yacht skipper 2

• Recreational Courses
• Professional Courses
• New ISSA School
• ISSA Handbooks
• Instructor Courses
• SIA Internships
• Privacy Policy

ISSA Inshore Skipper 2

Inshore Skipper 2 Course

The Inshore skipper is a two part course. This course is for people who have completed the foundation course ( Inshore Skipper 1 ) and wish to complete the full Inshore Skipper 2 course. training. If you are not sure that you have the right knowledge or course pre-requisites, check out our; Inshore Skipper Self Assessment Test .

Pre-Course Experience:

At least 200 miles of logged sailing experience. This means that even if you are an accomplished sailor, if you have not previously studied the theory, you need to complete the ISSA Inshore Skipper 1 course before enrolling for ISSA Inshore Skipper 2. There is a significant theoretical component that is learnt in our air conditioned classrooms. Our experienced and highly qualified instructors will guide you through the course, ensuring you have a rewarding and enjoyable experience as you progress.

Theory of Navigation and Seamanship

• Management of a vessel- Responsibilities of the Skipper - crew management; planning; safety briefing. The Skippers Operational Checklist
• Tides and Currents- causes and effects of tide; tide tables, diamonds, tidal streams atlas; rule of twelfths
• Chartwork- fixing position; dead reckoning, estimated position; course to steer, record keeping.
• Safety Briefing- location and use of safety equipment (flares, lifejackets, liferaft, sea-cocks); fire safety; gas safety; preparing to sail
• Rules of the Road- review of rules; lights, shapes and sound signals; applying collision regulations
• Meteorology- interpreting a forecast; characteristics of fronts and pressure systems; sea and land breezes; katabatic wind; fog
• Passage Planning and Pilotage- planning a passage; use of nautical publications; pilotage skills (pilotage plans, clearing bearings, back bearings, etc)

Practical Skippering

• Rope Work - 6 common sailing knots; safe use of winches, jammers and cleats
• Sail Handling- good working knowledge of sail hoisting, reefing, dropping; trimming on all points of sail
• MOB- Man Overboard recovery; picking up a mooring; coming alongside a jetty or pier (routine sailing tacking, gybing, hove to)
• Marina Manouvres -berthing and unberthing in different wind/tide conditions; use of spring lines
• Boat Handling- close quarters; using prop-walk and prop-wash, Anchoring
• Heavy Weather Sailing- understands how to deal with heavy weather, including reefing and seeking refuge
• Anchoring Considerations- selecting a suitable anchorage; dropping and weighing anchor; knowledge of different types of anchor
• Dinghy Tender Operation-can drive a dinghy safely; safe loading, launch and recovery
• Passage Making- carrying out a passage plan; crew management; navigation underway; practical pilotage;
• use of electronic instruments, vhf radio
• Engines-Checks and knowledge of simple servicing and operation

The ISSA Inshore Skipper 2 qualifies you to skipper a yacht and charter yachts, world wide. Students spend the first 2 days of the course learning theory of navigation and a host of other subjects in our air conditioned classroom. We then spend the next 3 days engaged in practical execises on the boat, gaining all the boat handling and practical navigation skills required to be a full ISSA Inshore Skipper. Finally it's back to the classroom at the end of the course to sit your theory assessment.

What can I do with this qualification? The ISSA Inshore Skipper certificate enables you to skipper boats up to 78ft, no more than 20 miles from shore, in fair conditions and daylight hours. In real terms, this allows you to charter boats in some of the world's best cruising locations, including south-east Asia, many Mediterranean countries, and the Caribbean.

What's your next step? GO SAILING! Join The Phuket Water Sports Club which is free once you have completed a course with SIA! Find someone who is also keen to get more experience and who would be fun to sail with. When you have at least 400 more miles logged come back and complete your Offshore Skipper Certificate with us. If you would like advice on your next steps, feel free to get in touch with us - we'd be happy to help.

Go Racing or sign up for a learn to race course? If you really want to improve your sailing, think about taking a learn to race course. You will learn so much about sailing, sail trim and have a lot of fun too. A racing sailor can usually be spotted on a boat in two minutes. They understand the sail setting art and they can often spot wind changes and squalls well before a cruising sailor. Check out our Learn to Race Course !

Additional Details:

• Course Details
• Chart Work / Navigation
• Rules of the Road - Good Knowledge
• Symbols and Abbreviations
• Compasses - Fixes / Steering / Bearings
• Dead Reckoning
• Lights And Shapes
• Electronics
• Passage making
• Estimated Position
• Crew and Yacht management

Previous experience : IYT Watch Keeper / Flotilla Skipper Duration: 5 days Qualifications: IYT Bareboat Skipper What's included : Safety equipment, Instruction, Yacht, Bottled Water, Fuel and Insurance What's Optional :  iPad, Sailing Gloves, SiA T shirts, SiA Caps and Log Books What's required : Sun protection. Sun hat. Shorts that cover the knees when sitting are best. Footwear for on-board tennis shoes / trainers / Crocs. Some people like to use gloves. Lightweight wet weather clothing.

We can help you with the following on request:

• Accommodation
• Airport Transfer
• Motor Bike or Car Rental
• What to do and where to go in Phuket

Course Dates:

Inshore skipper 2 courses start on.

10th - 14th and 24th - 28th of each month

Book 90 days early for a great discount!

Inshore Skipper Courses start on

Inshore skipper course prices, book this course, bareboat skipper course.

SPECIAL OFFER!

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

How to be a good skipper: ooze calm and confidence but don’t shout!

• March 29, 2016

No two skippers are the same and everyone has different leadership styles, but Chris Tibbs believes certain traits will make you into a skipper that crew will want to sail with

Photo: Mahina Expeditions

We become skippers by a number of different routes; many dinghy sailors will eventually become yacht owners after years of crewing on different yachts. Sea schools are well attended and boats are often keen to take on crew from schools, allowing students to gain experience and miles to help with qualification.

There are also many people who come to sailing later in life; after buying a boat, these people tend to learn from the experience of sailing their own yacht.

I think it is also fair to say that, along with the many ways of getting into sailing and becoming a skipper, good skippers will have different leadership styles – no two are the same. Over the years, having sailed with many different skippers, I have noticed a number of common traits in a good skipper.

By melding together the points I like in a skipper this has hopefully made me a better skipper, both for when I was working commercially running yachts, and now aboard my own.

Photos: Paul Wyeth

I find that a skipper who is calm and confident goes a long way to maintaining a nice feel to a boat. Easily said, but it is a fine balance between confidence and arrogance; and being too laidback can give an impression of laziness, extending to preparations and maintenance. Staying calm and in control during a crisis rubs off on the whole crew and the boat becomes much quieter and under control.

Don’t shout

There is plenty of time for a please and thank you, along with an explanation of what needs doing and how it should be done. It also gives time to work on a solution to any problems and avoids panicked decisions. This is communication in a way that is effective and also pleasant.

People dislike being shouted at (I certainly do); it inhibits crew doing their job as they are afraid of getting it wrong, so they wait until told to do something. This can be very frustrating for a skipper, particularly when racing and the pressure is on, which in turn leads to more shouting.

Article continues below…

ARC weather man Chris Tibbs prepares his boat for ocean cruising

When we bought our Wauquiez Centurion 40s, Taistealai, for ocean cruising, starting with the ARC this year, we had a…

Offshore weather planning: the options for receiving weather data at sea

When I skippered a yacht in the first Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) 30 years ago the weather planning information…

I equate the amount of noise on board to be in inverse proportion to the sum of knowledge. I do find that being on a boat with a skipper who stands behind the wheel shouting at the crew is not much fun and, if asked back, will generally decline the invitation.

There is something great about helming your own boat in a race, but if you are also trying to run all aspects of the boat from behind the helm you can get stressed. Then your helming declines as your concentration jumps from one task to another.

It is much better to have a crew boss or mate who controls the running of the boat, managing manoeuvring instructions and allowing the skipper to concentrate on helming. The alternative is for the skipper to manage the running of the boat and have a different helmsman. Large racing boats will often have separate helmsman, navigator and tactician, with the skipper in overall control.

This is another important lesson: delegation and training. There are many decisions taken on board that really do not need to involve the skipper once a general plan has been made.

For example, does the skipper really need to micromanage all the food that is bought for a transatlantic passage ? By delegating a large proportion of the running of the yacht to others it does free up the skipper to focus attention on the more important issues.

5 top tips for a good skipper

• Communicate clearly.
• Stay calm and confident.
• Promote fairness and listen to your crew (treat them with respect).
• Be cheerfully available at all times, whenever called.
• Act decisively.

I skippered a yacht in the BT Global Challenge where everyone on board had an area of responsibility, although things would be discussed. We split things up in a number of ways: for example, one crewmember, who worked in the oil industry, was the safety officer.

It was their responsibility to make sure all our safety equipment was in working order and serviced. They would also give a safety briefing to new crewmembers as to where equipment was stowed and how it should be used.

By giving responsibility to a crewmember, it relieves some of the skipper’s duties, but more importantly it helps crew quickly become part of the team. During the last ARC one of our crew arrived only a couple of days before the start – immediately he set to work on a jobs list and his comment afterwards was that it allowed him to familiarise himself with the boat and made him feel part of the crew.

Part of the skipper’s job is to explain and teach; it is pointless to get angry at a crewmember for doing something wrong if they have never been shown how to do it right.

Although it is often easier to do something yourself than explain how it should be done, it is important for other members of the crew to be able to tackle particular jobs.

Then if something needs doing in a stressful situation they will not be doing it for the first time under pressure, when something is very likely to go wrong.

Some crew may not be very experienced, but all should be willing to learn – with a bit of help and encouragement they will soon become efficient crewmembers, whether for a day’s sail, or an ocean passage . I find it easier to hand over the helm when showing what I would like done rather than trying to do it from a fixed place with divided concentration.

You only have to watch manoeuvres in a marina for a short time to spot a boat getting into difficulties and a significant amount of shouting and swearing starts. The skipper has lost control of the boat and will shortly lose control of the crew, then will spend a long time contemplating the wonders of single-handed sailing.

