Advice for starting a dive charter business?

[Buzzardsbay81]

Hey All,
I live in a resort area that is absolutely bereft of dive charters and have heard from multiple locals that there is a real need for someone to run them! I have a local dive shop interested in working together (providing a divemaster for trips, booking, etc.), I have my captains license for inspected vessels, I have a ton of really fascinating coastal and offshore spots to dive on. Looking to put it all together and make a go of a dive boat business. Does anyone here have any experience running an operation like this? I would love to hear any pitfalls or things I should be considering.
A few things I am already looking into:
* I know liability is a nightmare and am prepared to shell out to make sure I’m covered insurance wise.

*I am working with my local dive shop to make sure I have all safety and convenience equipment on hand for charters.

*Boat is covered and am currently upgrading to make it work for this project.

*I have a great working knowledge of our local waters, Tides, and weather. I am prepared to scrub trips or find alternate and interesting dive sites if things don’t feel right.

Please shoot me a private message if anyone has thoughts!

 

[Wookie]

1) make a plan about how you will run your charter. Will the sites be scheduled in advance? Will you divert when divers get to the boat based on weather? Both options get you yelled at by half your divers. Remember, they are paying for an experience. If the experience changes without notice, someone is gonna be upset.

2) what are your dive rules? Are you a water taxi to the dive site, or are you more interested in everyone coming home unhurt? Will you mix recreational and tech divers? Can divers dive deco? What if they blow deco and aren’t deco qualified? What if they run out of breathing gas? Will you continue to let them dive?

3) who will book your trips? Will you run all trips through the LDS? Can I book direct? Who answers the phone? What if I just show up at the boat? Can I pay you directly for the ride? What if I’m the 7th passenger, but I’m a Divemaster? May I have the deckhand spot?

4) what do you offer besides a trip to the wreck/ledge/scallop bed? Can I hunt? Who provides the gun? Can we fish on the surface interval? Do I pack a lunch and cooler, or do you have an ice chest/fridge? May I use it? Can I bring beer, do you provide it? What if I bring a lobster or 6 back? Will you make me turn them loose or turn a blind eye? Do I have a place to take a nap? A dump? A leak?

You can’t be the boat that accommodates all divers. And you won’t please everyone. Some days no one is happy. If you don’t have tough skin, you won’t be happy. If you’re a dick, your customers won’t be.

 

[Johnoly]

Will you run all trips through the LDS? Can I book direct?

@Wookie is one of the best in the dive charter business (BTW>Happy Bday). When just starting out it's a big help to collaborate with a local dive shop which can bring more diver's to your charter, plus rental gear/tank fills. In your area it's tight but what about Vineyard Scuba ? It's a short dive season there, but those huge ferry's bring in Thousands of guests every day and that's a great customer base with big Discretionary incomes to spend.

 

[Wookie]

BTW>Happy Bday).

Thanks

 

[Buzzardsbay81]

1) make a plan about how you will run your charter. Will the sites be scheduled in advance? Will you divert when divers get to the boat based on weather? Both options get you yelled at by half your divers. Remember, they are paying for an experience. If the experience changes without notice, someone is gonna be upset.

2) what are your dive rules? Are you a water taxi to the dive site, or are you more interested in everyone coming home unhurt? Will you mix recreational and tech divers? Can divers dive deco? What if they blow deco and aren’t deco qualified? What if they run out of breathing gas? Will you continue to let them dive?

3) who will book your trips? Will you run all trips through the LDS? Can I book direct? Who answers the phone? What if I just show up at the boat? Can I pay you directly for the ride? What if I’m the 7th passenger, but I’m a Divemaster? May I have the deckhand spot?

4) what do you offer besides a trip to the wreck/ledge/scallop bed? Can I hunt? Who provides the gun? Can we fish on the surface interval? Do I pack a lunch and cooler, or do you have an ice chest/fridge? May I use it? Can I bring beer, do you provide it? What if I bring a lobster or 6 back? Will you make me turn them loose or turn a blind eye? Do I have a place to take a nap? A dump? A leak?

You can’t be the boat that accommodates all divers. And you won’t please everyone. Some days no one is happy. If you don’t have tough skin, you won’t be happy. If you’re a dick, your customers won’t be.

Thank you for the reply. Honestly this is exactly what I am looking for! I am looking to run the safest and best dive operation I can, I am not afraid to kick people off, and I’m not afraid to interview potential clients to make sure we get a good group on trips out.
For booking and to start I am partnering with a local dive shop off island (I have a great relationship with them, and to start they will most likely be my only client).
I have worked for many years in retail and wholesale. I have worked many years checking IDs in my liquor store, and I think I have a tough enough skin to get through it. I also have a fairly good ability to turn around tough customers into good customers and lifelong friends.
So thank you again for the thoughts, I do appreciate it!

 

[Buzzardsbay81]

@Wookie is one of the best in the dive charter business (BTW>Happy Bday). When just starting out it's a big help to collaborate with a local dive shop which can bring more diver's to your charter, plus rental gear/tank fills. In your area it's tight but what about Vineyard Scuba ? It's a short dive season there, but those huge ferry's bring in Thousands of guests every day and that's a great customer base with big Discretionary incomes to spend.

Looking to work with a local dive shop, but unfortunately I just never really got a good relationship with them. I have a great relationship with another dive shop in RI and will be working with them to get bookings and people on board!

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Start with $2 million so that way you can end up with $1 million and still be a millionaire.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

The person you really need to listen to, the EF Hutton of dive boat charters, is @Wookie. When I open my dive center, I hope to invite @cerich and @Wookie to come over (I will set each of them at a place right on the beach) and critique/advise on how I can do things better (I will work for other people before I open). I will tell my employees that Chris and Frank overrule anything I say.

You obviously understand that you are in the hospitality business, so following Frank's advice and checking the numbers, I expect you to be quite successful. I hope to swing by one day before I make my move, dive with you, and buy you dinner to hear about your experiences good and bad.

 

[Tracy]

If you are in the US, check on dive boat insurance before you go much further. The last 5 years, hell the last three years have changed everything in getting dive boat insurance. Insurance costs are easily double to five times what you are thinking.
I spent more on insurance than fuel last year.

 

[rjack321]

If you are in the US, check on dive boat insurance before you go much further. The last 5 years, hell the last three years have changed everything in getting dive boat insurance. Insurance costs are easily double to five times what you are thinking.
I spent more on insurance than fuel last year.

Tisbury, MA, USA is on Martha's Vineyard. Tisbury UK is between Salisbury and Poole. My guess is the OP is in Mass.