People flock to Southwest Florida and the rest of the state to enjoy the outdoors, particularly where there's water. Our rivers, lakes and the Gulf are natural magnets, giving rise to a charter-boat industry that ferries people on fishing, sightseeing and diving trips. "Fishing and outdoor activities on the water are a $4 billion-a-year or-more industry," says Nick Grandy, director of communications for the Florida Sports Foundation, which promotes such activities. "With 8,000 miles of coastline and not all that much distance between the coasts, the water does tend to lead people toward it." The foundation's Web site, www.flasports.com, gets many out-of-state inquiries into charter-boat activities, he says.

As a result, many charter-boat operators have found success, or at least an intriguing way to make a living, although it has become more challenging these days, particularly as operating expenses have increased, experts say.

The Bait

Although hard statistics documenting charter boat businesses are not available, raw tourism numbers help define the trend. In 2003, hotels in Collier County brought in more than 1.3 million people, and close to 2 million people stayed in Lee County accommodations. And, officials say, water is the primary destination of many visitors.

"It's a great way to experience the best parts of Southwest Florida," says JoNell Modys, public relations and communications manager of the Greater Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Once you start looking into it you'll realize what a rich diversity we have here in terms of things to do on the water." Modys helps promote area businesses that provide charter boat services, some of which are listed on the bureau's Web site, www.paradisecoast.com. "We try to make sure that all these water-based businesses are aware of us. They will be listed at no charge in our [free]visitors' guide."

Modys understands the challenges of the industry better than most. Her husband, Rob, owns SoulMate Charters, a one-man guide service that fishes the waters near the islands of Sanibel, Captiva, Pine Island and Cayo Costa. He belongs to the Lee County Guides Association, which has a membership that ranges between 70 and 80. "People come and go in this business," he says. "They enter thinking it's a glamorous kind of job, and then discover that it's work. Being a guide is just another job; the difference is that my office on the water is a whole lot prettier."

Promoting Southwest Florida as a water destination is a top priority of the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau, as well. Its Web site, www.fortmyerssanibel.com, provides water recreation listings, and similar information is found in the 225,000 copies of the bureau's annual guide.

"We work closely with charter captains, and we market the area from Boca Grande to Bonita Springs as a great spot for fishing," says D.T. Minich, the bureau's executive director. "We host groups such as the Outdoor Writers Association, outdoor publications and outdoor writers to generate interest."

The Catch

Chokoloskee Charters offers flat beds and power boats for a variety of fishing trips and nature tours of the Everglades and Gulf. The company's newest attraction is Florida kayak fishing, a sport that helps stimulate the economy of Everglades City in the summer months. "Once they get there [by motor boat] they can paddle back up the creek into fresh and salt water estuary lakes," says Chokoloskee Charters' owner Captain Charles Wright. "The only way to get to these spots is in a kayak or canoe. Sometimes we literally have to pull our way through under the dense mangrove canopy."

Wright reaches fishing aficionados by running advertisements, writing articles and bringing in sports writers. "My marketing is targeted to out-of-state anglers, particularly those in Texas," he says. "I do have competition in this market, but, at least for now, I'm the only one offering kayak fishing."

Wright says it's easy to see the impact of the charter business on the local economy. When people come to Everglades City for a fishing charter, they are a captive audience. "I'm putting people onto airlines, into hotels, restaurants, taxis and even gift shops," he says. "If they're coming here for a fishing trip, they'll be spending money in Everglades City."

North Fort Myers-based Southwest Florida Yachts, owned and co-founded by Barb Hansen and her husband, Vic, averages about 500 charters a year. An excursion might have anywhere from two to six people on board, and the cost of renting a boat could run from $1,000 to $4,000 a week, depending on the size and type of boat, and not including fuel. "It's a lot cheaper than a week at Disney World," she says. "I wouldn't classify our customers as tourists, because they've done their research ahead of time and are coming here with our boats in mind. Many are experienced boaters who want to see the area."

The company's main facility is located at Marinatown Marina in North Fort Myers, a full-service marina offering a pool, tennis, a dockside bar and two restaurants. It offers live-aboard power and sailboat training on boats ranging from 30 to 50 feet long. "This is hands-on training," she explains. "Our customers stay on the boat and eat, drink and live it."

Snags in the Line

Although water excursions and fishing charters stay in demand, the industry is not growing, experts say. Obstacles include a lack of dock space in and around Naples, expensive dock space, rising insurance and advertising costs, and even a federal moratorium on certain types of commercial fishing licenses.

As waterfront prices soar, marinas are disappearing, a problem that nearly put Naples-based Sweet Liberty out of business last year. The 49-passenger catamaran sails down the Gordon River or through Port Royal out into the Gulf. Passengers are treated to narrated cruises, and at $25 a person for afternoon and evening excursions, the leisurely ride is a deal.

Last year, when Boat Haven marina closed, Sweet Liberty found a new home at the Naples City Dock. "We're grateful that the city took us in," says Anita Wassmer, who owns Sweet Liberty with her husband. "After 14 years on the water, we would have been out of business."

Skipperliner Industries of LaCrosse, Wis., actually bought a marina to make sure that its boat, the Naples Princess, would always have a place to dock. "We had to buy Port-O-Call," says Gigi Amols, director of sales and marketing. "There are not many places a boat our size could dock, and with everything being sold out to developers, this was pretty much our only option." Port-O-Call Marina offers boat rentals, fishing trips, fuel, a bait and a sundries store.

The Naples Princess is a 93-foot, air-conditioned luxury yacht, Coast Guard-certified for 149 passengers. From Marco Island, Skipper-liner runs the new 84-foot, luxury, air-conditioned Marco Island Princess. Both boats are available for public and private water tours, with themes that include jazz cruises and even psychic cruises.

"In order to fill hotels and bring tourism into the area, tourists need something to do," Amols says. "If you have a corporate group staying at the Ritz-Carlton, it's a good bet that they will charter the Naples Princess for one night of their planned functions."

Another burden on the boating business comes from the personnel side. For 23 years, Mark Bahr, owner of Marco Island Ski and Water Sports, has run charters and other service from the Marco Island Marriott, Hilton and The Surf Club. His 30 employees handle water excursions, sailboat and kayak rentals, wave runner tours into the Ten Thousand Islands and parasail rides. The company offers employees health insurance, profit sharing and paid vacations. "I'm sure we're the largest employer around in this business, and the labor challenges are enormous," says Bahr. "Finding employees who can handle very physical work and long hours in the Florida sun is just the beginning. All of our costs, from liability insurance to fuel, are just getting out of hand. The burdens get greater as each year passes."

The Hansens of Southwest Florida Yachts agree. Annual increases in liability insurance, health insurance, workers compensation insurance, dock fees and advertising prompting them to look for ways to trim cost. "If we raised our rates every year, pretty soon we'd price ourselves right out of the market," Barb Hansen says. "Like everyone in business, we've had to look at our costs to see what we can cut and what we should watch."

The biggest challenge for the Hansens is finding qualified workers. The company employs six full-time and a few part-time employees. What was once a seasonal business is a year-round endeavor, and the need for qualified help is constant. "This is not just knowing how to use boats; it's knowing how to maintain boats, how to talk about boats and how to care for diesel engines," explains Hansen. "We are fortunate because we've been in the business so long that we have a mailing list of 15,000, and many of our customers send us qualified employees. The problem is that everyone thinks a job on the water in Florida will be fun, but the reality is that it's hard work in the hot sun."