It is important to get away from the blame culture. If something is done wrong a quiet word will be more effective than balling somebody out; most people are upset when they do something wrong and I see no point in making it worst by public humiliation.

As a skipper it is important always to be available and never to be upset or grumpy at being called, even if it turns out not to be necessary. I recall one dark night in the English Channel when the crew on watch were discussing a ship.

One was quite certain that we were passing behind the ship, the other equally certain we were passing in front. On hearing this I got up to find that there was a ship close by and where one crew was seeing the running lights, the second was seeing lights at the stern and in front of us was a wall of steel! A (very) quick gybe and all was well.

I will never ask anyone to do something that I would not be prepared to do myself; whether changing a sail on the foredeck at night in a gale, or climbing the mast . While younger, fitter crewmembers might be better suited to the task, is it safe or right for them to do it? I look at the task and ask myself would I do it? If the answer is yes I do it myself or, if the volunteer will do it better, then I may be persuaded.

If however the answer is no, then we must find another solution. As I get older I may have to change my thinking as it gets more difficult to do the tougher physical activities.

Safety first – Angus Fuller

• Safety, safety, safety – make this a priority, not just on deck, but below: in the galley, moving in the interior, even in the heads.
• Wear lifejackets at night. Always.
• Respect the environment, particularly with a view to pollution.
• Remember you can’t do everything so delegate/rely on crew wherever possible.
• Carry out drills before departure, ensure all crew understand their roles during any scenario. At halfway, have a chat, table top drill or even a full drill in order to keep the crew refreshed.
• Pay attention to detail. This applies to pretty much everything, from maintenance of systems to presentation of the yacht to monitoring the weather .
• Communicate the plan to the crew: a daily briefing on weather (lunch time is ideal), route, any change in this owing to weather and why. At sunset, issue night orders for changes in wind speed and direction.
• Ensure clear parameters are set with the crew so they know when to wake the skipper in the event of changes in weather, shipping, landfall, etc.
• Never be afraid to brief the crew before a manoeuvre – and a debrief after a manoeuvre can be a very useful process for both the skipper and crew.
• Reef when you first think about it – invariably performance doesn’t suffer that much (and is often improved) if it’s a marginal decision.
• Aim to have the yacht arrive in the same condition, or preferably better, than when you departed. By definition this means you will be looking after the yacht properly during the passage.
• Know the cruising area or stretch of water being transited. If you don’t, then heavily research it.
• Exercise seamanship to the very best of your ability at all times and instil this in your watch leaders from the outset.
• Assemble a crew who aren’t just good sailors, but compatible personalities too.

Fairness is all

You also need to be fair, whether this means splitting the watch times so all the crew are happy, or balancing meals and meal preparation. Fairness is important and it is easy to fall into routines where one person feels unfairly treated.

At the start of a long ocean passage on my boat one crewmember, who did not suffer from seasickness , ended up making drinks and snacks for everyone; this became the norm and after a few days they became unhappy because they were doing more than their fair share of galley duties.

Small things like that can quickly become big on a boat at sea. Another time I had a habit of always running the generator and watermaker at the same time of day; this became annoying for the off-watch as it made sleep more difficult, something I was not aware of at first as it did not affect me. Having a time where everyone comes together, maybe meal times, can be a good time to address small issues before they get bigger.

Part of a skipper’s responsibility to the crew is safety and this is not only their direct personal safety, but also the maintenance of the boat and equipment.

I find it useful to have plenty of discussions about what could go wrong and the equipment we have on board and how it can be used.

Man overboard practices and fire drills should be done as a matter of course, but it not always that easy, particularly on short voyages. However, a safety briefing should be done for all new crewmembers even if they are only on board for a daysail.

What is perhaps not so comfortable for skippers is having to resolve interpersonal problems. This may just involve switching the watch system around, or may mean you have to ask someone to leave: not a nice job for anyone to have to do, but a happy boat tends to be a safer boat – and faster if racing.

One problem that can become an issue on races and rallies is how hard the boat will be pushed. What might be pushing hard for a racing person will be different for a cruiser and it is easy for people to become apprehensive (or plain scared) when out of their comfort zone.

Then there is the issue of money on cost sharing or paying your way boats. It is important before committing to sail together to have a firm agreement on what is expected on both sides.

It should also be clear who is paying travel costs as, although a boat may be legally responsible for repatriating crew, most non-commercial yachts expect crewmembers to be responsible for their own travel.

Who’s the leader?

There can be times when a crewmember may be as experienced (or maybe more so) than the skipper. This can cause tension and insecurity in the skipper’s position.

For a day or so it should not be a problem, but on a longer passage a feeling of being undermined can set in. As a skipper it is useful to be open to ideas, they may be better than yours as everyone’s experiences are different, but at the end of the day the yacht is your responsibility.

Trying to get a balance between listening to, but being able to reject ideas may not be easy and can be a difficulty when taking on crew that you may not have sailed with in the past.

I have seen this a number of times in the ARC where a boat has taken on an experienced crewmember, but it has blurred the lines as to who is the skipper and caused tension.

I do find choosing a crew difficult; it does partly depend on what I am intending to do. For a long passage an enthusiastic, positive person will make up for any shortcomings in experience.

We all have to live together so getting on is important, along with a willingness to share all tasks. As we are sharing our boat, which is our pride and joy, respecting and looking after it should be a priority.

Damage will occur and owners/skippers need to be prepared for this, but a carelessly dropped saucepan on the newly varnished cabin sole is avoidable and immensely irritating.

My ultimate test is: would I be happy working on the foredeck in bad conditions with this person? A definite no-no for me is laziness, particularly crew not willing to muck in with the bad bits as well as the good.

Speak to your crew – Tom Cunliffe

• Communication is key. No ‘mushroom management‘.
• Listen/watch, crew and boat.
• Remain cheerful, or at least positive, even when woken during your watch below.
• Above all, make sure all hands are running on the same ‘motivation fuel tank‘. If they all want the same thing, you are three-quarters of the way to a happy ship.
• By all means communicate legitimate concerns, but never irrational anxieties.
• Sit down before you start, agree ship’s articles and all sign them. Everyone must know their duties. If money is involved, details of this must also be inscribed, as well as a probable route with contingencies. Then, when things turn to the bad and aggro starts, you get out the articles and read them together. End of problem (given to me by one crew of Sandefjord , which sailed in the 1950s from South Africa).

Judging competence

Choosing a skipper also has its pitfalls. Experience and competence is difficult to judge on first meeting and going for a sail together is important. Personally I would avoid a shouter at all costs.

Competence levels are more difficult to measure, but a well-run, tidy boat is a good indicator while one with a long jobs list could indicate that things have slipped.

A quick look in the bilges and at the engine can give a clue as to maintenance and a check on lifejackets will show thoughts on safety. I recently did a safety check on a yacht for an event to find that the owners had brand new top of the range lifejackets for themselves while the crew ones were old, without lights or sprayhoods. I am not sure I would have enjoyed sailing on that boat!

Skippering a yacht well is not an easy task, there are so many aspects to the job. It becomes easier with experience and there is no substitute for miles sailed. Good sailors are not necessarily great skippers, but good skippers must also be good sailors.

I have a great deal of respect for the late Sir Peter Blake and, although I never had the privilege to sail with him, I sailed against him on two Whitbread Round the World races . He always found time to have a friendly word and generated great crew loyalty on board his boats.

Be the best leader you can – Jim Thom

• It’s becoming progressively easier to access sophisticated weather information. A good skipper will prepare the yacht for the actual weather, not the forecast he/she’d like.
• Monitor the yacht’s position and the conditions, high and low-tech, from radar/chart plotter to barometer. Even though electronics are increasingly failsafe, a good skipper keeps a record on paper, in the log and on a chart – even the most advanced yachts can be struck by lightning , or suffer power failure . A good skipper will also listen to their senses, and to their sixth sense. They’ll ask themselves where that low swell is coming from or why the seas have become steeper. Shallow reefs may tint the underside of clouds green or blue, and the sound of breakers will hopefully never come as a surprise. Rain has a distinctive smell at sea, as does land and your nose will tell you when ice is near.
• A good skipper will look for the ‘horseshoe nail’ – lost from the messenger’s horse, it triggered the chain of events that lost a kingdom. Regular checks of the yacht, including sails and rig, deck fittings, bilges, steering, engine and machinery, will help the skipper and crew stay ahead of the law of entropy, and out of the incident pit.
• Create a flexible structure without being overly prescriptive. Agree standard practice with the crew: how lines should be made off on a cleat; how to use and make fast on a winch, how to shake out a reef, how to make engine checks, etc. Establishing basic procedures avoids surprises and allows crew to develop skills and think further. A good skipper will prevent boredom and apathy by agreeing daily routine maintenance tasks and helping to develop projects that improve the yacht and teach useful skills on board.
• A good skipper’s best attributes are not related to technical expertise, but to self management, leadership and communication skills. If you develop a set of team and personal goals then a common understanding will prevent many hot spots from forming.
• A good skipper will try to manage their own emotions, knowing the effect they can have on morale. They’ll keep an eye on each member of crew and on the mood of the team, finding reasons to celebrate together – crossing the line, halfway point, a birthday, a good day’s run, or just a great day at sea.

About the authors

Chris Tibbs is a meteorology and weather router, as well as a professional sailor and navigator, forecasting for Olympic teams and the ARC rally.

Angus Fuller is a professional skipper, MCA Chief Mate 3000GT (yachts), who has made 29 transatlantic crossings, 21 as skipper, and one transpacific crossing as skipper, plus one circumnavigation upwind and sailed over 300,000 miles.

Jim Thom has been skipper of a Robert Clarke sail training yacht, a Baltic trader, a Clipper Round the World Race yacht and for four years was captain of the Fife design Kentra . From 2003-2012 he was captain of the 125ft Fife 19 Metre Mariquita with his wife, Lucy, as mate.

Tom Cunliffe is a Yachtmaster Instructor Examiner, author of numerous books on seamanship and is a contributor to Yachting World , responsible for our ‘Great Seamanship’ features.

