Neptonics

Search
Generic filters
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Search in excerpt
Filter by Search Items
Yes
MENUMENU
  • Search
    Generic filters
    Exact matches only
    Search in title
    Search in content
    Search in excerpt
    Filter by Product Categories
    Spearfishing Accessories
    Spearfishing Apparel
    Dive Watches
    Spearfishing Essentials
    Spearfishing Floats, Floatlines & Reels
    Lobster Diving Gear | High-Quality Lobster Diving Equipment
    Spearfishing Slip Tips, Shafts, Lines, Wishbones & Bands
    Spearfishing Rubber & Powerbands
    Speargun Parts
    Spearguns and Polespears
    Spearfishing Weight Belts, Dive Lights & Knives
  • MY CART
    No products in cart.
MENUMENU
  • PRODUCTS
    • Spearguns & Polespears
      • Wooden Spearguns
      • Euro Spearguns
      • Roller Spearguns
      • Polespears & Slings
    • Wetsuits
      • Wetsuit Glue & Cleaner
      • Riffe Wetsuits
      • Neptonics Wetsuits
      • Waihana
      • Salvimar Wetsuits
    • Essential Gear
      • Dive Watches
      • Freediving Fins
      • Spearfishing Masks
      • Snorkels
      • Dive Knives
      • Gloves
      • Booties
      • Power Heads
      • Bubba Blade Products
      • Flashlights
      • Anti-Fog Gel
      • Spearshaft Protector
    • Accessories
      • Flashlights
      • GoPro Accessories
      • Bags & Travel Cases
      • Certified Scales
      • Shark Shield
      • Flashers
    • Rigging, Rubber, Shafts
      • Mori Shaft
      • Rob Allen Shafts
      • Neptonics Shafts
      • Custom Shafts
      • Speargun Rubbers
      • Slip-Tips
      • Euro Shafts
      • American Shafts
      • Shooting Line
      • Crimping Kits
      • Muzzle Bungees
      • Tuna Clips, Swivels, Tackle
    • Apparel
      • T-Shirts
      • Hats
      • Spearfishing Stickers
    • Floats, Floatlines, Reels
      • Floatlines
      • Tuna Bungees
      • Floats
      • Reels & Accessories
    • Weight Belts
      • Weight Belts
      • Lead Weights
      • Weight Belt Accessories
      • Carter Floats
    • Speargun Builder
      • Speargun Triggers
      • Speargun Handles
      • Enclosed Speargun Tracks
      • Roller Gun Parts
      • Speargun Components
      • Speargun Building Tools
    • Lobster Gear
      • Lobster Gauges
      • Lobster Bags
      • Pry Bar
      • Lobster Snare
  • ACADEMY
  • ABOUT
    • LOCATIONS
    • CONTACT
  • ACCOUNT

Boat Etiquette – Proper Etiquette on a Charter Boat

by Mark Platau / Thursday, 20 May 2021 / Published in Spearfishing 101
Boat 600

Boat Etiquette – Proper Etiquette on a Charter Boat

No two charter boats are alike so gaining experience with one operation doesn’t fully prepare you for diving with another. Here are a few pointers from experienced charter captains to make your trip more enjoyable. 

Expectation Management

Before booking your charter you should have an understanding of what you expect. A bluewater trip is vastly different than a reef trip so discuss your expectations before booking but understand that weather and conditions can change and, rather than cancel, the destination and goals may change. 

Dive Charter Flexibility

Be flexible. Understand there may be different levels of skill and experience. Unless you book a trip specific to your skill level you may be diving sites shallower or deeper than you wish. 

Be Courteous

Don’t bring every piece of gear you own. You should only bring what you will reasonably need. They appreciate that you have six custom spearguns but you don’t need them all on a 6 hour trip. Be aware of the room you take up on the boat. Pick up after yourself. The captain and crew generally arrive hours before the charter and will be cleaning and maintaining the boat for an hour after you end you day. Don’t stuff your food wrappers and water bottles under the gunnels or throw them in the ice chest for the crew to have to sort. 

Speaking of the ice chest, rule of thumb is if you put your water, beer, sodas (or Whiteclaw) in the cooler then it stays there at the end of the day. If you bring 32 beers and drink 3 then you’ve donated 29 beers to the cause. If you don’t like it then bring only what you need. Water is generally supplied but ASK before drinking anything else that doesn’t belong to you. Take your food home. 

