Chase Boat Captain

The job is boat handling, logistics and upkeep. You plan each run with the mothership's bridge, brief guests on safety, and put them on a beach, a restaurant quay or an airport pontoon on time. Between runs you wash down, refuel, check the engines and log hours. Most chase boats are 15-25m with twin diesels or waterjets, capable of 35 knots or more. You keep that machinery healthy yourself, because there is usually no engineer on board.

With guests aboard, you work around them. Their lunch ashore sets your timetable, and plans shift at short notice when the weather turns or the principal wants to go somewhere new. Without guests, you run errands, collect crew, move provisions and take the boat for service. On a 60m yacht the chase boat might be a large tender with a part-time captain. On a 120m yacht it is a proper vessel with its own crew, its own flag paperwork and its own berth.

Owners and captains hire people who can be trusted alone with expensive boats and VIP guests. That means a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore at minimum, and Master 200gt for larger boats. They want strong close-quarters handling, solid diesel knowledge and a clean, discreet manner. Most candidates come up through deckhand and tender driving roles, often with watersports or dive experience. Former RIB or fast-ferry skippers also do well.

From here, two routes are common. Some move back aboard the mothership as second officer or chief officer and work towards an OOW 3000gt or Master 500gt. Others stay in fast boats and progress to shadow vessel or support vessel command, where the boats run to 40-70m and carry helicopters, submarines and dive centres. Either way, years spent as a chase boat captain show you can run a vessel, which counts for a lot later on.