Yacht Skipper

• Skipper Sailing
• Sailing Yacht

Yachts | Skipper Yacht Skipper

Skippers for Sailing Yachts

Check Availability and Book your Yacht Skipper 

for Yachts up to 24 meters, 78 feet, 12 Passengers. 

One passenger must obtain a valid sailing license. 

Photography

 Enjoy your holidays and 

capture the moment.

Yacht skipper and our 

photographyes.com services.

Rent a Yacht

Rent a Yacht within Greece.

Sailing for a week to the Greek Islands. 

Groups of 4 up to 10. 

Don't forget to check our

 Skippers for Sailing Yachts service 

if you don't have a sailing certificate.

Buy or Sell a Yacht

Buy or Sell a Yacht within Greece.

Yacht skipper and photographyes.com  

services for next or ex yacht.

Click here for a Selection of Sailing Yacht Companies

and our soon to come Selection of New & Used Yachts  

Sailing Transportations

Transfer your sailing yacht within Greece.

Yacht skippers transfer your sailing yacht.

Yacht Maintenance

Refit your Yacht within Greece.

Yacht skipper and our partners 

refit your yacht.

The Projects that we Support

 https://theplastiki.com/#pledge 

BEAT PLASTIC POLLUTION DAY

 https://beatplasticpollutionday.org/ 

Copyright © 2022

YACHTS SKIPPER SINGLE MEMBER P.C.

https://www.hcg.gr/en/

https://mintour.gov.gr/en/archiki-english/

https://europa.eu/

https://www.un.org/

https://www.who.int/

• Company/ Privacy Policy

Αυτός ο ιστότοπος χρησιμοποιεί cookies.

Χρησιμοποιούμε cookies για να αναλύουμε την κυκλοφορία δεδομένων στον ιστότοπο και να βελτιστοποιούμε την εμπειρία σας στον ιστότοπο. Αν αποδεχτείτε τη χρήση των cookies εκ μέρους μας, τα δεδομένα σας θα χρησιμοποιηθούν σε συγκεντρωτική μορφή μαζί με τα δεδομένα άλλων χρηστών. Πολιτική Απορρήτου  

  https://ec.europa.eu/info/cookies_en  

• Exploring the Role of a Skipper in Boating and Sailing

The term " skipper " holds a prominent place in the world of boating and sailing, representing the individual tasked with the operation, navigation, and overall management of a vessel. Whether it's a small boat, a luxurious yacht, or a sailing dinghy, the skipper plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety and smooth functioning of the maritime journey.

Boat Skipper and Yacht Skipper:

The title "boat skipper" is a broad term encompassing individuals in charge of various types of boats , while a "yacht skipper" specifically denotes someone overseeing the operations of a yacht. Both positions require a comprehensive understanding of navigation, safety protocols, and the ability to make informed decisions while at sea.

Charter Skipper:

In the realm of chartering, where individuals or groups rent boats for recreational purposes, a charter skipper may be hired. This professional takes the helm for those who may lack the necessary expertise, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for all on board.

Sailing Skipper and Skipper 12 Sailing Dinghy:

A "sailing skipper" is someone well-versed in the intricacies of sailing, adept at harnessing the power of the wind to navigate the waters effectively. Meanwhile, a "Skipper 12" refers to a specific type of sailing dinghy , a smaller boat designed for sailing enthusiasts.

Sailing a Yacht for the First Time:

For those embarking on their maiden voyage aboard a yacht, having an experienced skipper on board is often recommended. Navigating a yacht for the first time can be a complex endeavor, and the guidance of a seasoned skipper ensures a smoother introduction to this maritime adventure.

Hiring a Skipper:

Individuals who own boats but lack the necessary skills or time to operate them may opt to hire a skipper. This allows them to enjoy the pleasures of boating without the responsibilities and challenges associated with captaining the vessel.

Read our top notch articles on topics such as sailing, sailing tips and destinations in our  Magazine.

How to Become a Yacht/Boat Skipper:

Aspiring skippers often undergo training and certification processes to acquire the skills and knowledge needed for the role. This may involve learning about navigation, safety procedures, and gaining hands-on experience in boat handling.

Skippers Choice Marine Supply:

In the marine industry, businesses like "Skippers Choice Marine Supply" cater to the needs of skippers and boat enthusiasts, providing a range of products and services to enhance the boating experience.

In conclusion, the term "skipper" encompasses a diverse range of roles in the maritime world, from steering a small boat to captaining a luxurious yacht. Whether hired for a charter, sought for guidance in sailing, or responsible for the day-to-day operation of a vessel, the skipper is a central figure in the world of boating and sailing, ensuring safe and enjoyable journeys on the water.

So what are you waiting for? Take a look at our  range of charter boats  and head to some of our favourite 

sailing  destinations .

Skipper on a Yacht – The Ultimate Guide

When it comes to sailing trips and holidays, a lot of people appear misinformed that it requires extensive knowledge of oceanic navigation as well as operating a boat.

The comforting truth, on the contrary, is that a sailing trip can be enjoyed by complete novices as much as any sailing pro.

Almost all yacht charter companies these days provide a skippered boat with a crew in addition to regular bareboat charters.

In other words, you can enjoy the freedom of being all by yourself in the serene blue ocean without any stress and responsibility.

In fact, in my early experiences on charter boats, I almost always had professional and experienced skippers in charge of navigation and operation. Even now, I often go on sailing holidays with a skipper on a yacht.

In this article, you can learn all about the benefits of hiring a skippered boat, tips to hire a professional and experienced captain, what you can legitimately expect from the skipper during your sailing trip as well as other relevant information.

Table of Contents

Responsibilities of the Skipper

The primary reason for chartering a skippered boat is to hand over the navigation and operation of the yacht to someone who has the necessary experience and knowledge.

In the case of your skipper, you can expect him to ensure the safe passage of the boat through responsible boat handling and safe seamanship.

In the case of a fully crewed yacht, the responsibilities of the skipper include making sure the crew understand and carry out their roles and duties.

The skipper is expected to maintain proper coordination among the crew.

To sum up, the tasks and responsibilities of a skipper are both technical and interpersonal. Apart from operating the boat and navigating it expertly, he should also ensure that the crew is obeying his command dutifully.

Who Should Choose the Option of a Skippered Yacht?

People with no or little sailing experience would have to choose the services of a professional and experienced skipper to make their trip a success.

Skippered yachts are perfect for those who do not possess a sailor’s license but want to partake in the fun of a sailing holiday.

Also, if you are part of a large group of friends and family, and want to leave the responsibility of sailing to the skipper to enjoy the trip in a stress-free manner, then you should certainly consider a skippered boat.

A skippered boat is also ideal for people who want to sharpen their sailing skill under the watchful eye of an experienced and professional sailor.

Even experienced sailors can benefit from professionally skippered boats if you want to partake in regattas and require that extra bit of help and professional knowledge.

Planning Your Itinerary With the Skipper

One of the best advantages of having a skippered boat comes from the help you would get in planning your sailing itinerary.

The skippers on particular routes have extensive knowledge of the best locations, coves, inlets, and beaches that you and your friends would enjoy during the trip.

They can help you plan the sailing trip in a way that makes it possible for you to see and experience the most during your trip.

Also, skippers are intimately aware of the prevailing weather conditions and may help you tweak your itinerary in such a way that adverse weather does not mar your holiday.

Last, but not the least, skippers know the best and cheapest places to moor the boat so that you do not spend extra at expensive marinas.

Does the Yacht Charter Price Include in Skipper’s Fees?

Yacht charter companies do not include the fees payable to a skipper when you lease their boats.

The fees commanded by the skipper is typically done at the base office, while the invoice for the same is generated and handed over to you after the completion of the trip.

The yacht charter companies only advertise the cost of hiring their boat, without the crew, complements, and skipper, on their brochures and websites.

  Accommodation for Skipper Aboard the Boat

It is required that you reserve one of the cabins for skipper and his crew to rest and sleep in during your sailing trip.

Typically, a lot of boats have a special version for charter companies featuring extra cabins so that more people can be accommodated on the boat.

It is not required that you reserve the stateroom or other luxurious cabins for the crew. Typically, yachts come with a dedicated cabin for crew and feature bunk beds.

Who is Responsible for Skipper’s Meals?

It is customary that skippers be provided meals along with the crew by the chartering party. There is no requirement that the food should be fancy or gourmet quality, and the crew and skipper would typically eat whatever you serve.

During your trip ashore in the middle of your sailing holiday, it is considered nice to take the skipper to restaurants along with you.

However, there is no such requirement or custom, and you may just hand him enough cash for a meal at the local fast food joint.

Do’s and Don’ts for Skipper on Board the Yacht

As mentioned above, the primary role of the skipper on board the boat is to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip for everyone.

This means taking care of the technical aspects of sailing, including the correct deployment of mast and sails, safe moorings, checking the weather conditions, guiding the crew, and advise on the route.

The skipper, however, is not obligated to take the route preferred by you if they deem it dangerous due to any reason, including weather.

Similarly, you should not expect the skipper to perform menial tasks such as cleaning.

Cost of Hiring a Skipper

The cost of hiring a skipper dependent on some factors including his professional experience, the region you are sailing in, and the sailing season.

On an average, you should expect to pay between Euro 90 to 150 for each day of your sailing trip.

How to Tip the Skipper?

It is customary to tip the skipper at the end of the sailing trip. Typically, the tip works out to 10 percent of his total sailing fee.

However, if you liked his services and recommendations, then you may tip generously. The skipper will certainly appreciate it.

Advantages of Hiring a Skipper

Probably the best part of having a skippered boat is that it allows you to get the most out of your sailing holiday.

• In my personal experience, I have noticed that the presence of a professional and experienced skipper enabled us to plan our itinerary better.
• Many times, the skipper’s intimate knowledge of the local coastline and weather helped us see places that we did not expect and avoid rough weather.
• Skippers know the best places to eat during your trips ashore and have their own local sources to recommend the best places to see and visit.
• Also, you can truly enjoy a stress-free and blissful holiday with your friends and family safe in the knowledge that your boat is in capable hands.

In Conclusion

Skippered boats are probably a perfect way to introduce the joy of sailing holidays to those who have not experienced it before.

