One Skipper, Two Skipper 3 or more?

jssailem · Jul 7, 2017

Jeff... the question can only get opinion. No singular right answer.

I think you and your friends, if you want to stay friends, need to resolve the question.
"When we run aground and start to sink which one of us is going to be last off the boat?" That person is the captain.

I can see all sorts of issues with 3 captains. When I go aboard a friends boat, he is the owner. I may have more or less experience than him/her but I always defer the decision to the owner. If what is decided may endanger the boat, I'll make an observation and provide more information for a better decision. But if the Owner is competent I defer to the owners wishes with the boat.
Case in point. Friend and I were powering into a 7 knot current in a narrow passage. I was at the helm and he was near the mast observing our progress. We decided not to continue and the Owner announced a turn to starboard and lets go back and wait in the bay near the entrance. I told him I was uncomfortable turning towards the near cliff. The submerged rocks might just grab us as our bow gets swung when it catches the current. Better to turn to center channel. His response, YES. I had not thought about that. Aye aye captain, turning to Port. We were swept away into the center channel and sped up to 14 knots down stream.

Perhaps you agree, the person at the helm is captain. Fail to resolve this issue can lead to indecision at a critical moment.

Indecision can be the fertilizer for Murphy's Law. And Murphy is not welcome on my boat.

Jackdaw · Jul 7, 2017

ONE PERSON needs to the the 'person in charge'. And this person does not have to be driving. This needs to be clear and unambiguous.

Everyone else can end up being a 'watch captain' who is in charge when the 'skipper' or 'person in charge' is not on watch.

Normally there is standing orders to when the 'skipper' or 'person in charge' is advised/consulted; changes in weather; close proximity to other boats; etc.

jssailem · Jul 7, 2017

Oh and Welcome to the fleet of CAL boat owners.

The Shadow Knows · Jul 7, 2017

Sometimes,

Too many captains can spoil the broth. To avoid problems of who has authority
& when, I agree that the captains should rotate with each trip for now. Just how long
this delegation scheme will last, is anyone's guess.

I've known folks that were co-owners & some setups worked fine while others did not over time.
I have also seen that over time, one co-captain may decide to get his own boat. This happened with
co-buying my first boat. In my case, there were never any problems but then, Jamie got married
& wanted to move up to a larger boat. He asked me to buy him out & all went smoothly.

In a year sailing with him on his larger boat, I then purchased my current boat.
Some partnerships work well, others may knot. I have also seen that differences in sailing habits
were fixed by designating different days for different captains.

dLj · Jul 7, 2017

Three owners is a lot.

I've always sailed on boats that had a designated captain. It's usually the most experienced sailor. The second choice would be the owner of the boat - not going to work in your case. I've only allowed a couple people to run as captain on any of my own boats and that was because of their greater sailing experience that mine. I used to have a friend of mine that sailed often with me and he was always captain as he had many years and multiple single handed ocean crossings under his belt. There were times when he would let me play at captain, but we really knew who it truly was... I wish he still lived close enough to me to sail more together...

I agree with all the above comments. You three really have to work it out among yourselves. But I'd suggest that you figure a way where everybody is happy - and - there is one designated captain on a given trip.

dj

capta · Jul 7, 2017

Bridge management teams. All the rage these days.

dLj · Jul 8, 2017

capta said:
rage

Key word in that one

Ken Cross · Jul 8, 2017

That's why in the aviation world someone is the pilot in command and that is said verbally on the flight deck every time. Control can change hands as needed, but it is a verbal exchange "your airplane" - "I have the airplane". No guessing.

There is no reason for not having the same protocol on a boat. Your life may depend on it.

Ken

Kings Gambit · Jul 8, 2017

I think it's tough to have three newbie co-owners sailing together when neither of them is clearly more qualified to act as skipper than any other. I was in a 3-owner partnership in a small race boat for a brief time years ago where one partner by far was the most experienced and acted as skipper during races. After he moved and left the partnership, I and the other remaining partner alternated as skipper during races. Usually, the "skipper" was helming the boat. Ultimately, whether right or wrong, someone has to "make the call" when the time comes to do so even if it is made following consultation with the other owners aboard. For example, a racing tactician crew member make advise a skipper what to do; but, whether s/he does it or not is up to him or her. It's that person's decision, and hence that person's responsibility, etc.

rfrye1 · Jul 8, 2017

I bare boat with another "captain". We alternate days as Captain. Only captain has final decision. But if decision is difficult we often discuss. Too many Chiefs is never a good idea.
Good luck! Bob.

waterpirate · Jul 10, 2017

Captains are like Highlanders.

There can only be one
Eric

Kermit · Jul 10, 2017

I'm pretty sure you'll work it out amongst yourselves. But if you don't...

Jackdaw · Jul 10, 2017

Had a couple of PMs about this, mostly about the final decision making process, normally in a jam.

This is simple, the skipper can take input/opinions, but has the final call. What they say goes.

If you can't see this happening with person X in charge, you really need to think about you being OK with person X being skipper.

Kings Gambit · Jul 10, 2017

Finest Hours is a good example in principle. The engineer asked the skipper to slow down the ship as it was pounding too hard in the storm, putting great strain on a weld that went around the hull. The skipper's "call" was to maintain course and speed. The ship broke apart, the fwd section sank; the aft section was driven aground off MA by the crew, nearly all of whom were subsequently rescued by the coast guard. Great movie. Also, the actual skipper of the version of Bounty used in the movie made "the call" to attempt to out-maneuver a hurricane, and then went down in it, etc. Probably the most common discussion among "co-skippers" on recreational sailboats involves sail management, as in when to shorten sail. Shall we fly this spinnaker in the winds of the T-storm or not?

jssailem · Jul 10, 2017

Wow Kermit.... That is a lot of MLB crashes... No communication....

One Skipper, Two Skipper 3 or more?

Macmanjams

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jssailem

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Jackdaw

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jssailem

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The Shadow Knows

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dLj

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capta

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dLj

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Ken Cross

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Kings Gambit

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rfrye1

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waterpirate

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Kermit

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Macmanjams

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Jackdaw

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Kings Gambit

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jssailem

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