OUR SERVICES
Owner-Assisted Boat Delivery
Most delivery captains run your boat home. I run your boat home with you on board, at the helm, learning every leg of the trip. It's the most efficient way I know to spend a delivery — you get the vessel where it needs to be, and you finish the run knowing how she handles.
OUR SERVICES
Owner-Assisted Boat Delivery
Most delivery captains run your boat home. I run your boat home with you on board, at the helm, learning every leg of the trip. It's the most efficient way I know to spend a delivery — you get the vessel where it needs to be, and you finish the run knowing how she handles.
OUR SERVICES
Owner-Assisted Boat Delivery
Most delivery captains run your boat home. I run your boat home with you on board, at the helm, learning every leg of the trip. It's the most efficient way I know to spend a delivery — you get the vessel where it needs to be, and you finish the run knowing how she handles.
USCG Master 100 GRT
GREAT LAKES & INLAND WATERS
USCG Master 50 GRT
NEAR COASTAL
Commercial Towing Assistance
Endorsement
B.S. Mechanical Eng.
U of M Dearborn
Past Commodore
Ford Yacht Club · 2004–2006
USCG Master 100 GRT
GREAT LAKES & INLAND WATERS
USCG Master 50 GRT
NEAR COASTAL
Commercial Towing Assistance
Endorsement
B.S. Mechanical Eng.
U of M Dearborn
Past Commodore
Ford Yacht Club · 2004–2006
WHAT
What It Is
Owner-assisted delivery combines the two services most boat owners hire a captain for — a safe over-water delivery and structured on-water coaching — into one trip. You're aboard for the run. You're at the helm when it makes sense. Every docking, every anchoring, every leg becomes a coaching session in real conditions, on your boat. By the time we reach the home dock, you've learned more about your vessel than most owners learn in their first two seasons.
WHAT
What It Is
Owner-assisted delivery combines the two services most boat owners hire a captain for — a safe over-water delivery and structured on-water coaching — into one trip. You're aboard for the run. You're at the helm when it makes sense. Every docking, every anchoring, every leg becomes a coaching session in real conditions, on your boat. By the time we reach the home dock, you've learned more about your vessel than most owners learn in their first two seasons.
WHAT
What It Is
Owner-assisted delivery combines the two services most boat owners hire a captain for — a safe over-water delivery and structured on-water coaching — into one trip. You're aboard for the run. You're at the helm when it makes sense. Every docking, every anchoring, every leg becomes a coaching session in real conditions, on your boat. By the time we reach the home dock, you've learned more about your vessel than most owners learn in their first two seasons.
HOW IT WORKS
Who It's For
Our delivery process is simple and transparent:
The New Owner
You just bought the boat. Maybe it's your first. Maybe it's the one you've been pointing at for ten years. You don't yet know how she handles in a beam wind, how she behaves backing into a slip, or how much rudder she needs in a current. Owner-assisted delivery turns the trip home into the longest, most productive sea trial you'll ever take.
The Owner Moving Up
You ran a 30-footer for years. You bought a 50. The difference isn't incremental — it's a different animal. Different windage, different prop walk, different sight lines, different docking strategy. A delivery on the new boat with a coach next to you compresses the learning curve dramatically.
The Long-Runner
Snowbird routes. Great Loop legs. A first run to a new summer home. You'd handle it yourself — except you've never run this stretch, in this season, on this boat. Owner-assisted delivery gets you down the route with a captain on board, and gets you the route knowledge so next year's run is yours alone.
HOW IT WORKS
Who It's For
Our delivery process is simple and transparent:
The New Owner
You just bought the boat. Maybe it's your first. Maybe it's the one you've been pointing at for ten years. You don't yet know how she handles in a beam wind, how she behaves backing into a slip, or how much rudder she needs in a current. Owner-assisted delivery turns the trip home into the longest, most productive sea trial you'll ever take.
The Owner Moving Up
You ran a 30-footer for years. You bought a 50. The difference isn't incremental — it's a different animal. Different windage, different prop walk, different sight lines, different docking strategy. A delivery on the new boat with a coach next to you compresses the learning curve dramatically.
The Long-Runner
Snowbird routes. Great Loop legs. A first run to a new summer home. You'd handle it yourself — except you've never run this stretch, in this season, on this boat. Owner-assisted delivery gets you down the route with a captain on board, and gets you the route knowledge so next year's run is yours alone.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
What We Can Help With
01
Pre-departure walkthrough
Engine room top to bottom — strainers, fluid levels, belts, blowers. Safety gear inventory. Marine radio check. We file the float plan together. Not because I need help filing one, but because you should know how to file one. By the time the lines come off, you've done the work, not watched it.
