Daily operating costs

Salvor6

Silver Member
Feb 5, 2005
3,755
2,169
Port Richey, Florida
Detector(s) used
Aquapulse, J.W. Fisher Proton 3, Pulse Star II, Detector Pro Headhunter, AK-47
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
If you include crew and technicians the cost is approximately $10,000 per day.
 

Rookster

Gold Member
Nov 24, 2013
29,382
111,597
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, F75Ltd., AT PRO, Garrett pointer
Primary Interest:
Cache Hunting
Way to many specs. To be considered ie. # of crew, size of boat, food, fuel economy, number of days out.
 

RTR

Gold Member
Nov 21, 2017
8,180
32,469
Smith Mt. Lake Va.
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Teknetics Liberator
Falcon MD-20
***********
Blue Bowl
Angus MacKirk sluice
Miller Table
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The BIG question IS.How much (of what you find) are You allowed to keep:( After the Feds./State/Local pukes take their share (for doing Nothing).
 

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agflit

Hero Member
Mar 25, 2015
624
1,085
Wisconsin, N.C. Fl, Bahamas....wherever the wrecks
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Tigershark freshwater...Excaliber 1000 Bluetube, Aquapulse AQ1b, Marine Sonics Centurian SSS
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
I can "suggest"...an average daily expendure based on the following parameters...ymmv.

4-5 Crew...victuals and drinks...
feeding 2 12v-92's at 80+ gallons an hr...
misc stuffs"..
70' ballpark hull

your in the pot for 1k a day minimum when you hear the first cough...and thats CONSERVATIVE...

Now..if your LEASING a boat...#'s much higher i'm sure.

no dockage, lubes, breakdowns, gear or tackle...

Going rate for Mag/SS work starts at 2-3k a day min with decent operator...not part of boat costs above
 

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Au_Dreamers

Hero Member
Dec 15, 2010
988
669
back on the 1715!!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Searches?
Shallow? shore to 30ft water depth, to 100ft to 150ft?
Near port?
Mag? purchase? leased out work or lease equipment?
Hand held or tow fish?
Hand held metal detectors?
Sonar?
 

Black Duck

Sr. Member
Dec 29, 2008
372
484
Ontario
Detector(s) used
Aqua Pulse only
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
Hi everyone. Someone have idea of daily costs of a boat, fuel, crew, technicians for electronic tool, etc. for searches in shallow waters (galleons). In short, the daily operating costs.

I can to you the facts on this

A good survey boat that is new so no break downs, or a good used boat with great service on the boat
36 foot min cat hull for shallow
2 men for a 40 hour week but understanding a 40 hour week

If you have two men and you get 250 days a years survey you are doing good if they leave the dock at 5-6 am and not 9-10 am depending on where you are

So to sum this up

One boat worthy of doing a survey and out riggers 50 feet apart w/two mags
2 men at 16-20 days a month avg per year
50 gals of fuel a day
Lunch and ice
repair or service if new
Mag surveys 3 sq mile every 4 days avg.
SSS in deeper water with mag three times the area same time
 

Salvor6

Silver Member
Feb 5, 2005
3,755
2,169
Port Richey, Florida
Detector(s) used
Aquapulse, J.W. Fisher Proton 3, Pulse Star II, Detector Pro Headhunter, AK-47
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
I can to you the facts on this

A good survey boat that is new so no break downs, or a good used boat with great service on the boat
36 foot min cat hull for shallow
2 men for a 40 hour week but understanding a 40 hour week

If you have two men and you get 250 days a years survey you are doing good if they leave the dock at 5-6 am and not 9-10 am depending on where you are

So to sum this up

One boat worthy of doing a survey and out riggers 50 feet apart w/two mags
2 men at 16-20 days a month avg per year
50 gals of fuel a day
Lunch and ice
repair or service if new
Mag surveys 3 sq mile every 4 days avg.
SSS in deeper water with mag three times the area same time

So, what is the total cost per day?
 

OP
OP
Vox veritas

Vox veritas

Bronze Member
Aug 2, 2008
1,077
269
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Let's talk in the medium term. Boat rented. Average depth of work 5 fathoms. Nearest port 30-40 miles.
 

Black Duck

Sr. Member
Dec 29, 2008
372
484
Ontario
Detector(s) used
Aqua Pulse only
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
So, what is the total cost per day?

The fuel burn was based on port being 10-20 miles away
The cost depends on how much you pay the men, Insurance, fuel cost, depreciation on equipment etc.