Even among those with sufficient sailing experience, there are a lot of benefits to having an experienced skipper in charge of the yacht.

There is no doubt that an experienced sailor would help you get more out of your holiday in every sense of the term. While it may be slightly costlier than bareboat charters, a skippered boat is certainly worth its price.

Need a skipper on your boat? Send your inquiry now, and you’ll receive a free skippered yacht charter quote!

Want to Know More Tips?

Sign up to Cruising Sea newsletter  to receive every two weeks the latest post straight to your inbox!

Have you already hired a skipper? If so, what was your experience? Please feel free to share it by leaving a comment just below, I’ll be glad to hear your feedback:)

Daniella has been passionate about travel, the sea, and nature for many years. As a child, she frequently traveled throughout the Mediterranean and continued with her journeys throughout her adult life.

Her experiences have created the desire within her to share her love for traveling with other passionate and adventurers who want to discover beautiful horizons and new cultures.

7 thoughts on “Skipper on a Yacht – The Ultimate Guide”

Hi Daniella,

I just found out that I can charter a yacht with a skipper commandeering it. I was reluctant to go to the sea because I thought I have to go to a “sea” school first.

Especially, when you watch all the Hollywood movies that portray you can go on a cruise without a skipper. And then comes the storm. YUCK!

Now I can safely plan my trip with the skipper’s help. Thank you for bringing this to my attention and corrected my misinformation.

No problem. it’s a pleasure for me to inform the readers, this is the purpose of the website:)

I am happy that the misinformation has been cleared up! And, indeed, you can plan in complete tranquility your next trip with the help of a skipper, believe me, it is worth it:)

Thank you for the comment and wish you a nice day!

Thanks for the information on skippers on a yacht. I have never been on a yacht before and know very little about them except what they look like and are used for! So i enjoyed learning about the skipper as never actually heard that term before. It’s something that i would love to do one day, And the pictures make it seem like it is an amazing experience to have. Maybe one day!

Having a skipper on board is something fabulous:) You don’t need to worry about the navigation at all. They also know the environment well so you can count on him to bring you to best places as well:) Isn’t great?

Thank you for the comment and wish you a wonderful day!

Thank you for visiting my website and for the comment:) To answer your question, most charter companies offer to the client the option to hire a skipper for their sailing holiday. Skippers are not included in the price as they work independently and the cost per day will vary between 120 to 150 Euro, some, even more, depending on the skipper skill. If you own a yacht and you wish to hire a skipper, you can find one at “ Delivery Captain ” I hope it helped and if you need more information, feel free to contact me at any time, I’ll be more than happy to assist!

Have a wonderful day!

I really like your comment about how an experienced sailor would help you get more out of a holiday than sailing on your own. I imagine it would also be a good idea to work with a skipper if you plan to buy your own yacht as well, even if you plan on learning to sail (someone has to teach you, after all). I imagine that a skipper would have a lot of good information about different services as well, like yacht delivery if you plan to move for example.

I am glad you like the comment, thank you for the kind feedback:) Oh, yes, definitely, a skipper will not just navigate the boat, but he will also teach you a lot of things and will bring you to places you don’t know. A skipper is someone you can rely on!

Thank you again for the comment and wish you a wonderful day!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. *

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• Boat Pro Home
• Pricing Plan
• Superyacht Insight
• Product Features
• Premium Content
• Testimonials
• Global Order Book
• Tenders & Equipment

Phoenix 2: On board Lürssen’s 90m superyacht inspired by New York’s skyline

With her rich, art deco-inspired styling and a layout that focuses on entertaining, 90 metre Phoenix 2 feels like the floating version of Jay Gatsby’s mansion. To get a feel for her star quality, Katia Damborsky steps on board.

“I think it's great if you go on this boat and you haven't seen it for five years,” muses Andrew Winch, whose team designed every inch of Phoenix 2 ’s eye-catching exteriors and remarkable interiors. “You will find things that you recognise and remember, but you will also find things that you didn't see the first time around.”

As soon as I step on board Phoenix 2 a few weeks later, I discover Winch is right. Phoenix 2 treads a fine line between wow-factor features that are impossible to forget - such as cherry velvet floors and a gold-gilded grand piano — and subtle details, evident in the owner’s brief for all-custom everything. Perhaps unsurprisingly for an owner with a penchant for music, the balance is in perfect harmony. 

You'd never guess this yacht was delivered over a decade ago. Not only is she subject to rigorous maintenance periods that keep her in immaculate condition, she also has an air of elegance that suggests she’ll never look tired or dated – in fact, she shares the same timelessness and charm as The Great Gatsby itself.

Phoenix 2 was completed by Lürssen in 2010, with Robert Moran overseeing the build and Winch Design undertaking the creative concept. Prior to Phoenix 2 , the owner had a previous Winch designed-Lürssen, and over the course of his ownership, he came to know Peter Lürssen well. “They became very good friends, which is something that’s typically hard to do with a client,” says Michael Breman, sales director at Lürssen. “So when he decided to build the boat, it was quite logical that he would come in to talk to Peter.”

But when it came to building his next boat, which would be his first new build, the client “didn’t really want a repeat of his current yacht, which was based on art deco Paris,” says Winch. Every major city in the world has its own take on art deco, explains Winch, and with Phoenix 2 , the brief was to capture the art deco spirit of New York. Why New York? “The client was inspired by the New York skyline and wanted to interpret that in the yacht. These buildings are symbolic of power and strength and the New York skyline was his inspiration” says Winch.

From the outside, Phoenix 2 captures that strength in her soaring lines, poised silhouette and a 5.7-metre phoenix figurehead that rises up from the bow like the eagles mounted on the Chrysler building. Phoenix 2 was the first modern yacht with a figurehead flying from the bow, as opposed to hugging the underside, and it adds to the yacht’s imposing stature.

On the interior, the yacht’s strength comes from her character; after all, it would be impossible to see a picture taken inside Phoenix 2 and mistake it for any other yacht. In the dining saloon, a six-panelled gold bas-relief structure, a bespoke piece by DKT Artworks, overlooks the dining table. Sitting opposite is a statue of a conductor and the backs of dining chairs are embroidered with different orchestra members, which marry up to the place settings at the dinner table. 

“The owner adored music and had built friendships with some world-class concert pianists who were were invited as guests to come and play for him,” recalls Winch. It’s easy to imagine an extravagant soireé here, with the custom-designed Steinway being played and fine wines from the owner’s collection being ushered in from the adjacent Sommelier Room.

Design choices that might make other designers recoil have been embraced by Winch. Bordering the dining saloon are thick, dark curtains, reminiscent of a 1920s speakeasy, and black tones feature heavily throughout other areas of the yacht. “The thing is that wherever this boat is cruising in the summer, it's never going anywhere where it's not sunny,” Winch reminds me. “And you can go outside and have too much light and wear your sunglasses and hat to give you shade. So when you go inside, it's actually relaxing.”

And then there’s the sparkle. “To have a darker interior is not sombre; it's sparkling,” says Winch, and he’s right (again). By keeping darker elements in the interior, the light feels like a glittering, golden air that dances through the boat, illuminating bronze phoenixes on the overheads and making the yacht’s 100 metres of uniquely shaped, polished stainless steel handrails glisten.

But then there’s that subtlety again, reining things in. The yacht plays host to a Modigliani sculpture, an epic piece that some owners might like to display front and centre – but on Phoenix 2 , it’s hidden in the hallway that leads to the master suite. “Why put it in the hallway? Why put it somewhere private? Because it's even more of a drama,” laughs Winch. 

The owner considered his guests’ reception to his yacht a lot when it came to the design, and nothing was more rigorously considered than custom details. During my tour, I stop and ask about where certain features were supplied from, and almost every time I’m met with a wry smile. “He didn’t want people to walk in and go ‘I see you've got a piece of a light from X, Y Z, shop’,” says Winch. “He wanted to be able to say: ‘It's the only one in the world.’” To this end, even the door handles and cutlery are unique, one-of-a-kind miniature art pieces.

Her show-stopping design even extends into the engine room. This space is usually a concealed area that guests and owners rarely visit – but on Phoenix 2 , this cavernous chamber packed with state-of-the-art technology is actually a sought-after stop-off on most tours around the boat.

Phoenix 2 is about to enjoy her first charter season with Edmiston , and Victoria Verhovskaia, the firm's charter fleet manager, predicts she will be a popular addition to the fleet. “July and August are fully booked in the western and eastern Med,” she says. “She will definitely have repeat clients.” Crowd-pleasing features include a 7.5-metre pool attached to a spa pool and bridge deck complete with a gym, hair-dressing salon-cum-massage room and a truly decadent hammam. 

In the belly of the boat, there is a cinema. A foyer influenced by Radio City Music Hall in New York hides a machine that produces hot, buttery popcorn and the cinema room itself volunteers five double chaises finished in black ostrich with mink and cashmere throws. Fibre optics paint a starfield across the black carpet and a velvet curtain slides open to reveal the enormous cinema screen.

From the lower deck, a spiralled staircase and a glass-encased elevator serve all decks. The staircase is aluminium and finished in a riveted style that speaks to the second industrial revolution that prevailed in the 1920s. The bannisters follow a phoenix wing theme and the silhouette of a skyscraper is ingrained in the carpet, widening as the staircase ascends. 

The skyscraper motif is repeated again in the backs of the barstools in the owner’s lounge, which sits on the upper deck. Here, there is an airier feeling thanks to a central skylight that lets light pour in. The lounge can be closed off for privacy or connected to the winter garden, a favoured spot on board according to Captain Ian Howcroft.

Here, retractable glass windows create a hybrid indoor-outdoor space that’s easily capable of hosting up to 120 guests – but when Phoenix 2 isn’t in party mode, it serves as a dining spot. A dining table is flanked by a pair of buffet-style tables and bordered by a small lounging area on the aft deck. “When the buffet tables were first installed, the owner told me to sit in the seat that he usually sat in,” says Howcroft. “He said, ‘now look out there,’ and I said, ‘I can’t, so we changed it!” Now, the buffet tables move up and down at the touch of a button.

