Yacht Delivery & Relocation
Capt. Tom provides professional yacht delivery and vessel relocation services for powerboats and motor yachts throughout the U.S. East Coast, from New England to Florida, as well as the Gulf Coast and Caribbean. Through Atlantic Yacht Delivery, he works with private owners, yacht brokers, dealerships, and marinas to relocate new and pre-owned vessels between ports, with experienced captain services and hands-on owner instruction available when needed.
Boat owners need professional yacht delivery and vessel relocation services for many reasons: purchasing or selling a boat, relocating to a new home port, moving south for the winter, repositioning for seasonal use, or having their yacht available at a vacation destination. Whatever the reason, Atlantic Yacht Delivery handles the voyage planning and logistics necessary to move your vessel safely, efficiently, and professionally from departure to destination. Every long-distance delivery begins with careful pre-departure planning and vessel preparation. Capt. Tom reviews the proposed route, weather and sea conditions, tides and currents, fuel range, marina and fuel-stop options, and other voyage considerations. Before departure, the vessel is reviewed for readiness, including safety equipment, engines, fluids, filters, running gear, navigation electronics, and other critical onboard systems. Identifying potential concerns before getting underway can help prevent unnecessary delays and problems during the delivery. Owners are welcome to participate in the delivery when circumstances allow. An owner-assisted delivery can provide valuable hands-on experience operating the vessel under a variety of conditions while learning its systems, handling characteristics, navigation equipment, docking procedures, and other aspects of safe vessel operation under the guidance of a USCG Licensed 100 Ton Master. When the owner is not aboard, Capt. Tom maintains communication throughout the voyage and provides progress updates at agreed-upon intervals. Throughout the delivery, Capt. Tom maintains voyage notes documenting the vessel’s performance, operating observations, fuel stops, mechanical concerns, and other relevant information. At the completion of longer deliveries, the owner receives an accounting of trip-related expenses and receipts, along with pertinent voyage information. Before leaving the vessel, Capt. Tom and his mate, when applicable, complete a final walkthrough to ensure the yacht is secure and left in clean, orderly condition at its destination.
Charter Captain Services
Captain Thomas Ertle is a USCG Licensed 100 Ton Master with more than 20 years as a credentialed Merchant Mariner and more than 50 years of experience operating boats and yachts in a wide range of waters and conditions. Through Atlantic Yacht Delivery, Capt. Tom provides professional captain services for private owners who want an experienced captain aboard for cruising, fishing, diving, sightseeing, special outings, or simply a more relaxed and confident day on the water..
Whether you need an experienced captain for a vacation cruise, sightseeing trip, fishing or diving outing, special event, extended voyage, or simply want to enjoy your boat without being responsible for every aspect of its operation, Capt. Tom can take command and provide a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable experience on the water. Traveling to unfamiliar ports and waterways can present challenges involving navigation, tides and currents, shoaling, bridge clearances, marina access, weather, vessel handling, and local conditions. Having an experienced captain aboard provides an additional level of knowledge and confidence while allowing the owner and guests to enjoy the voyage. Capt. Tom also provides relief captain services for owners who may want assistance during longer passages, need a break from the helm, or would like an experienced captain aboard for a particularly challenging portion of a trip. Services can be tailored to the vessel, voyage, and owner's individual needs. For owners who want to become more comfortable operating their own boat, a captain-assisted trip can also become valuable hands-on vessel instruction. Capt. Tom can work with owners on docking, maneuvering, navigation, anchoring, vessel systems, Rules of the Road, and safe operation while underway. Professional captain services may include private cruising, relief captain assignments, yacht delivery and relocation, owner-assisted passages, vessel familiarization, and on-water instruction.
On-Water Vessel Instruction
A boating safety course provides important knowledge, but classroom instruction cannot replace hands-on experience aboard an actual vessel. Capt. Tom provides personalized on-water boat and yacht instruction designed to help owners become safer, more confident, and more capable operating their own vessel. Whether you are new to boating, moving up to a larger boat, or learning the systems and handling characteristics of a recently purchased yacht, instruction is tailored to your experience, vessel, and individual needs.
Having taught boating safety for ten years, Capt. Tom has worked with boaters of all ages and experience levels and understands the situations that often create the most anxiety on the water. He begins by evaluating the owner’s experience, comfort level, vessel-handling skills, and individual goals, then tailors the on-water instruction to the owner and the specific boat or yacht. Voyage planning and preparation are an important part of safe boating. Whether planning an afternoon cruise or an extended coastal passage, Capt. Tom can help owners understand route planning, weather forecasts, wind and wave conditions, tides and currents, fuel requirements, marina options, navigation hazards, and vessel readiness. Capt. Tom often refers to weather, wind, and waves as the “3 W’s” because understanding how they interact can make a significant difference in the safety and comfort of a voyage. Docking and close-quarters maneuvering are among the most common concerns for boat owners. Capt. Tom provides hands-on docking instruction using the owner’s own vessel, including departure and arrival techniques, throttle and steering control, handling wind and current, backing into slips, turning in confined spaces, and the proper placement and use of lines and fenders. The goal is to develop repeatable techniques that build confidence rather than simply completing one successful docking. Vessel safety is also incorporated into the training. Capt. Tom can review onboard safety equipment, emergency procedures, communications equipment, life jackets, fire extinguishers, and other essential systems, and discuss how they should be used if an emergency occurs underway. Practical safety drills and situational awareness can help an owner respond more confidently when conditions do not go according to plan. While underway, instruction can include aids to navigation, nautical charts, chartplotters, depth sounders, radar, GPS, navigation lights, buoys, daymarks, sound signals, and other marine electronics. Capt. Tom also reviews the applicable Rules of the Road, helping owners better understand right-of-way situations, safe passing, crossing and overtaking, navigation in congested waterways, and their responsibilities as the operator of a vessel. Once the owner becomes comfortable with navigation and basic vessel handling, training can expand to operating in different sea conditions, nighttime navigation, anchoring, mooring, marina approaches, and longer passages. Instruction is designed around the type of boating the owner actually intends to do rather than a one-size-fits-all lesson. Understanding the vessel itself is equally important. Capt. Tom can help an owner evaluate fuel consumption, cruising speed, range, engine performance, operating characteristics, and vessel limitations. Knowing how speed, sea conditions, engine load, and fuel burn affect range allows an owner to plan trips more safely and efficiently while maintaining an appropriate fuel reserve. Whether you are a new boat owner, moving up to a larger yacht, learning a recently purchased vessel, or simply looking to improve specific skills, Atlantic Yacht Delivery provides personalized on-water vessel instruction and owner training designed around you and your boat.
Seasonal & Vacation Yacht Delivery
Many yacht owners want their vessel available at a seasonal home, vacation destination, or temporary port without spending valuable time making the delivery themselves. Atlantic Yacht Delivery provides professional seasonal and vacation yacht relocation, moving your vessel safely and efficiently from its home port to your destination and back when needed.
Vacation and seasonal yacht deliveries can involve more logistics than simply moving the boat from one marina to another. Capt. Tom can plan the route, fuel stops, marina arrangements, weather windows, tides and currents, and other voyage considerations necessary for a safe and efficient relocation. Depending on your needs, Capt. Tom can remain with the vessel during your stay, provide captain services while you are using the boat, or return later to deliver the yacht back to its home port. Each trip is planned around the vessel, destination, schedule, and operating conditions so the owner can spend more time enjoying the boat and less time managing the move.