Are you paying men when weather is bad to just set there, where do they sleep, eat
 

Denniss

Full Member
Jan 7, 2011
207
229
Fort Pierce, FL
Detector(s) used
Fisher CZ-21, Fisher Impulse, Gold Bug II
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
Let's talk in the medium term. Boat rented. Average depth of work 5 fathoms. Nearest port 30-40 miles.

Rough numbers for a boat rental in 50-100 ft range

$3500-$5000 a day
additional costs
Fuel
Meals for riders
Per diem for crew if unable to live aboard
Dockage
Transit to and from home port
 

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Salvor6

Silver Member
Feb 5, 2005
3,755
2,169
Port Richey, Florida
Detector(s) used
Aquapulse, J.W. Fisher Proton 3, Pulse Star II, Detector Pro Headhunter, AK-47
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
The fuel burn was based on port being 10-20 miles away
The cost depends on how much you pay the men, Insurance, fuel cost, depreciation on equipment etc.

Are you paying men when weather is bad to just set there, where do they sleep, eat

So you are saying about $5,000 to $7,000 per day, right?

Vox, with the port being 30-40 miles away I would spend the night at the site than drive back and forth each day. That's what we did on the Atocha site. It is about 30 miles from Key West.
 

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OP
OP
Vox veritas

Vox veritas

Bronze Member
Aug 2, 2008
1,077
269
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
In average terms, can we say that it costs $ 15/18,000 per day ?!
 

ropesfish

Bronze Member
Jun 3, 2007
1,190
1,998
Sebastian, Florida
Detector(s) used
A sharp eye, an AquaPulse and a finely tuned shrimp fork.
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
I'll throw in a little here.
Boat cost: this is the big variable...Much depends on availability in the survey area. If you are looking in the Bahamas, the Keys or near a developed area in Central or South America, you can hire a nice air-conditioned 50' sportfish boat for $2-3K per day plus fuel on a week long commitment. If you are way out there in the middle of nowhere, you may have to charter a vessel in that populated area and have the boat relocate to your survey area. You can hire a damned nice crewed yacht for $20K per week. Use their tender to drag your gear. It would be an unusual charter, but my wife is charter broker and could probably put you on a boat pretty much anywhere in the world. I'd suggest a sailing cat or a power cat to get a shallower draft. A sailing catamaran would also offer great fuel economy on the survey grid.
Hands on the boat...$200/day per man will get you good deck hands.
Food, ice, drinks for a 5-6 man crew -Captain, mate, 3-4 aboard for diving and survey. $200/da should cover it ---charter a yacht and they'll provision the boat
Fuel...2-3 gallons per mile at economical cruise for a 60' - 2+ miles per gallon on survey...the fuel burn might be less, but won't be much more.
In the charter business, you pay the weekly charter rate and put up a minimum 35% additional for fuel, food, etc. If you want to motor a long ways, fuel will be extra.
Magnetometer and sidescan gear rents for approx $200/da each on a week+ rental. plus insurance or bond.
Someone to run the gear...$400/day plus expenses...

If we are spending MY money ...5000 USD/day should get it done- add on your travel costs. (If this is within 400 miles of Sebastian, FL I happen to have a 38' vessel with a SeaSpy magnetometer and a nice chirp sidescan for charter...)
The more remote the location, the more it is going to cost, but absolutely 10K/day should get it done in any but the most remote areas.
Pray for good weather when you schedule the trip or it all goes out the window.
Just my opinion


Note that there are companies that rent geophysical equipment anywhere there is petroleum production...Houma, LA, Houston, etc. but here are two that actually publish prices.

Geometrics rentals:http://www.geometrics.com/rentals/

Sidescan and mag rentals from Northwest Geophysics: https://www.nwgeophysics.com/marine-equipment/
 

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huntsman53

Gold Member
Jun 11, 2013
6,955
6,769
East Tennessee
Primary Interest:
Other
While you folks are on operating costs, have any of you converted or thought of converting your electrical needs to Solar or Wind Energy Generation to a Battery Field? With the right setup with either or both to the right amount of batteries stored in a dry otherwise unusable spot below deck, you would never have to crank a Gas Generator unless a failure occurs. Also, I know that most of the Salvors use Hookah Systems for shallow water recoveries and believe that a Hookah could be run off the same with a Gas Powered Backup already linked into the System in case of a failure. Just some thoughts on curbing costs, in case you haven't gone this route!
 

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