The owner certainly knew what he wanted when designing Phoenix 2, and there is no more compelling evidence of this than the owner’s suite. It’s a visually striking space that’s accessed via a glass spiral staircase set against the backdrop of a busy mural depicting a scene of New York. An entire, unbroken black ring circles the bed, transitioning from the plush white carpet onto the marble of the en suite. 

A cleverly concealed wardrobe allows the owner to hide away their belongings while the yacht is chartering, and a sliding mirror divides the bathroom into two perfect segments. Private areas are hidden behind large artworks, but I manage to pop my head in during the tour and find that the rumours about black toilet paper are indeed true.

The custom vanity table in the owner’s suite is Winch’s pride and joy. Sitting elegantly by the window, its milky pearlescent finish makes it look like it’s emitting its own light. “The vanity [looks like] it could have come out of Breakfast at Tiffany's ,” agrees Winch.

With her glittering interiors and Hollywood charisma , Phoenix 2 is a yacht that shines both literally and figuratively. It may be 12 years since she was delivered, but it's safe to say that sparkle isn't going anywhere and it was well worth the wait to peer behind the velvet curtain. 

Phoenix 2 is listed for sale with Burgess and Cecil Wright , asking €124,950,000.

More about this yacht

Yachts for sale, similar yachts for sale, yachts for charter, more stories, most popular, from our partners, sponsored listings.

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Skippering a boat for the first time: steps to success

• Katy Stickland
• September 18, 2020

Skippering a boat for the first time needn't be daunting, as long as you prepare. Matthew Diggle reveals how to make a success of taking charge

New skippers don't need to be at the helm, and giving crew tasks will keep them happy and motivated. Credit: Matthew Diggle

It’s a pity that skippering a boat for the first time can seem so intimidating.

Not much beats the feeling of being in charge of a yacht, deciding where to go, and taking the crew on an adventure.

And there’s a real sense of accomplishment at the end when you bring the crew and boat home safely.

For anyone who is new to sailing or who crews for someone else, following the RYA training path and becoming a Day Skipper is an excellent way of taking your sailing to the next level.

As you gain confidence you can start to charter and explore new cruising grounds. Credit: Matthew Diggle

It shows that you understand the fundamentals and can take on more responsibility when other people feel daunted by the thought of being responsible for a boat and its crew.

With a bit of preparation and planning, skippering is well within most people’s capabilities, especially if you don’t bite off more than you can chew for the first few trips.

Preparation is the key. Simply put, you have to decide where to go, who to go with, and how to get there.

I thought it would be useful to share the lessons I’ve learned when I first started skippering for those considering taking their first steps.

Skippering a crew

Sailing boats are not particularly spacious down below so I generally don’t try to fill every berth onboard.

Even so, it is vital that the crew can get along together and this means that you have to choose who to invite carefully.

This is often a bit of a juggling act, trying to coordinate different people and boat availability, so in the end you’re unlikely to be able to please everyone.

Just offer some reasonable options and hope for the best.

Careful crew selection will contribute to a happy trip for all. Credit: Matthew Diggle

It is also important that people know what to expect, so they don’t sign up thinking that they’ll have a spacious cabin with en-suite facilities when they’ll actually get a space in the shared forepeak in a boat with a single heads.

Similarly, being clear about the nature of the trip – that this is your first time skippering –  will avoid adrenaline-junkies being frustrated by a gentle coastal cruise, or nervous novices being scared rigid during an offshore passage.

When skippering the first few times, it is well worth inviting an experienced and knowledgeable sailor to act as first mate.

But you should choose them wisely as you don’t want anyone who will take over or boss you about if you’re a bit slow working something out, or don’t do things in exactly the way they would.

What you really need is a calm and supportive person who will give you the space to experiment, have a quiet word in your ear if they are concerned that something is wrong, but who is capable of taking over if you are incapacitated in any way.

After all, you have to trust them to come back to pick you up if you have the misfortune to fall in, and you must be confident that they could get the boat and crew to somewhere safe if needed.

A competent first mate will make your life as skipper much less stressful. Credit: Matthew Diggle

In return for the safety and security they provide, you should listen carefully to what they say and pay attention to their skippering advice.

You should also make it clear to the rest of the crew who the first mate is and that they may have to assume command.

It is also sensible to ensure that not all the crew are novices.

Coaching new crew is time-consuming, and sometimes time is in short supply.

It also takes up mental space while your head needs to be concentrating on skippering the boat.

This is especially true when coming into a berth.

Having one or two people capable of handling the fenders and warps will avoid the sort of situation I got into on one of my trips where I didn’t notice the crew were busy trying to remember how to tie the fenders so that when I got the mooring slightly wrong, they didn’t see we were drifting towards another boat and I ended up shouting.

In the end, someone from the other boat pushed us clear, but it definitely wasn’t my finest hour as skipper.

With the crew briefed and kitted up, you’re ready to sail. Credit: Matthew Diggle

I usually send round practical information about arrangements, including advice about what to pack (and what to pack it in), about sharing cabins, what we will do about food, and also some reassuring words about the safety equipment on board.

More experienced crew members will probably already be aware of some or all of these things, but it is a good idea for everyone to have the same information so that there is a common starting point.

But I usually throw an extra sleeping bag in the car and make sure I check everyone’s equipped before setting off, just in case.

Organising a planning meeting, arranging to share lifts to the boat, or making some other excuse to get people together beforehand is a good idea.

The better people know each other, the more smoothly the trip is likely to run.

Encourage people to use email or social media to communicate, but make sure you ask for permission before sharing email addresses or phone numbers.

Keep your first skippering trip in familiar waters

Although it might be tempting to go exploring, you will probably have enough to think about without having to navigate around somewhere entirely new.

Indeed, the Day Skipper qualification says that you are only competent in ‘familiar areas’, but even here you might find yourself sailing from a marina or harbour you’ve not visited before.

If this is the case then do some research to get an idea of what to expect.

Sailing in familiar waters will let you focus on skippering rather than navigating new hazards. Credit: Matthew Diggle

When you pick the boat up, take the opportunity to chat with the charterer and people on other boats nearby to get some local knowledge.

They’re likely to regale you with anecdotes about other visitors who have come to grief in one way or another.

Don’t let these tales put you off, just listen carefully and then you won’t feature in their next story.

Unless you have a particularly trusting boat-owning friend you will probably also need to use your Day Skipper qualification to charter a yacht.

Again, you are better settling for something which is not too adventurous or enormous.

This is not the time to have to deal with something much bigger than you’re used to or with extra sails, rigging, or masts that you’re not accustomed to.

The cost of the trip

One of the first practical aspects of arranging a trip is to sort out the finance.

You will need to cover the cost of the boat, together with mooring and fuel, and then decide whether to include food, meals out, and drinks.

I find that the simplest option is to share all the costs equally, and the first step is to prepare a rough budget so people have an idea of how much the trip is going to cost.

It’s generally better to over-estimate and then give people a small refund, rather than to try to collect an extra few quid from everyone at the end of the trip if, for example, there was a lack of wind and so the fuel costs more than you expected.

You also need to consider what to do about the cost of any damage.

Continues below…

Masterclass: How to lead a happy crew

Toby Heppell gets advice on skippering with friends and family from Pete Goss, Dee Caffari and Conrad Humphreys

Competent Crew: On course for cruising harmony

Katy Stickland joined an RYA Competent Crew course to find out why instruction can make life as a sailing couple…

Night sailing tips for first timers

Cruising after dark doesn't need to be stressful. Toby Heppell shares his tops tips for night sailing

How to raft up safely and securely

James Stevens looks at the seamanship and etiquette needed to raft up and identifies the benefits and pitfalls of coming…

Do you trust everyone to stump up or would it be easier to include insurance in the basic cost of the trip?

You may find that potential crew are rather more enthusiastic about coming on a sailing trip in theory than they are in practice.

Asking them to pay a deposit when booking and the rest closer to departure is a good way of gaining commitment and preventing them from cancelling at the last minute.

Finally, record all expenses and payments so that everyone can check the figures and see that things have been divided up fairly.

This should help prevent disagreements.

There are a number of apps to make both the sums and payment straightforward.

Safety procedures

You are responsible for everyone’s safety and you should take this seriously, but in fact this usually isn’t too onerous if you are sensible and careful.

If you charter a coded vessel in the UK then it will come with a full set of safety equipment appropriate for its cruising limits.

All you will need to do is find where everything is stowed and familiarise yourself with specific details of the lifejackets, jackstays, and so on when you pick the boat up.

Then make sure the crew know how to use it, and do so at the appropriate time.

Brief the crew about safety equipment on board. Credit: Graham Snook/Yachting Monthly

I ask for an emergency contact number for each crew member, and in return let them have details of a shore contact.

I also ask crew members, in confidence, about any medical conditions that might affect them on the trip.

If someone falls ill you don’t want to be scrabbling about trying to find out if they have an inhaler or medication that could help.

Similarly, if you have to hand them over to an ambulance, the medics are likely to ask if they are allergic to common medicines.

There’s no need to share this with anyone beforehand, but I like to leave a copy with the shore contact and let the first mate know where the info is on the boat, just in case it were to be needed.

Catering for your crew

The first step when planning what to eat onboard is to check everyone’s allergies, likes, and dislikes.

With a modicum of thought it is quite feasible to cater for vegetarian, gluten-free, and other diets without making things too complicated.

There’s certainly no excuse for only offering a vegetarian crew member cheese sandwiches for every meal.

Good food on board boosts morale and can be a highlight of the trip. Credit: Matthew Diggle

On short, coastal trips I usually just cater for breakfast and lunch, and aim to eat ashore most evenings.

However, I like to have a simple ‘emergency meal’ on board, such as pasta and a jar of sauce, to make sure we can have a hot meal even if we end up at anchor rather than in a marina as planned.

I find that snacks, fruit, and biscuits are always welcome, and distributing a few chocolate bars can really lift the spirits during a hard slog or a long beat to windward.

Navigating your first trip

Once you’ve selected your crew, booked a boat, and decided on a cruising-ground, it’s time to start on the detailed preparations.

