New Thinking on Boat Sharing

Well shipmates that’s another month of OTT weather, but on the few occasions the boats went out reports that the Sailfish were still in abundance and one boat claiming a triple hook-up with 2 released and 1 lost just off the stern. Nice going guys.

As boat owner/operators are continually asked about boat sharing, which in the past most advised against due to certain companies going well above the recommended maximum of 4/5 for serious fishing, a new idea is doing the rounds, which proposes a “non-profit” fishing and boating association dedicated to making Big Game Fishing and boating in general, more accessible and affordable especially to our ex-pat community, their friends and those who are traveling to Phuket alone, or in small groups.

There would be 3 types of associates:-

1. The Visitor / tourist – is free and the association would offer boats at a heavily discounted “boat sharing” price in association with some of our many local ofishinadoes.

2. Ex-pat – is also free although it would require an up-front 2000 Baht refundable, deposit / bond to cover any and all trips.

3. Boat owner /operator – would be a 5% finder’s fee for all trips organized by the association; this would cover set-up fees and incidental expenses.

What the Mena “budget” boats propose to offer probably best describes how the system would work and explains their subsidies toward the association’s goal of reducing everyone’s costs:-

Mena 2 & 3 propose charging 50% of their web site price to the tourist client and guarantee that if even only 1 “one” Ex-pat registers to go, the boat will still leave on the proposed date. They also confirm there would be a maximum of 3 Ex-pats on the boat, (the other 50%) as they believe any more than 4/5 fishing is too many.

Mena 1. Would be the same, except being a more expensive boat, it would be 4 Maximum for ex-pats, again when there is only 1 “one” Ex-pat available the company will subsidize the balance and the boat will still sail.

Other owner /operators would be welcome to participate with their own “specials”, which would be run through a dedicated internet site where participants could be introduced to each other via social media in advance of booking a trip.

Any helpful observations or input to this proposed idea would be greatly appreciated, so please send in your views as we continue to consolidate our thinking.

STOP PRESS

Burma Banks

The Burma Banks has some of the best “bill” fishing on the planet, up there in the top 10 “must visit” for any fisherman.

Thai 2 On intends to work out of Ranong, Thailand in February and March 2017 doing weekly charters in this 400 square mile underwater plateau where trolling and jigging is often unsurpassed.

Leaving Ranong on day 1 and picking up our obligatory Myanmartian J (Burmese) “guide” at Victoria we head to West Rock and the following 5 days are spent trolling and jigging the Banks. Day 7 back to Ranong via West Rock and Victoria to drop off the guide.

So that’s it for this month.

Tight lines to all and condolences to all our Thai friends at this sad time.