Helpful Tips For Trip Organisers
I have listed here some of the pitfalls that you may encounter when embarking
on the unenviable task of organising a fishing trip for your mates,
1. Get the money upfront.
When your friend asks for his/her name to
be added to your list, always get his/her money at the same time, otherwise
he/she will let you down!
It occurs with monotonous regularity that the group has been let down at the
last minute by one or more individuals leaving the rest to pay the full cost
between them,
Even if you ignore all my other tips,
Don't ignore this one! Trust me on
this!!
2. Numbers.
Ask your skipper how many people he would recommend on the boat and make that
number your absolute maximum,
Don't be persuaded to cram as many people on board just to save yourselves a
few quid, you will only succeed in spoiling the day for everyone due to tangled
lines and frayed tempers,
Although my boat is licensed to carry 12 passengers plus 2 crew, I recommend
8/9 as a maximum and I have some regular groups that only bring 5 or 6 along,
they prefer to pay the extra so that they can fish in comfort with plenty of
room to stretch out.
3. You get what you pay for.
I sometimes get people asking why some skippers charge more than other
skippers?
The answer is this;
a. My boat is twice as fast as there's and so burns twice as much (if not
more) fuel,
b. I don't charge for rod & reel hire, others charge £5 per rod,
c. I provide hot tea & coffee free of charge, others don't provide drinks at
all!
d. I provide a Microwave oven for you to use, others don't
e. I have a proper private flushing toilet others provide a bucket on the
deck!
As a general rule of thumb, Take a look at the boats in the harbour, Some are
Pristine, Modern and well equipped whilst others are not! - The choice is yours.
4. Book well in advance.
If you require a Saturday or Sunday or even a bank holiday date then you will
need to book up to 12 months in advance,
If however you can fish midweek then you need only book a couple of months
ahead.
5. Avoid Seasickness.
Don't get carried away with the alcohol and Indian curries on the evening
before your trip, I have seen many a reveller reduced to a quivering mess by
seasickness brought on by over indulgence the night before the trip!
If you must celebrate with your mates, do it after the trip, not before!
6. Breakfast - Be Careful
If you regularly eat a full English breakfast in the mornings then its no
problem to do so on the morning of the trip, however, if like me you don't eat a
large breakfast then don't go upsetting your stomach before you even step on the
boat,
Better to eat at your normal time or when you feel hungry, if you are going
to take sea sickness pills then take them with a little food at least two hours
before the trip.
7. Communicate.
If you are a group of novice sea anglers, don't assume anything!! talk to
your skipper, ask his advice and be fully aware of how he expects the day to pan
out,
Ask about tackle & tactics, bait, weather forecasts, departure times, parking
facilities. does he have a toilet onboard (especially important if you have lady
anglers in your group) does he provide hot drinks onboard or do you need to
bring a thermos flask,
Most professional charter boat skippers are only too pleased to answer your
questions, however, if the skipper is not very helpful, book your trip with one
who is!
8. Respect the boat.
Don't let your lead weights bang on the boat, they not only damage the boat
but if allowed to swing about unchecked will also damage your mates or even
yourself,
Take it from me that most charter boat skippers with fast, modern, well
equipped boats will have spent a small fortune on their pride and joy, the last
thing they want is to see it getting knocked about unnecessarily,
Like I said to
one guy who could not understand why I was nagging him about his lead knocking
lumps out of my gelcoat.
"Go out and buy a hundred grand car and see how
you feel when someone bounces a lead off the bonnet!"
9. Read the Terms & Conditions
Like all businesses charter boat operators have certain conditions that must
be met by any boat charterer,
Mostly these are to ensure a safe trip for our customers, they also give
clear advice on what is expected from our customers and what our customers can
expect from us,
Seadrive Charters terms & conditions can be read here.
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