Boat Pix

[Capt Ron]

I've been followed a number of times by a small helicopter with the name "Boat Pix" on the pontoons. I contacted them and found they take photos of boats underway. Their first reply is send us a bunch of money and they'll send some large photos of your boat for your consideration. Send them back back if you don't like what you see.

Has anyone dealt with this company?

[meridian]

They took pictures of me in 1999 on Lake Michigan. Yes, they sent out the pictures and I picked a few. As I recall they were pricy but I don't know anyother way to get such great shots. I don't know how they run the business today.

[Old School]

They used to take pics at the Point Pleasant Canal years ago. Helicopter? I quess they upgraded....

[StonePony]

We see them on the West Coast of Florida all the time. A few of my friends have purchased the photos. As meridian said, pricey, but pretty cool....

[jcollins]

I've seen them on the Chesapeake. You send them 250.00 ( I think) and they mail the pictures. If you don't want them, return them, and they will refund your money.

[Cape Codder]

Same on Cape Cod......send money first.
Why?
Don't like their method of pay up front.........so I never bit.

[joe.baar]

I just finished a transaction with BoatPix. They had a helicopter out off Point Vashon in Puget Sound last September. I filled out their form online, giving them details about which boat I was interested in, and after a phone call to them in early December I did receive three 16x20 glossies - slightly different angles as the chopper passed by. They did not require payment in advance. Their rates are $25 for shipping and handling, $250 for each print or $1000 for the digital file (which is very high resolution). They send you the tube via UPS with signature required on receipt because you then have 10 days either to buy or to return what you don't want. In my case the prints were not packed properly and all three had a wrinkly ding on one end. I wasn't able to swallow that for $250 so I returned the lot. The return, via the post office, including insurance and return receipt, also cost close to $25. Their U.S. office is in West Palm Beach, Florida.

[Mariner]

My friend was a helicopter pilot for a few years until he had a daughter and brush with leukemia made him reassess his career and the risks associated with it. He said that the BoatPix business model is basically a way for pilots to build up flight time and hopefuly help defray some of the cost of doing so. Boat Pix sends you a decal to put on your helicopter (typically on the floats, since the low altitude over-water flight requires them), and you go around taking pictures of boats. You then send the pictures in, and if anyone decides to buy them, you get a little money. BoatPix does not own or operate any helicopters, all they do is run the website and make the prints.

$1,000 is WAY too much to pay for a few digital images. If your marina is close to an airport, you should be able to hire a helicopter to do a one-hour private flight for less than half of that. And I would think you'd have no shortage of friends willing to go along for the ride and take the pictures.