How to hire a boat captain

How to hire a boat captain, step by step

Here's a step-by-step boat captain hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a boat captain job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new boat captain
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your boat captain job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a boat captain for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A boat captain's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, boat captains from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents boat captain salaries for various positions.

   Type of Boat Captain	Description	Hourly rate
   Boat Captain	Water transportation workers operate and maintain vessels that take cargo and people over water. The vessels travel to and from foreign ports across the ocean and to domestic ports along the coasts, across the Great Lakes, and along the country’s many inland waterways.	$13-31
   Captain	Captains oversee the entire operations of a sea vessel, usually ships. Their main responsibility is to ensure that the vessel safely travels from point A to point B... Show more	$14-40
   Port Captain	Port captains must have skills in vessel maintenance, safety programs, USCG, cargo operations, and ABS. This career requires a U.S... Show more	$16-45

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Vessel Maintenance
   • Boats
   • CPR
   • USCG
   • Safety Drills
   • Safety Training
   • US Coast Guard
   • Oil Spill
   • Fine Dining
   • GPS
   • BP
   • Routine Maintenance
   • Boat Operations
   • Safety Procedures

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead a platoon that earn numerous awards for jamming opposition force artillery nets and conducting counterattacks on opposition electronic warfare platoons.
   • Train to use an a defibrillator, and conducting CPR.
   • Train law enforcement personnel of several islands of the Caribbean on law enforcement and boarding procedure.
   • Deliver yacht from Europe to Caribbean.
   • Work with NOAA in collecting subsurface oils samples.
   • Experience in weather observation, first aid, CPR, and fire fighting.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your boat captain job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A boat captain salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, boat captains' average salary in maine is 29% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level boat captains earn 58% less than senior-level boat captains.
   • Certifications. A boat captain with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a boat captain's salary.

   Average boat captain salary

   $43,632yearly

   $20.98 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level boat captain salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 5, 2026

4. Writing a boat captain job description

   A boat captain job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a boat captain job description:

   Boat captain job description example

   Job DescriptionTypes of Activities Utilizing Captains

   • Harbor Excursions, Educational Cruises, Bay Fishing Trips via pontoon boat, and Ocean Fishing trips via sport fisher
   • Boats Utilizing Master License: 33 ft. Pontoon Boat, 23 ft Striper Sea Swirl Sport Fisher

   Overview of the Position

   Boat Captains with a Master License will be driving vessels around the harbor for a variety of classes throughout the year with children, parents, and Staff aboard. Pontoon boat can hold 20 people max per COI and sport fisher can hold 6 passengers. Event outings vary from 1-4 hours in length. Other trips are quicker class deliveries/drop offs with children going to and from the Newport Sea Base and local venues such as the Back Bay Science Center, Balboa Fun Zone, Marina Park, the Wedge, and local beaches. You must be at least 21 years old, be certified in CPR and First Aid, and attain your CA Boater's Card upon being hired. Must also be able to pass random drug screens throughout tenure via the Maritime Consortium. Needs to be enthusiastic, patient, creative, and have a comfort and inclination working with children. All boat captains must be able to swim. Must be comfortable communicating with young children, teens, and parents. Directly reports to the Program Director.

   * Upon hire, must provide copy of USCG Master License and supporting documents/certifications.

   Responsibilities/Duties

   • Prepare and pre-trip all boats pre and post event
   • Refill gas tanks when low; learn how to utilize local dock gas stations via NSB account
   • Assist in supervising children aboard ensuring safety at all times
   • Outlines rules and procedures before embarking on outings and enforcing rules throughout the duration of each event
   • Track attendance on each boat's log especially the pontoon boat
   • Ensure boat is cleaned, reorganized, and kept tidy after each outing
   • Report program/equipment concerns to supervisor immediately.
   • Teach youth water, boating and paddle craft safety.
   • Be a positive role model and mentor to youth participants.
   • Enforce appropriate student-discipline procedures.
   • Communicate thoroughly and effectively with other program staff and Lead Instructors.
   • Work together with lead teaching instructors aboard and prepare route in conjunction with the activity plan for the event
   • Participate in scheduled staff trainings throughout the year
   • Be comfortable learning how to operate a Boston Whaler, pontoon boat, sport fisher
   • Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

   Hours

   September-May (School Year) *Maximum: 5-10 hours per week (Mainly Sat/Sun)

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find boat captains for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any boat captains they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level boat captains with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your boat captain job on Zippia to find and recruit boat captain candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with boat captain candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new boat captain

   Once you've selected the best boat captain candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new boat captain. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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