Captain - Temporary / Seasonal - United States
Experienced Sailboat Captain/Instructor (couple preferred) — South Florida to Abacos, January 2027
We are seeking an experienced sailboat captain/instructor, (ideally an established cruising couple), to join us aboard our Catalina 470 for a chill, owner-assisted transit with daily instruction from South Florida to the Abacos (Marsh Harbor) in January 2027.
Our goal is not simply boat delivery. We are looking for hands-on instruction and mentoring throughout the trip to fully understand our new boat, with emphasis on short-handed cruising as a couple: boat handling and maneuvering, docking, anchoring, sail trim and reefing, weather and passage planning, Gulf Stream crossing strategy, Bahamas navigation, onboard systems, emergency procedures, and development of effective two-person crew routines, so we don’t kill each other.
We, the owners, will be aboard and actively operating the vessel. We are looking for an instructor couple who enjoys teaching and progressively transferring responsibility rather than simply taking command and delivering the boat.
Ideal candidates will have extensive cruising-sailboat experience on 40–55 ft monohulls, multiple Gulf Stream crossings, significant Bahamas experience, preferably including the Abacos and Great Bahama Bank, weather tracking, track planning, emergency drills, and demonstrated experience training boat owners aboard their own vessels. USCG credentials, sailing instructor certification and strong recent owner references are preferred. Ideally you would have functional experience and understanding of the diesel and auxiliary systems to be adept at providing practical hands on instruction on preventive maintenance, common repairs, and troubleshooting methodology.
Our cruising philosophy is chill, conservative, and safety-focused: careful weather windows, no artificial schedule pressure, daylight arrivals, and an emphasis on building confidence and competence for future cruising as a couple.
While we anticipate the transit may not typically exceed approximately 10–14 days, depending on weather, the final route, and our ending comfort level, we hope to book you for 21+ days, so essentially most of January, (flexible dates). Our boat has a separate forward cabin and separate head for you.
Compensation, travel expenses, schedule, and scope of instruction are negotiable based on experience and team composition.
Please respond with a brief sailing résumé, credentials, relevant Bahamas experience, experience teaching owner couples, references from recent owner-assisted passages, availability roughly 30 in January 2027, and proposed compensation structure.
As for us, we have some boating experience. I grew up with sailboats going to Catalina and cruising on the west coast; my wife grew up with powerboats going to the Bahamas. We have done several bareboat trips in the past. We are both ASA 101-104 certified. I was a USNavy navigator on 2 different ships. We are newly retired in mid-50s, risk averse, chill, friendly people, who love safe boating followed by cocktails at sunset.
This should be a fun, easy gig. BUT…you must be chill generally, AND you must be particularly chill under pressure. Yes, sternly make demands or bark orders in a tight pinch. But for the rest of the time, we do not want to spend 21 days with a grump.
We really only need one qualified instructor, but it would seem weird with just the three of us, so if your partner is a cruising veteran but wants more of a chef role or other, let’s discuss. We are easy…
Close