Take Directions From the Crew

LISTEN TO INSTRUCTIONS. The captain and crew have repeated the way they operate their boat a thousand times prior to giving todays briefing so expect to be told once nicely, after that it doesn’t have to be nice. They are responsible for your safety and that of the other clients, the crew, and the boat. It doesn’t matter if you have a boat, you do it a different way on another boat, or you don’t agree. Follow the boat rules. Even on small boats there is a hierarchy designed for the welfare of everyone onboard. The captain is responsible for everyone and everything on the boat so his word is the law. You’ve never seen a suggestion box on a charter boat, take that as a clue. 

Tipping on a Charter Boat

Captaining and crewing a dive boat is a great job most of the time. We take the good with bad and try to provide a safe, fun, and productive trip. It’s a hard job all of the time. Consider that at the end of the day when it comes time to tip. Its difficult to gauge what an “appropriate” tip is but consider what you would give the guy at the air-conditioned steakhouse who told you what a good choice you made, carried your food to the table, and refilled your over-priced wine. Tip accordingly.   

  • Tweet
Tagged under: blog, neptonics

About Mark Platau

What you can read next

Speargun
The Ultimate Guide to Selecting Your Perfect Speargun
Guns
How to Pick the Right Speargun Length For You
A5 Flyer
Properly Loading Your Speargun – Factors Involved

Recent Posts

  • Speargun

    The Ultimate Guide to Selecting Your Perfect Speargun

    Spearfishing has been a popular activity for mu...
  • Guns

    How to Pick the Right Speargun Length For You

    How to Pick the Right Speargun Length For You T...
  • A5 Flyer

    Properly Loading Your Speargun – Factors Involved

    Properly Loading Your Speargun – Band Siz...
  • Olympus Digital Camera

    The Secret to Landing Big Fish Spearfishing!

    The Secret to Landing Big Fish Spearfishing! Wh...
  • Mentor

    Mentoring Mentoring New Freedivers – Why Its Important to Bring New People Into The Sport

    Mentoring New Freedivers – Why Its Import...

Categories

  • Gear Maintenance
  • Gunbuilder Tips
  • Neptonics Videos
  • Product Reviews
  • Spearfishing 101
  • Spearfishing Techniques
  • Travel
Shipping
Return Policy
Privacy Statement

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Unlock $10 Off

  • GET SOCIAL
Neptonics

© 2022 All rights reserved. Spearfishing Solutions, LLC

Neptonics

  • PRODUCTS
    • Spearguns & Polespears
      • Wooden Spearguns
      • Euro Spearguns
      • Roller Spearguns
      • Polespears & Slings
    • Wetsuits
      • Wetsuit Glue & Cleaner
      • Riffe Wetsuits
      • Neptonics Wetsuits
      • Waihana
      • Salvimar Wetsuits
    • Essential Gear
      • Dive Watches
      • Freediving Fins
      • Spearfishing Masks
      • Snorkels
      • Dive Knives
      • Gloves
      • Booties
      • Power Heads
      • Bubba Blade Products
      • Flashlights
      • Anti-Fog Gel
      • Spearshaft Protector
    • Accessories
      • Flashlights
      • GoPro Accessories
      • Bags & Travel Cases
      • Certified Scales
      • Shark Shield
      • Flashers
    • Rigging, Rubber, Shafts
      • Mori Shaft
      • Rob Allen Shafts
      • Neptonics Shafts
      • Custom Shafts
      • Speargun Rubbers
      • Slip-Tips
      • Euro Shafts
      • American Shafts
      • Shooting Line
      • Crimping Kits
      • Muzzle Bungees
      • Tuna Clips, Swivels, Tackle
    • Apparel
      • T-Shirts
      • Hats
      • Spearfishing Stickers
    • Floats, Floatlines, Reels
      • Floatlines
      • Tuna Bungees
      • Floats
      • Reels & Accessories
    • Weight Belts
      • Weight Belts
      • Lead Weights
      • Weight Belt Accessories
      • Carter Floats
    • Speargun Builder
      • Speargun Triggers
      • Speargun Handles
      • Enclosed Speargun Tracks
      • Roller Gun Parts
      • Speargun Components
      • Speargun Building Tools
    • Lobster Gear
      • Lobster Gauges
      • Lobster Bags
      • Pry Bar
      • Lobster Snare
  • ACADEMY
  • ABOUT
    • LOCATIONS
    • CONTACT
  • ACCOUNT
There are no products
Search
Search
Generic filters
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Search in excerpt
Filter by Product Categories
Spearfishing Accessories
Spearfishing Apparel
Dive Watches
Spearfishing Essentials
Spearfishing Floats, Floatlines & Reels
Lobster Diving Gear | High-Quality Lobster Diving Equipment
Spearfishing Slip Tips, Shafts, Lines, Wishbones & Bands
Spearfishing Rubber & Powerbands
Speargun Parts
Spearguns and Polespears
Spearfishing Weight Belts, Dive Lights & Knives