Down Time

[Tortuga James]

This is my first season full time and I am struggling with finding ways and time to do anything that is not related to the boat or running trips. I am not booked full everyday, but I have been running about 3-4 days per week, and that keeps me busy just about 100% of the time, 7 days a week. It is just myself and my mate, no one to ake care of the administrative stuff but me.

I am having fun, but I can imagine by August I will be burned out. The good news is, I have lost 15 of the extra 20 pounds I was carrying around. How do you guys handle it?

 

[Tortuga James]

I guess the season is on, seems like everyone is too busy to post. I got a 4 day break this week, actually went back to my inland home and chilled out of the sun for a few days and caught up on paperwork.

 

[SkipperJohn]

I often considered chartering and thought why would I want to turn my hobby into work!
I feel for you.
I have another question, having had my own (unrelated) business in the past, how do you take vacation?
Oh... you better not get sick!
It's not an easy life. Keep enjoying it and remembering suckers like me who commute 3 hours a day, work for over 10 hours a day on wall street getting blamed for everything that goes wrong.
Any chance you can recruit the wife to help out with paperwork?

 

[Tortuga James]

Any chance you can recruit the wife to help out with paperwork?

Are you kidding? I need her to work at a job that actually makes money.

Last week, I actually went diving on a friend's small boat. It was like a busman's holiday.

 

[Dr Dive]

TJ,

You are correct on the busy season. I'll toss in a few comments and hope we can resurrect a dialog.

You set the schedule. Sometimes you have to set a day aside, even if it means you don't run. Take advantage of every weather day you get. Rain and wind can be your friend.

Find ways to streamline. For example, I'm about to move to online reservations. It will hopefully take care of a lot of telephone time and make for fewer mixed up reservations. Also, it automates billing and cancellations. PM me if you have questions.

Do little things when you can. I do little clean-up tasks while divers are on their dives and while I'm waiting for divers between trips (we do two a day during the high season). This can make a full day maintenance day into a half day work day.

That's a start. I look forward to discussing your first season further. I'm finishing my third, so I'm no expert.

Capt. Jim
Dr Dive
Dr Dive Pensacola, FL - Home of the USS Oriskany

 

[Tortuga James]

What a difference a couple of months make. We really streamlined the way we do things throughout the summer and things got easier if not less time intensive. I learned what could be put in a box and saved for the offseason, vs what needed to be handled right away. We really fell into a nice routine.

I am down to weekends only now, so things are easier. That is only going to last 5 or six more weekends and blowouts are much more likely. I got blownout the last 2 weekends.

I had a great first full season, and I can see already that we are going to be much busier next season.

 

[scubaskipper]

Capt. Jim,
Have any more information about the online reservations?

 

[Dr Dive]

Capt. Jim,
Have any more information about the online reservations?

I'm working with Blue Claw Solutions (www.blueclawsolutions.com) . Still working out details and should be able to post more specifics tomorrow (Fri). In the meantime, check 'em out. Very interesting booking solution and I'm looking forward to getting it finalized. See you tomorrow.

 

[ComputerJoe]

If you get too busy, raise your rates and keep your level of service. Result, make the same money with fewer charters. Sounds simple? It aint!

 

[Tortuga James]

If you get too busy, raise your rates and keep your level of service. Result, make the same money with fewer charters. Sounds simple? It aint!

My thought was if you get too busy or have to turn away folks it is time to take on a partner and get another boat.

Funny how once the season is over and the trips are not there, it didn't seem all that crazy when I was running every day. But I have a pretty big list of things I want to accomplish this off season and I am already thinking it going to go so fast and I will be right back in the middle of the dive season.