A day with the captain

"The best feeling you can have as a captain".

As a captain you have a huge responsibility – for the ship, for the guests and for the crew. For Seppi Hürlimann it is a dream job. 

His first glance in the morning is at the vessel: when Seppi Hürlimann comes to the duty dock at 8.30 a.m., he checks how it is lying in the water. Only then does he go on board, check the logbook, enter the crew's working hours, check the oil and water in the engine room. Then it's time to start the engines! The skipper makes a test run on the jetty from all three jibs. Nock is the name of the outboard steering positions on the port and starboard side and forward. From these, the ship can also be navigated outside the wheelhouse.

At 9 am, the captain discusses the reservation list with the two sailors on board and plans the day. "We check whether there might be more passengers at a jetty. For me, that means I should be there a little earlier so we can leave on time," says the 62-year-old. At 9.25 a.m. the ship departs for the station pier, on its morning course.

The captain is in command and responsible for a 300-tonne ship and up to 450 passengers, two sailors and the catering staff on board. It's important to keep your head on a straight swivel at all times, full concentration at every jetty. On Lake Zug, the weather can change very quickly, especially when there is a strong westerly wind. "When the wind pushes the ship onto the jetty from the lake, I have to keep the ship out and brake at the same time, so that I sail onto the jetty nice and fine," says the man from Schwyz: "You can't be afraid of this job, but you always have to have certain respect in mind."

Small breaks help Seppi Hürlimann to recharge his concentration. On the second course at 12.15, on the way back from Arth, there is even time for a short lunch when a sailor takes over from him at the wheel. Once the ship is back in Zug at 14.55, there is a quick cleaning. "The captain also checks the toilets and cleans up. With us on board, everything is teamwork."

At the same time, the man with the captain's cap is an authority figure. He is happy when passengers approach him: "It's always nice when children beam at you and ask, " Hey, captain, what's that?". Seppi Hürlimann has been navigating Lake Zug in the summer months for almost 20 years. In winter he works as a ZVB bus driver and customer advisor. From February to March he also works in maintenance and gets the boats ready for the start of the season. Being a captain is a dream job for him: "Driving people who relax and leave the boat happy. – That's the best feeling you can have as a captain."

At 3 p.m. the ship will set off for the third course. It returns to the service jetty at 5.30 pm. The crew collects the flags, cleans, hoses down the open deck and afterdeck. Over their after-work beers, they go over the day in their minds, remembering beautiful and funny moments. And when they disembark, Seppi Hürlimann takes a look back and sees how the ship is lying in the water.