Charter trip intake and float plan packet

Take the call and pin the trip

• Record the trip type and durationHalf day, three quarter day, full day or an offshore run, with the actual hours on the water rather than the marketing name. Good looks like a departure time and a return time both written down.
• Count the party against your passenger limitWrite the number of adults and the number of children separately, and check it against the six pack ceiling or the number on your certificate of inspection. Children count.
• Note the target species and what the season allowsPut down what they want to catch and what is realistically open and biting on that date. Setting that expectation at booking prevents the disappointed dock conversation later.
• Capture contact details and where they are stayingCell number, email and the condo or hotel. Out of town parties get lost on the way to the ramp more often than locals, and you will want a text thread that already exists.
• Set the meeting time, dock and parkingSlip number, the gate code if there is one and where to leave the truck. Good looks like the client being able to find you without calling you at five in the morning.
• Ask what they are bringingCoolers, food, drinks, a cooler for fish, sunscreen and whether anyone gets seasick. This is also where you note licenses if your state does not cover anglers under the vessel.

Lock the money before you hang up

• Quote the all in price out loudTrip price plus anything that is not included, so there is no surprise at the dock. Write the number on the sheet and repeat it back to the party.
• State what the price coversRods, terminal tackle, bait, ice and fuel are usually included. Fish cleaning, gratuity for the mate and specialty gear often are not. Say which is which.
• Take the deposit while they are still on the lineRecord the amount, the date and the method. A date is not held until the deposit clears, and that rule only works if you apply it every time.
• Write down how the balance is paidCash, card at the dock or charged to the card on file, and when. Good looks like the client knowing the exact amount to bring before they arrive.
• Note the mate gratuity expectationSay plainly that the mate works on tips and what parties typically leave. Handling that at booking is far more comfortable than handling it on the transom afterward.
• Send the written confirmation the same dayTrip, date, time, dock, price, deposit received, balance due and the weather terms in one message. That record is what a processor will ask you for in a dispute.

Write down the weather rule

• Define the captain call in plain wordsState that the decision on conditions belongs to the captain, and what happens when you make it: reschedule first, refund if no date works. Give a call time so the party is not guessing.
• Define the client cancellation windowSay how many days out a cancellation keeps the deposit and when the deposit becomes non refundable. Use dates, not vague terms like short notice.
• Set the reschedule windowState how long a credited deposit stays good, whether it is this season or the next. Open ended credits become arguments in the spring.
• Say what happens to a shortened tripIf the trip leaves and weather turns you back early, write down the threshold at which any money is returned. Being specific here prevents the worst dockside conversation there is.
• Get the agreement recordedA checked box, an email reply or a signature. Good looks like a timestamped record showing the client saw the terms before the deposit was taken.

File the float plan and prep the boat

• Fill in vessel and crew detailsBoat name, registration or documentation number, length, color, engines, plus the captain and mate aboard. This is the part a searcher needs first and the part you should never retype under pressure.
• List the persons on boardFull names and a count that matches your passenger limit. If the party changes at the dock, update the sheet before you back out of the slip.
• Write the departure, the area and the expected returnWhere you intend to fish and the time you expect to be back at the dock. Add the time after which your contact should start calling.
• Name a shoreside contact and send it to themOne person ashore who has the packet and knows what to do with it. Good looks like them confirming receipt before you leave the slip.
• Record safety gear and comms aboardVHF channels monitored, EPIRB or PLB if carried, life jacket count, visual distress signals and extinguishers. This doubles as your dockside sweep before passengers board.
• Close the plan when you tie upTell your contact you are in. An uncanceled float plan that triggers an unnecessary search costs everyone, so make the return call part of the routine.