02
Daily helm time with coaching
03
Docking at every port
04
Anchoring practice
05
Marine radio operation
06
Trip planning, done together
07
Evening debriefs at the dock
08
First mate coaching included
WHAT'S INCLUDED
What We Can Help With
01
Pre-departure walkthrough
Engine room top to bottom — strainers, fluid levels, belts, blowers. Safety gear inventory. Marine radio check. We file the float plan together. Not because I need help filing one, but because you should know how to file one. By the time the lines come off, you've done the work, not watched it.
02
Daily helm time with coaching
03
Docking at every port
04
Anchoring practice
05
Marine radio operation
06
Trip planning, done together
07
Evening debriefs at the dock
08
First mate coaching included
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Five modules.Your boat. Your waters.
01
Pre-departure walkthrough
Engine room top to bottom — strainers, fluid levels, belts, blowers. Safety gear inventory. Marine radio check. We file the float plan together. Not because I need help filing one, but because you should know how to file one. By the time the lines come off, you've done the work, not watched it.
02
Daily helm time with coaching
03
Docking at every port
04
Anchoring practice
05
Marine radio operation
06
Trip planning, done together
07
Evening debriefs at the dock
08
First mate coaching included
COMPARE YOUR OPTIONS
Why owner-assisted vs. the alternatives
COMPARE YOUR OPTIONS
Why owner-assisted vs. the alternatives
COMPARE YOUR OPTIONS
From the 20-foot pontoon to the 65-foot sportfish.
ABOUT CAPTAIN TOM
Professionally licensed, with 36 years of context you can put to work.
I've spent thirty-six years in the automotive, commercial truck, and marine supply industries — and a lifetime on the water. I hold a USCG 100-Ton Master license for the Great Lakes and Inland Waters, plus a 50-Ton Master Near Coastal, both with Commercial Towing endorsements. I'm a former Commodore of the Ford Yacht Club and currently serve as President of the Ford Yacht Club Past Commodores. I deliver boats. I coach owners. Owner-assisted delivery is what happens when both of those services are needed at once — and it's often the smartest hire a new owner can make.
Tom Ketelhut
Owner, Offshore Captain Services
ABOUT CAPTAIN TOM
Professionally licensed, with 36 years of context you can put to work.
I've spent thirty-six years in the automotive, commercial truck, and marine supply industries — and a lifetime on the water. I hold a USCG 100-Ton Master license for the Great Lakes and Inland Waters, plus a 50-Ton Master Near Coastal, both with Commercial Towing endorsements. I'm a former Commodore of the Ford Yacht Club and currently serve as President of the Ford Yacht Club Past Commodores. I deliver boats. I coach owners. Owner-assisted delivery is what happens when both of those services are needed at once — and it's often the smartest hire a new owner can make.
Tom Ketelhut
Owner, Offshore Captain Services
ABOUT CAPTAIN TOM
Professionally licensed, with 36 years of context you can put to work.
I've spent thirty-six years in the automotive, commercial truck, and marine supply industries — and a lifetime on the water. I hold a USCG 100-Ton Master license for the Great Lakes and Inland Waters, plus a 50-Ton Master Near Coastal, both with Commercial Towing endorsements. I'm a former Commodore of the Ford Yacht Club and currently serve as President of the Ford Yacht Club Past Commodores. I deliver boats. I coach owners. Owner-assisted delivery is what happens when both of those services are needed at once — and it's often the smartest hire a new owner can make.
Tom Ketelhut
Owner, Offshore Captain Services
USCG Merchant Mariner Credential
USCG Merchant Mariner Credential
USCG Merchant Mariner Credential — active since 2009
USCG Merchant Mariner Credential — active since 2009
USCG MARINER REFERENCE NUMBER
USCG MARINER REFERENCE NUMBER
2913289
Any active U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential can be verified directly with the USCG National Maritime Center. Use the Mariner Reference Number above to confirm my credentials independently.
LEARN MORE
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an owner-assisted delivery typically take?
Most run three to seven days, depending on the route, the boat, and the conditions. We build the schedule around safe daily distances and useful coaching stops, not around the calendar.
Is the cost different from a straight delivery?
The structure is the same — a daily rate, travel expenses, deposit. The coaching is the value-add; the rate doesn't change because we're teaching during the run.
Can my first mate or spouse come along and learn too?
Yes, and most do. First mate coaching runs in parallel during the trip at no separate structural charge. By the end of the delivery, two people on the boat know how she works, not just one.
Do I have to be at the helm the entire time?
The expectation is that you're at the helm for the parts you want to learn — usually that's the dockings, the close-quarters work, the channel transits, and a meaningful stretch of open-water running each day. When you want a break, I take it.
What about insurance — does my carrier need to know?
Yes. Your carrier needs my credentials on file and a rider confirming I'm covered under your existing policy. The process is the same as a standard delivery — I walk through exactly what your carrier will ask for in What Your Insurance Carrier Needs Before You Hire a Delivery Captain.
Do you offer this on Florida or Great Loop routes?