It is worth putting some effort into making the actual trip as straightforward and stress-free as possible.

Skippering means you’ll have lots to think about, so take any opportunity to ‘cheat’ by preparing things beforehand.

Your RYA training will have taught you how to work out tidal depths from the tables in an almanac, but why not print out some tidal curves for the time you’re away, in particular for any marinas you’re thinking of visiting?

Planning and navigation software packages can do this well in advance, and you can find information for the next few days online.

After all, you can still do things the traditional way if you want to impress your crew (or just to prove to yourself that you remember how) but if things are going wrong or time is short then having ‘one you prepared earlier’ can be a literal life-saver.

Weather forecasts

Similarly, you can download weather maps and forecasts for the next few days before setting off.

Obviously, things will change so you will have to re-check the forecast every day, but having a feel for the general weather pattern should help you decide whether to turn left or right when you leave the marina on the first day.

Unless you’re feeling particularly masochistic or determined to experience ‘life at an angle’, it’s not very clever to spend the first half of a trip on a hard beat only to find the weather system passes and you spend the second half on a hard beat back again, when setting off in the other direction initially would have resulted in a pleasant cruise, both ways.

Plan a couple of route options in case the weather changes. Credit: Matthew Diggle

Finally, get hold of any information you can about places you might visit or that you might want to have in reserve as bolt-holes.

Printing out some sketch-maps and pilotage notes can help you stay up on deck rather than spending time below checking the charts.

Share your plan with the crew, but make sure everyone knows that you might have to revise it due to things like a change in the weather.

Picking up the boat

Try to pick up the boat before the crew arrives.

Taking the inventory and doing the handover is much easier if the boat is not full of people and all their kit.

Then put the kettle on ready to give the crew a warm welcome.

If you’re parking a car at the marina then it is sensible to leave as much stuff in it as possible, particularly bulky bags and rucksacks.

A set of dry going-home clothes (and shoes) together with a dry towel and a bag for damp kit is a good idea if you think you might arrive back cold and wet on the last day – and if you’re sailing in the UK that is pretty likely!

Briefing your crew

Brief the crew before setting off.

Keep this simple and to the point; you don’t want to worry people, but it is important to point out the key things.

I usually include:

• Lifejackets and tethers
• Fire prevention and extinguishers
• Galley and gas safety
• First-aid kit
• How to turn off autopilot
• Using winches safely
• Starting the engine
• VHF radio and sending a DSC mayday
• Using the heads

Give a briefing that is appropriate for the crew, so you might have to have a couple of different briefings or even give one to the experienced people and get them to brief it on.

It’s a good idea to show people how to use pontoon cleats before setting off, rather than trying to explain this at the end of the day.

Other things about sailing the boat can be introduced gradually over the course of the day.

Consider having simple standing orders to make it clear what’s expected of the crew.

These should include rules about wearing lifejackets and tethers, such as ‘whenever you want to and whenever I tell you to’.

Remember to let your shore contact know when you set off, and also when (and where) you arrive.

Using the RYA SafeTRX app is a great way of ensuring that they are alerted if you’re overdue and it can also produce records of the trip that the crew may find interesting, but do keep your mobile charged during the trip or you might not be able to close the trip when you arrive, leading to possible confusion or concern.

When skippering, try to keep everyone involved in running the boat.

In challenging conditions it may be prudent to limit some tasks to more confident and experienced crew, but don’t let them dominate and hog the helm or other exciting jobs the rest of the time; make sure that everyone gets a turn.

Remember to be positive about everyone’s efforts, patient if you have to explain things, and gentle if you have to correct someone.

After all, they’re here to enjoy themselves and a harsh word may put someone off ever sailing with you again.

If you can, go with the wind when it blows up. Your crew will thank you. Credit: Matthew Diggle

Keep an eye on the crew so you’re aware if anyone is starting to suffer from seasickness or is getting cold, and deal with it before it gets too bad.

I find that putting seasick crew on the helm or persuading them to lie on a bunk with their eyes closed usually helps.

Hot drinks and an offer to pass up warmer clothes will help a cold crew member who is, perhaps, avoiding going below decks.

You are in charge of the boat and part of skippering is to ensure the crew have confidence in you.

So, remain calm at all times, or at least appear calm while you work out what to do next.

Don’t dither, it’s your responsibility when skippering to make decisions and when faced with a choice almost the worst thing you can do is nothing.

On the other hand, don’t be afraid of changing your plans if conditions change.

Don’t sail on regardless, hoping that things will turn out alright; shorten the trip if the crew are struggling, change the destination if the wind shifts.

Final words on first time skippering

Matthew Diggle started sailing after signing up for the 2011-12 Clipper Race. Since then he’s cruised in UK waters and off the Italian and Croatian coast. Credit: Matthew Diggle

It’s always worth having a debrief at the end of the day and of the trip to reflect on what people enjoyed, learned or didn’t understand, and hopefully this will help ensure everyone leaves happy.

As a skipper you are allowed to have fun too, but it is different to going on a trip that someone else has organised.

It may seem hard work and a little daunting to start with, but you’ll get into your stride after only a few trips.

I find it immensely satisfying when crew tell me that they’ve enjoyed a trip, that they’ve learned new skills, and, most of all, that they want to come back.

So why not start planning a trip and gathering a crew now?

First time skippering checklist

• Select crew with similar expectations
• Mix of abilities and experienced first mate
• Set expectations of boat and plans early
• Email joining instructions ahead of time
• Take a spare sleeping bag and waterproofs
• Meet up before the trip if possible
• Share shore contact details for the boat and get emergency contact for each crew

Cruising grounds

• Stick to familiar areas for first-time skippering
• Research new places you want to visit
• Get some local knowledge from charter company or marina
• Charter in an area you know
• Opt for a modest-sized boat that will be easy to sail
• Stick to white sails and don’t worry about spinnakers
• Arrive before the crew to settle in
• Decide what costs you will cover, and what you will split
• Be clear with your crew about how much it will cost
• Include a margin for extra fuel, and refund if possible
• Ask for a deposit so crew commit
• Check the boat has all the necessary safety equipment and where it is
• Brief your crew on safety gear and procedures, above and below decks
• Check if crew are on medication or have medical requirements
• Check and fit lifejackets
• Establish standing orders of when to wear lifejackets, who is in charge, and who first mate is
• Check for crew allergies, likes and dislikes
• Decide if you’re cooking on board or eating ashore
• Have enough for breakfasts, lunches and a back-up meal
• Take plenty of snacks, tea, coffee and milk
• Print out tide times, tidal curves and weather forecasts beforehand
• Plan a couple of route options to cover different weather scenarios
• Aim to make the first sail an easy one
• Prepare pilotage for new places you plan to visit
• Let shore contact know plans/use RYA SafeTRX app
• Share and rotate roles among crew
• Look out for bored, cold or seasick crew
• Distribute snacks and drinks regularly
• Keep an eye on the big picture – passage plan, weather, navigation and safety
• Teach crew if you have time, but don’t be distracted
• Discuss plans, but you make the final decisions
• Debrief at the end of the day and of the trip

For all the latest from the sailing world, follow our social media channels Facebook, Twitter and Instagram .

Have you thought about taking out a subscription to Yachting Monthly magazine?

Subscriptions are available in both print and digital editions through our official online shop Magazines Direct and all postage and delivery costs are included.

• Yachting Monthly is packed with all the information you need to help you get the most from your time on the water.
• Take your seamanship to the next level with tips, advice and skills from our expert skippers and sailors
• Impartial in-depth reviews of the latest yachts and equipment will ensure you buy the best whatever your budget
• If you are looking to cruise away with friends Yachting Monthly will give you plenty of ideas of where to sail and anchor

Yachtskipperbevis

For at føre større fritidsfartøjer mellem 15 og 24 meter kræves sønæringsbevis som Yachtskipper af 3. eller 1. grad, afhængig af hvilket område du ønsker at sejle i​​​​​​​.

Hvilke beviskrav der er til større fritidsfartøjer mellem 15 og 24 meter, er fastsat i lov om skibes besætning.

Læs mere om dette

Hvordan opnår man et yachtskipperbevis af 3. grad?

Yachtskipper af 3. grad giver dig ret til at være styrmand på fritidsfartøjer i fart på alle have og ret til at føre fritidsfartøjer på op til 24 meter i Østersøen og Nordsøen, omkring de Britiske Øer, Norge, Færøerne og langs Grønlands kyster.

Du opnår yachtskipper af 3. grad ved at bestå prøven til yachtskipper af 3. grad. Der er krav om, at du har bestået den teoretiske og praktiske  duelighedsprøve for fritidssejlere , før du kan aflægge yachtskipperprøve.  Bemærk at speedbådsprøven ikke er adgangsgivende for den praktiske del.

Prøven skal  fastslå, at du kan fungere sikkerhedsmæssigt forsvarligt som fører af større fritidsfartøjer i henhold til lov om skibes besætning og varetage sikkerheden for skibet, og omfatter bl.a. søvejsregler, vagthold, navigation, sømandskab, meteorologi, søret, sikkerhed til søs, risikovurdering, forebyggelse og bekæmpelse af brand samt beskyttelse af havmiljøet.

Du kan få undervisning i sejlklubber og på aftenskoler, og de godkendte udbydere afholder prøven. Du skal derfor kontakte en godkendt udbyder for at blive indstillet til prøven. Spørgsmål vedrørende yachtskipperprøve og uddannelse rettes til de godkendte udbydere.

Hvordan opnår man et yachtskipperbevis af 1. grad?

Yachtskipper af 1. grad giver dig ret til at føre fritidsfartøjer på op til 24 meter i fart på alle have.

Du opnår yachtskipper af 1. grad ved at bestå prøven til yachtskipper af 1. grad.

Derudover er der krav om enten:

• 6 måneders fartstid i fritidsfartøjer mellem 15 og 24 meter, som yachtskipper af 3. grad, eller
• 6 måneders fartstid i fritidsfartøjer mellem 10 og 15 meter, samt fundet egnet ved en realkompetencevurdering hos en godkendt udbyder

Prøven skal fastslå, at du kan fungere sikkerhedsmæssigt forsvarligt som fører af større fritidsfartøjer i henhold til lov om skibes besætning og skal kunne varetage sikkerheden for skibet, herunder navigere og planlægge sejladser på alle have, og omfatter bl.a. international navigation, sømandskab, kommunikation, meteorologi og sundhedslære.

