For all roles, the best place to start recruiting is using online job boards.  In our experience, Indeed.com or ZipRecruiter.com are the most effective job boards for finding quality candidates and have great tools built into the software directly.  Do not hesitate to try other services such as Craigslist or other local job boards to cast a wider net.  There is no silver bullet when it comes to finding great talent.

Networking within the local marine community is crucial when it comes to recruiting high-quality captains and mates for your tour operation. By building relationships with other operators, marina owners, and industry professionals, you'll be able to tap into a wider pool of potential candidates and gain insights into their reputation and experience within the industry. Additionally, networking can help you to build a positive reputation for your own business, which can be valuable in attracting top talent. Attending industry events, participating in local organizations and associations, and staying active on social media can all be effective ways to expand your network and build relationships within the local marine community. By doing so, you'll be better equipped to find and recruit the skilled and experienced captains and mates that are essential to the success of your tour operation.

Captains

Recruiting excellent captains is a difficult task.  Great captains are able to strike a balance between being strict with the rules and facilitating a fun experience for the passengers.  After posting on the job boards, the next best way to find good captains is networking.  Call other boat operators, speak with your marina staff.  If there is a sea school nearby, reach out to them and ask if there is a way to advertise to them.  Captains communities tend to be close knit and often have Facebook groups and other ways of reaching out to them.

An ideal captain is trustworthy, experienced, friendly, responsible and enthusiastic about the business.  You want a captain who follows the rules, has an authority presence and can handle a large crowd with ease

If you vessel is designed to hold more than six passengers, your captains will need to have a “master’s endorsement” for their USCG captain’s license.  For six pack vessels, they will need a “six pack” USCG captain’s license.

The industry rates of pay for captains range from $25-45/hr before tips.  You will want to study the wage market in your area to set a competitive rate.

If you choose to go in the Captain/Manager route, you can consider offering a Lead Captain an annual salary. For this model, you would require the captain to take a certain percentage of all tours and also assign the captain management and/or customer service roles.

First Mates (COI’d Vessels Only)

Your first mates are second in command on the vessel, but because they do not have to control the vessel, they can spend more time on customer service during the tour.  For that reason, your first mates can assume more of a “party leader” role on board.  They do not need to be licensed by the USCG, but you should only hire first mates with plenty of boating experience.

The best way to find good first mates is to network within the maritime community in your area, or network through friends, family and colleagues.

An ideal first mate is friendly, social, upbeat and a hard worker.  You want someone who will spring into action during an emergency, but also someone who can get along with almost anyone on the tour.

The market rate for first mates is $13-18/hr plus tips.

Technicians

This can be the most challenging role to fill.  It is a part time role so you will need to find someone with a flexible work schedule.  Your technician should be performing weekly preventative maintenance on the vessel which will take approximately 1-3 hours each week.  They will also be responsible for executing any necessary repairs.

Things can and will break on your vessel.  Cycleboats are both a boat, a fleet of 12 bicycles, and an industrial drivetrain in one.  Tiki Boats have lots of custom decor which should be maintained.  Preventative maintenance will help, but repairs are a part of the business.  We recommend budgeting at least $5,000 per year in repair and maintenance costs.

Job posts will likely field some good candidates, but in our experience the best technicians are going to come from local bicycle shops and repair service.  Bicycle technicians will be experienced in many of the mechanics involved with Cycleboats and will have a lot of the same tools.  Motorcycle mechanics are a good option as well.

The market rate for technicians is around $30-50/hour.