BoatUS Professional Captains Locator Service

Welcome Boat Owners! The BoatUS Professional Captains Locator Service has just been launched, but continues to be a work in progress. We’re still processing applications. In the coming weeks we expect to post many more captains, so please drop by from time to time as our referral list grows. If you hire a captain from this list, we'd like to hear from you! Please e-mail your impressions, good or bad, to captfeedback@boatus.com. Please Choose an Area: Northeast & MidAtlantic (ME, NH, MA, CT, NY, RI, NJ, DE, MD, VA) · Southeast (NC, SC, GA) Florida (All Florida) · Gulf of Mexico (AL, MS, LA, TX) · Inland (Great Lakes and any inland lakes and rivers) West Coast (CA, OR, WA, AK, HI) Advanced Search

 

Need a professional to move your boat?

Need help getting your boat to a hurricane hole before a storm hits?

Have a new boat and need some instruction?

Want to know where the fish are biting?

BoatUS has established a delivery captain referral service to make it easier to find reliable people with the knowledge and skill to safely operate your boat when you can’t.

Although BoatUS does not endorse or guarantee the performance of the delivery captains on our list, we have verified that they all have passed the rigorous testing required to obtain a captain's license from the US Coast Guard.

Before hiring a delivery captain…

• Ask candidates about the types and sizes of boats they normally deliver.
• Ask for a resume as well as references from the candidate’s most recent deliveries.
• Ask about familiarity with the delivery areas.
• Ask if additional crew will be needed for the trip.
• Most captains do not carry liability insurance. Make sure to find out about having the captain and crew added to your insurance policy for the duration of the delivery.
• Contact your insurance company to determine whether your marine policy includes coverage that protects you for damage to your boat or injuries to third parties while the boat is being operated by a professional captain.

Once you've selected a captain…

• Notify your insurance company, if necessary.
• Make sure your boat is in good working order. Notify the captain of any conditions that could cause breakdowns or concerns.

Make sure the delivery agreement includes:

• Your name and address, as well as the name and address of the captain and the name(s) of any crew member(s) he may bring along.
• A description of the boat, its homeport and the location to which it will be delivered.
• Delivery dates. Keep dates flexible to accommodate for weather conditions and possible breakdowns.
• The cost of the delivery. Many captains charge a daily fee plus expenses, such as food, dockage and fuel.

Spend time with the captain aboard the boat. Make sure he or she is familiar with all of its systems, location of manuals and spares. If you plan to have your boat moved by a professional, should a hurricane warning be posted, contact prospects before the start of hurricane season to talk strategy.

NOTE: BoatUS provides the Professional Captains Locator Service as a free directory of potential contacts and it is not an endorsement of the listed Captains. BoatU.S. cannot warrant the quality of the services or guarantee safe passage, should you select one of these Captains for any purpose. BoatUS is calling all PROFESSIONAL DELIVERY CAPTAINS to participate in a new service that will provide secure boat delivery and on-the-water transport for our 650,000 members. If you are a professional captain with a valid US Coast Guard license, please apply.