Du kan få undervisning i sejlklubber og på aftenskoler, og de godkendte udbydere afholder prøven. Du skal derfor kontakte en godkendt udbyder for at blive indstillet til prøven. Spørgsmål vedrørende yachtskipperprøve og uddannelse rettes til de godkendte udbydere. 

Sønæringsbevis som yachtskipper

Til din ansøgning om sønæringsbevis skal du have en gyldig syns- og høreprøveattest for fritidssejlere . Kun godkendte søfartslæger ​ kan udstede syns- og høreprøveattest for fritidssejlere, alternativt en dansk speciallæge i oftalmologi.

Når du har bestået din yachtskippereksamen, har en gyldig syns- og høreprøve, kan du søge om sønæringsbevis som yachtskipper af 3. eller 1. grad hos Søfartsstyrelsen.

Når du søger, skal du have dit MitID og betalingskort klar. Et bevis koster 855 kroner.

Søg om sønæringsbevis

Relaterede links

• Godkendte udbydere af fritidssejlerprøver
• Bekendtgørelse om krav til prøver og erhvervelse af beviser for fritidssejlere samt til udbydere af prøver m.v.
• Bekendtgørelse om syns- og høreprøve for fritidssejlere
• Bekendtgørelse af lov om skibes besætning

De tredjepartsservices, denne hjemmeside bruger, benytter cookies til at indsamle oplysninger om dig til de forskellige formål, du ser herunder. Vælger du ''Acceptér cookies'', giver du samtykke til at tredjepartsservices må lægge denne type cookies hos dig. Du kan til- og fravælge formål herunder og ændre dit valg her: Læs mere om cookies

Yacht Charter with Skipper | 15 Things You Need to Know

Yacht charter with skipper | the 15 essentials, our guide to hiring a skipper for a yacht charter.

Embarking on booking a yacht charter adventure brings a world of excitement and questions, especially when it involves a skipper. Navigating the role and significance of a skipper is key to a successful journey. From understanding the definition of a skipper to grasping their responsibilities and qualifications, each element plays a crucial role in shaping your experience.

Cost and logistics are central to planning your charter. Delving into the details like skipper fees , route decisions , and crew hiring provides clarity and helps set realistic expectations. Additionally, practical concerns such as feeding the skipper and tipping etiquette are aspects often overlooked yet vital for a smooth sailing experience.

Finally, the more nuanced aspects of yacht chartering, like discussing plans with your skipper in advance and navigating the complexities of charter agreements , reveal the intricate dynamics of this unique travel experience. Dive into each of these facets to unravel the full picture of what it means to charter a yacht with a skipper.

Charter Payment Protection

Insolvency protection, safe payment, muti-currency. lossless forex, low price guarantee, exclusive deals no hidden fees, introduction to skippered yacht charters.

Understanding Skippered Charters.  These charters are increasingly popular for their ease and expert guidance. Skippers are not only highly qualified mariners, but also adept at being sociable or discreet according to guest preferences.

You’ll also learn about some facts you might not have known, like it’s your responsibility to feed your skipper and your Operator or agent only act as “recruiters”, whilst they will bear natural responsibility for finding suitable and qualified skippers, it’s a typically a direct relationship.

Here at SailChecker, we work closely with our clients to help them make arrangements with their skipper that works for them.

Pre-Charter Access and Skipper Selection

Choosing Your Skipper. You get surprisingly little choice over or access to your skipper.  Typically detailed planning discussions won’t be possibile until you arrive at the base.

Whilst this sounds restrictive, it’s actually the most effective and efficient. It will mean that your skipper is not dealing with future client’s and be able to focus on you during your charter. It means that you won’t make planning decisions that are undone by local weather conditions.

The popularity and freelance nature of skippers has lead to high demand and high turnover. Operators will not always be in a position to allocate until the week leading up to your charter.

Here at SailChecker we work hard to understand your specific requirements, not all operators work in the same way, help balance all your requirements to ensure the best possible experience.  

Cost and Duration of Skippered Charters

How much does it Cost to Hire a Skipper? We’ll explore the typical costs and duration of skippered yacht charters, this segment provides crucial budgeting insights for those planning a charter.

SailChecker have independent options and their own skippers to give charterers a wider choice of crew.

Route Planning and Flexibility

Adjusting Sailing Routes: Skippers play a crucial role in route planning. However, pre-arrival planning is often subject to change due to local conditions. This flexibility ensures a comfortable and enjoyable journey, catering to real-time factors like weather and local events.

Role and Responsibilities of the Skipper

Expectations from Your Skipper. We’ll provide a detailed overview of the skipper’s responsibilities, emphasising their commitment to safety, navigation, and guest comfort, while clarifying limits in tasks like cooking and domestic duties.

Skippers are highly skilled professionals, it’s really important to understand what a Skipper will and won’t do for you.

Here at SailChecker, we use our independence to advise on different options and levels of service. 

Understanding the Skipper Hiring Process

Selecting the Right Skipper: Insights into the hiring process of skippers, highlighting how charter operators ensure they select skippers who are not only skilled but also have the right interpersonal qualities.

Here at SailChecker, we know which Operators are recruiting and retaining the best Skippers in their freelance pool.

Interpersonal Skills of the Skipper

Skippers’ Social Skills: Concluding with the importance of a skipper’s ability to be genial, teach, entertain, and also maintain discretion, ensuring guests enjoy their time aboard while feeling comfortable with their presence.

Here at SailChecker, we know how important the right personality is, whether it’s someone who’s great with kids, someone who likes to teach the basics or someone who knows the party spots, we’ll help you refine your choice and create a better and more enjoyable sailing experience.

• 1. Definition of a Skipper?
• 2. How much does it cost to hire a Skipper?

3. Who decides the Route?

• 4. Can We Have the Skipper’s CV and Sailing Resume?

5. Can I Discuss our Plans with the Skipper in Advance?

6. is the route always certain on a skippered charter.

• 7. Who actually hires the Skipper?
• 8. What will the Skipper NOT DO on a yacht charter?

9. What will your Skipper ACTUALLY do on a yacht charter?

• 10. Who feeds a charter skipper?
• 11. How much Does a Skipper Earn on a Skippered Yacht charter?
• 12. How much do you tip your Skipper on a yacht charter?
• 13. Are Skipper’s Qualified?
• 14. How do you become a Skipper?

15. When Booking a Yacht Charter with a Skipper why can’t we have Open Access to them in Advance?

1. definition of a skipper, how to define the skipper or captain of a boat during a charter.

Let’s start with a formal definition:

Skipper. noun. /ˈskɪpə(r)/ /ˈskɪpər/ ​the captain of a small ship or fishing boat.

You will find the word used worldwide but it is chiefly in use in Europe, especially the UK. In the US and in the Far East, you will see the word interchanged with “captain”, reserved for larger ships in British English. Whichever you choose to use, you are highly unlikely to be misunderstood or even corrected.

In essence, it’s the most senior person on board and in command of the vessel and has some pretty serious obligations under the local laws and the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collision at Sea ( COLREGS ). He or she can, if in international waters, even officiate legally recognised weddings under some circumstances!

In the end, you have to lawfully accept their decisions whilst underway which makes understanding exactly what their responsibilities are when chartering with a skipper (or captain!).

2. How Much Does it Cost to Charter with a Skipper?

Freelance skipper rates for yacht charter.

Chartering with a Skipper. Now that you know you need or want to go chartering with a skipper, how much will it cost to hire one?

Price. In 2024 the most typical price for a chartering with a skipper was between €240 or $240 per day. Whilst advertising rates are per day, it can be difficult to charter for anything short of a week as most skippers are seeking full employment at peak times. The exception is Assisted Sailing .

Assisted Sailing. This is where a skipper joins you for several days at the commencement of your charter. It’s particularly useful if you are a little out of practice, a new sailor, or sailing a bigger boat than you are used to.

How Much Does It Cost to Charter a Yacht. We do recommend you check out our blog How Much Does It Cost to Charter a Yacht  if you would like to piece the whole picture together.

Route Planning for a Yacht Charter

Many charterers are naturally anxious about knowing where they are going and who decides. For some, booking restaurants and other popular attractions along the way is essential.

The route selection is something that cannot ever be guaranteed. There is always a risk the weather plays a small or large part in your decision. Whilst the Skipper has the final say on safety, the primary guest will have a great deal of input into the route. Where there are restaurants that need booking, more than 1 week in advance, your operator will typically reach out to you, in the main, restaurants can be secured during your charter.

SailChecker has a great deal of experience in each location and, as importantly, how each base operates and treats guests. We aim to find what’s a priority for you and match you to the right operator and boat accordingly. 

4. Can We Have the Skipper's CV and Sailing Resume

How much you get to learn about your skipper in advance and can vary and can change at short notice.

On high-end charters, known as Crewed Charters (opens in a new tab), the crew on the boat full-time have resumes and CVs that will be sent to you before booking. On skippered charters, where the boat and skipper are hired separately, skippers more typically come from a pool and for operational reasons, might only be allocated at short notice. This might not always be the case, smaller companies may allocate well in advance and changes are rare.

Planning With Your Crew in Advance is Often Restricted.

Being denied access to your Crew in advance is a common policy from Operators. This ensures that the crew focus entirely on you when you are on charter, and not dealing with communications from charters in the weeks ahead.

In some cases, your  Operator may not know who your skipper is, or leave themselves the ability to move people around at the last minute. This is ‘priced-in’ when compared to Crewed Charters.

SailChecker will always honestly manage expectations about crew access. We are also a team of ex-crew members who can often answer many of the questions without needing to revert to the crew.

Your Planned Route Can Change at Very Short Notice

On many  yacht charter with a skipper,  the route will go exactly as planned and bear a remarkable similarity to the published itinerary by the operator and agent. In other cases, it may differ significantly once the skipper can talk to you and explain the different options available to you.