Yes. Snowbird relocations from the Great Lakes to Florida and Great Loop legs are routes I run regularly, and owner-assisted is often the strongest fit for them — there's a lot of new water to learn.
What happens if weather forces us to delay?
Same as any delivery. Layover days are part of the structure, billed at the layover rate. Safety calls are mine.
What if I realize partway through that I don't want to be at the helm?
Then I take the boat home. Owner-assisted is built around what you want to learn — if at some point you'd rather just ride, we run it as a straight delivery from there. No renegotiation.
LEARN MORE
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an owner-assisted delivery typically take?
Most run three to seven days, depending on the route, the boat, and the conditions. We build the schedule around safe daily distances and useful coaching stops, not around the calendar.
Is the cost different from a straight delivery?
The structure is the same — a daily rate, travel expenses, deposit. The coaching is the value-add; the rate doesn't change because we're teaching during the run.
Can my first mate or spouse come along and learn too?
Yes, and most do. First mate coaching runs in parallel during the trip at no separate structural charge. By the end of the delivery, two people on the boat know how she works, not just one.
Do I have to be at the helm the entire time?
The expectation is that you're at the helm for the parts you want to learn — usually that's the dockings, the close-quarters work, the channel transits, and a meaningful stretch of open-water running each day. When you want a break, I take it.
What about insurance — does my carrier need to know?
Yes. Your carrier needs my credentials on file and a rider confirming I'm covered under your existing policy. The process is the same as a standard delivery — I walk through exactly what your carrier will ask for in What Your Insurance Carrier Needs Before You Hire a Delivery Captain.
Do you offer this on Florida or Great Loop routes?
Yes. Snowbird relocations from the Great Lakes to Florida and Great Loop legs are routes I run regularly, and owner-assisted is often the strongest fit for them — there's a lot of new water to learn.
What happens if weather forces us to delay?
Same as any delivery. Layover days are part of the structure, billed at the layover rate. Safety calls are mine.
What if I realize partway through that I don't want to be at the helm?
Then I take the boat home. Owner-assisted is built around what you want to learn — if at some point you'd rather just ride, we run it as a straight delivery from there. No renegotiation.
LEARN MORE
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an owner-assisted delivery typically take?
Most run three to seven days, depending on the route, the boat, and the conditions. We build the schedule around safe daily distances and useful coaching stops, not around the calendar.
Is the cost different from a straight delivery?
The structure is the same — a daily rate, travel expenses, deposit. The coaching is the value-add; the rate doesn't change because we're teaching during the run.
Can my first mate or spouse come along and learn too?
Yes, and most do. First mate coaching runs in parallel during the trip at no separate structural charge. By the end of the delivery, two people on the boat know how she works, not just one.
Do I have to be at the helm the entire time?
The expectation is that you're at the helm for the parts you want to learn — usually that's the dockings, the close-quarters work, the channel transits, and a meaningful stretch of open-water running each day. When you want a break, I take it.
What about insurance — does my carrier need to know?
Yes. Your carrier needs my credentials on file and a rider confirming I'm covered under your existing policy. The process is the same as a standard delivery — I walk through exactly what your carrier will ask for in What Your Insurance Carrier Needs Before You Hire a Delivery Captain.
Do you offer this on Florida or Great Loop routes?
Yes. Snowbird relocations from the Great Lakes to Florida and Great Loop legs are routes I run regularly, and owner-assisted is often the strongest fit for them — there's a lot of new water to learn.
What happens if weather forces us to delay?
Same as any delivery. Layover days are part of the structure, billed at the layover rate. Safety calls are mine.
What if I realize partway through that I don't want to be at the helm?
Then I take the boat home. Owner-assisted is built around what you want to learn — if at some point you'd rather just ride, we run it as a straight delivery from there. No renegotiation.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Have a question worth asking?
Every owner-assisted delivery I quote is built around the boat, the route, and what you want to learn. There's no template. Pricing comes after the conversation. The conversation is free.
Or give me a call at (248)-497-5791. If I'm on the water, I'll call you back same day.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Have a question worth asking?
Every owner-assisted delivery I quote is built around the boat, the route, and what you want to learn. There's no template. Pricing comes after the conversation. The conversation is free.
Or give me a call at (248)-497-5791. If I'm on the water, I'll call you back same day.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Have a question worth asking?
Every owner-assisted delivery I quote is built around the boat, the route, and what you want to learn. There's no template. Pricing comes after the conversation. The conversation is free.
Or give me a call at (248)-497-5791. If I'm on the water, I'll call you back same day.
Explore
©️ 2026 Offshore Captain Services LLC · All rights reserved
USCG Mariner Reference #2913289
Explore
©️ 2026 Offshore Captain Services LLC · All rights reserved
USCG Mariner Reference #2913289
Explore
©️ 2026 Offshore Captain Services LLC · All rights reserved
USCG Mariner Reference #2913289