Current Waters: Oh Captain, My Captain

I’ve had some questions/comments from clients over the years that highlight an interesting problem when booking charter trips on vacation. When speaking with a potential client (who later became a regular), he asked if I was near the boat while we were on the phone. “Yeah,” I said, a little confused. “Can you send me a photo right now?” Despite having lots of pictures of the boat on the website and Instagram, I obliged and sent the photo of the hull. He said thanks, and when he came out to the island, we had a great time on the water. Later, he told me what motivated the question about the photo. I have since heard multiple versions of a similar story. It starts with a gorgeous website and photos of a good-looking boat. However, in person, when it’s time to leave the dock, the boat on-hand isn’t at all what’s seen online. The “bait ‘n switch” is on them instead of the fish.

Stories like these have been presented from clients who’ve fished around the world, and it got me thinking: does that ever happen on Nantucket? How many people coming out for vacation are duped by those lacking credentials or proper safety equipment?

Nantucket has a great community of fishing and boating captains; People with history and knowledge about our waters. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do your homework when hiring a charter for your vacation. Not only is it about safety and success, it’s about having the experience you want. It’s always best to find a captain who matches your style and personality. I mean, you’re going to be on the water all day with these people.

What does it mean to have a licensed captain?

A licensed captain is someone who has an MMC (Merchant Mariner Credential) from the US Coast Guard. The type of license depends on the type of vessel, the number of passengers someone can take, and the overall qualifications. It demonstrates a mariner's qualifications to work on US-flagged vessels, showing a mariner's training and experience in specific areas of maritime work. It’s not optional if someone is taking passengers for hire.

The OUPV (Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel) is the minimum you need to take passengers for hire. Often called the “6-pack” license, it’s the one a lot of Nantucket charters have, allowing a maximum of six passengers (plus the captains and mate). When you go with one of these charter captains, you know there is a basic level of knowledge, safety, and equipment.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts distributes a “for-hire” permit to all charter vessels. You must have a for-hire fishing permit to take paying passengers saltwater fishing on your boat. This is how we cover your saltwater fishing licenses while on the boat. It’s not expensive, but to get it, you need to provide a lot of info, including vessel information, licensed captain information, vessel registration number, and homeport. In the “know before you go” mindset, if the boat you’re getting on doesn’t have this sticker, you have the right to ask for documentation.

When you do see the sticker and get documentation, you know that you are with someone with the proper safety and standard level of maritime experience.

Why does it matter?

Obviously, when on the water, safety is the first concern. But it’s more than just the safety and regulation knowledge. An experienced captain comes with a lot of other added value. First off, there is the knowledge of the local waters. That’s important for knowing where the fish are and how to get them, but also what shoals to avoid, what tides work best, where the rip is, etc. Most people build a network of knowledge with other captains or people who work on the water to share knowledge. That trust is gained over time and not easily granted.

Beyond the fishing and the sea knowledge, you will want an experienced captain when something goes wrong. This could include anything from a medical emergency to a repair needed on the water. And that network of other boaters that may be nearby to help.

But, of course, much of this can be avoided by those who repair, fix, and prep in the off-season. Maintenance is the first step in prevention, and doing the work in the off-season leads to greater success during our relatively short fishing season. Then there is all of the extra equipment, tools, and things needed for repairs that we keep on hand. You never know what you’re going to need and when, plus, without a dedicated marine shop on-island, we need to be prepared.

Those dedicated to the fishing life are also the ones making sure it remains viable. State fisheries meetings, charter captain associations, conferences, and public comment periods – all things that we work for to ensure our livelihood and the future recreational fishery. A lot happens in the charter boat community in the off season, so that we have a job in season.

For example, we have a battle on our hands right now with recreational tuna. The number allowed to keep in what size classes can really change our recreational fishery. More on that in a future post. The more voices and letters we have, the better the fishery will be for all. We might have more information in the next week or so about how to lend a voice for fishing rights.