ultimately for the enjoyment of the owner. We must always keep in mind that the boats we fish and crew on are not a necessity for the owner. There is no doubt in my mind that the first thing the owner will get rid of under stressful economic circumstances is their boat, followed by their crew, followed by their plane and pilot.
We should try as a crew, to make sure that every time the owner and his guests board the boat, we have not overlooked anything. Try to make everything perfect for them. Not being prepared for a planned fishing trip or excursion becomes a problem and there’s really no excuse for it. Because of that scenario, there are times when owners just get burnt out and the fun of owning a boat and having a crew becomes a burden. As crews, we need to eliminate being a burden on the owner by going above and beyond. Make sure everything is as good as possible all the time, and if we don’t agree with something, keep it to yourselves. Just “clap and smile!”
Over the years I’ve seen a lot of crews come and go. Most of the time, they are let go due to their work ethic. Things like spending money foolishly, immaturity, too much partying, no common sense, laziness or just whining all the time. This kind of captain and crew doesn’t last long. I believe that you earn respect from the owner by reassuring him that you can be trusted with the responsibility of maintaining, operating and managing their multi-million-dollar hobby. As crews, set their mind at ease that you are protecting their money as if it was your money. This means a lot to them knowing that they can trust you with managing their funds.
Managing yourself and the crew is also very important to them. It’s a small world out there. Rumors that fly around the dock about certain crews getting drunk or acting a fool is not very impressive to the owner. I can guarantee you that they are glad the rumors are not about their crews when they hear any. Loyalty, honesty and trustworthiness are the key to good owners and crews relationships. It’s really easy to tell what crews are not going to last long by the way they act around the dock.
The same goes for the crews that have been working for the same owner for a long time. Just look at the way their work ethic is, and the way they conduct themselves as professionals. You can see why their relationship with the owner, and their longevity on the same boat (with the same owner), has lasted so many years. Believe me, I also understand that there are a few owners out there that can be irrational and act like total morons. But we won’t even go there because that’s a totally different story!
