Hiring An Escort Boat

Posted by Scott Zornig, 8 August 2014

escort boat The SBCSA lists several boats on our website so swimmers and relays have a choice when selecting a charter. We only list boats which we believe 1) have experience 2) know the islands and surrounding waters 3) are coast guard certified 4) carry insurance and 5) have good pilots. We do this as a courtesy to our swimmers who ultimately have the responsibility for securing the boat. For legal reasons, we stay out of hiring a boat. SBCSA swimmers have the option to bring in their own boat which they are free to use as long as the vessel and crew meet the above criteria.

We believe the swimmer needs to thoroughly vet any boat they decide to hire. In fact, there are many questions a swimmer should ask before signing an agreement. Here are some of those questions:

The SBCSA works hard to find swimmer friendly boats with experienced captains and this task never ends. Of course, we appreciate feedback from swimmers on their charter. We do pass your comments along to others when asked for references.


©2023 Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association