On top of that, factors like the weather,  sail weeks  (groups of yacht sailing together to party) that might turn idyllic spots into loud music all evening, might mean a tweak to the route without missing out on the a highlight.

The weather is a strong contender to play it’s part too; heading in the direction wind has been coming from for a few days can make the sea uncomfortable to give one example (there are many), but settled later in the week – your skipper will be an expert on keeping you as comfortable as possible. In other words, they won’t know in detail where you will go, only in outline which is always provided in  sailing itineraries  for the area.

7. Who Actually Hires the Skipper?

Freelance skippers are typically are hired directly by the primary guest.

Introduction . This might seem an odd thing to need to know when you’re chartering with a Skipper . But, it can be useful to know as it might not be quite what you were expecting.

Crewed Charter . If you are chartering a boat with a permanent crew , they are almost always salaried or won the boat. If they are employees, they will have contracts with the crewed yacht charter operator. They are very typically a couple who share a cabin which allows cabin space to be maximized for guest use.

Skippered Charter . If you are hiring your skipper separately it’s commonly referred to as a Skippered Charter  (New Window), you are, in essence, adding a skipper to a Bareboat Charter (New Window), like you might add a driver to a hire car.

Key Info . Keep in mind that every crew member will need their own cabin to comply with employment law in most countries. That said, there are lots of exceptions, but it pays not to assume.

Employment Status. When chartering with a skipper in this manner, they will typically be self-employed. The operator will have their own reputation to protect and will always try and work with the best they can find, yet they won’t always be directly responsible.

8. What Will Your Skipper NOT DO on a yacht charter?

Freelance skippers are skilled mariners and won't deal with every aspect of you charter..

Knowing exactly what to expect of your skipper when chartering is key to a stress-free charter from the outset avoiding any misunderstandings. It’s also the most challenging question to answer, as no two operate in exactly the same way, and it can even vary from skipper to skipper even when working for the same operator! All in all, this makes it even more important to know where the lines are and to get your agent’s support. Here at SailChecker, we take this part of organising your charter seriously.

Here is a list of SEVEN things you will typically find your Skipper is unlikely to do as part of your agreement:

• Pay your deposit. Most boats have a non-refundable element to the deposit. As a charterer, it may come as a surprise to know that in many cases, you are still responsible to the operator and the skipper is responsible to you. If some damage is caused through some extraordinary event, say a surge in water, that the skipper could not have ordinarily made provision for, then the liability falls to the charterer, not the skipper. If the skipper damages the boat, say during docking, he will almost certainly cover that cost and many are insured, yet do not take that for granted.
• Cook . Ok. So there are many great skipper cooks out there, yet it cannot be an expectation. It’s not even possible to demand one, it’s something you might be able to influence through your agent, so if it’s important to you, make it known at the start.
• Serve Drinks or Meals. On the contrary, it’s actually your duty to ensure he is “fed and watered”. This need not be in the style you are feeding yourselves, although it is quite rare to discriminate, yet so long as you discharge your responsibility, the skipper will be more than happy.
• Sail If Unsafe. No matter your crews’ experience, the decision to sail will always lie with the skipper. This can even be at a difficult time in the charter, yet the skipper will always put the safety of the crew and boat before any practical considerations.
• Wash Up! Skippers will always tidy up after themselves if they are preparing their own food for instance, but they will not discharge any domestic duties whilst on board. They take more practical measures, such as stowing garbage, but it will be your responsibility to dispose of it ashore.
• Late Runs Ashore. The way you will get ashore for land-based activities is via the tender. During the day this will often by the Skipper or other crew. Yet in the evening, they will not stay awake to run guests back the yacht after a certain time.
• Provisioning . Your skipper will not do any provisioning. YOu will need to hire a chef or a hostess if you need this doing for you. Many good agents will help you do your initial provisioning remotely so that it is delivered to you on your first day without the requirement to go to the local supermarket.
• Work All Hours. Your skipper will work hard during your charter and will always be on duty if you are underway. Not always on watch in some exceptional circumstances such as a night sail. Whilst when chartering with a skipper, they will always be available for advice and so on at the dock or at a mooring, their duties are considerably curtailed. Typically a skipper should not be working more than 8 hours a day.
• Pre-Charter Support. Charters are pretty intensive for crew ensuring you have the very best time. The last thing you want on your charter is the crew being inattentive because they are dealing with questions from guests of upcoming charters. For that reason, most operators protect their crew by dealing with your questions and pre-charter support up until much closer to the day, if not the day of your charter.
• Teach you to Sail. This is a strange one. This appears in what skippers won’t do and will do. I am yet to meet a skipper who doesn’t love teaching, yet willing students are difficult to find. I once encountered excitable students, only to find their interest wained when I asked them to learn the basic knots! For that reason, some Skipper’s will shy away from any formal teaching that’s not formalised in a syllabus.

A Look at all the Things you Can Expect from your Skipper

So now we have learnt a few things your host won’t do when chartering with a skipper , let’s focus on what you can expect from them.

Here’s our list of what you can expect when chartering with a skipper :

• Meet and Greet . Expect your Skipper there when you arrive. If you are early, he might have some other duties to perform for the previous client before attending to you. As you can see, not much time off in this game.
• Handover/TakeOver. Your skipper will do this on your behalf. It needs to be emphasised, this is typically on your behalf. As the charterer, the liability for the skipper and his actions ultimately rests with you. You can choose to be present or trust your skipper.
• Planning . Whether you’re the type of person to have your trip planned with military precision, or the type to trust in your skipper, the wind, sea and weather might have their own ideas. This is very much part of sailing and the vast majority of trips exceed the client’s expectations because the Skipper, having learnt your preferences and experience levels, is so expertly able to direct you on what will suit your crew.
• Host . Whilst it’s only your duty to ensure your skipper is fed, the skipper can often make a great dinner guest on abord and ashore. Much depends on your preferences and how the relationship develops, yet you will find most Skippers are the “hosts with the most”. Sit back and enjoy their stories.
• Teach Sailing. If you are reading sequentially, this completely contradicts something I wrote in the last segment. It is possible to get teaching skippers outside of a syllabus so that you have some control over the route and what you do (unlike t a formal course). It will rarely lead to a formal qualification, but it will help immeasurably if you’re looking to do won in the future. Here at SailChecker we often go the extra yard to match the right skipper with the right crew to ensure you get the best possible experience.
• Cook . Another contradiction! You certainly can’t expect them to cook for you, yet so many have great skills you might want to take advantage of if offered.
• Tour Guide. Your skipper is likely to be very familiar with the area, and language, you should expect them to be willing and able to help with that.
• Purser . Sometimes the skipper will ask you for a sum of money to cover incidental expenditure. It really helps the crew look after you paying for mooring, fuel, etc. without having to come to you each time. You will always receive a full break down and any unspent APA is returned. What is an APA? Read our comprehensive APA guide.

Ask us a Question About the Top Party Islands

Why people choose us, this is video.

Award Winning Best Yacht Charter Company

Winners of the Best Yacht Charter Holiday Company 2019 in the The 3rd UK Enterprise Awards.

Every Boat, Every Location Insured Professional Fleets

We help you decide from every boat based on 20 essential criteria.

Low Price Guarantee Exclusive Deals. No Hidden Fees.

We lead through our service, yet never beaten on price.

Request More Information

Got a question about Yacht Charter or Sailing?

10. Who feeds the Skipper on a Skippered Charter?

You are responsible for feeding your skipper throughout the charter.

Responsibility. It’s a clear obligation for the charterer to ensure the skipper is properly provisioned for.

Provisioning on Board . How to provision for your Skipper is a matter of discretion and a decision you can amend as you see fit without upsetting your skipper. They will be more than happy preparing meals from food you have bought for them or to eat your meals whilst about (this is the most common).

Provisioning Ashore . In this case, it might be the Skipper who would prefer to eat alone on the boat to do some work or attend to other matters. If this is the case, you can simply leave some provisions to use, or provide an allowance.

Summary. In the end, chartering with a skipper and feeding them is not an exact science. You should not be afraid of making your own plan so long as they are catered for.

11. How Much Does a Skipper Earn on a Yacht Charter?

Skippers on Skippered Charters will typically keep all of the fee you pay them. This is a little higher than the salaried guys who are get paid whether they are on charter or not and who typically get bigger tips.

Some skippers that are retained by the operators lose a percentage, typically 15-20% for their compensation.

A skipper on a superyacht would get around $5,000 upwards per month dependant on the size of the boat and their experience (plus tips that tend to be bigger than on mid-range charters.)

12. How Much do you Tip your Stewardess on a Yacht Charter

Tips are always welcome and always at your discretion: they do vary from region to region.

How much you tip when chartering with a skipper can depend on a few factors; the price of the charter, location, number of crew, etc. Tips are generally higher in the Caribbean and North America due to the tipping culture.

The  Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association (MYBA)  has suggested tipping guidelines, the general rule is to tip  between 10% and 15% of your weekly charter fee , excluding running expenses and taxes.

That seems about right to us although we do see more.

13. Are Skippers Qualified?

A brief insight into the qualification your skipper is likely to hold.

You’d hope that your skipper was qualified, but that largely depends on where you are sailing, possibly not. In the vast majority of cases, outside of the Caribbean, it will be a yes. In Europe, it will vary from a good qualification to a commercial endorsement.

Here at SailChecker, we have our own commercial endorsed skippers that travel out with our clients who want that reassurance. We do not knowingly charter with any operators not using qualified skippers.

14. How Do You Become a Skipper?

Thinking about being your own or professional skipper.

This is a complex question, there are many recognised schemes around the world and 100’s of training providers. It largely depends on what you want to use your qualification for and what do you want to leave open in the future.

If you care only about chartering and will only sail in these cruising areas then you should read our blog on the International Certificate of Competence (ICC) (New Window).

If you have further ambitions as a professional charter, flotilla, or delivery skipper, then you will find some m, more information here .

More on the Rationale Behind Withholding Skipper's Details

Having paid not an inconsiderable amount of money for the services of a person so central to your sailing holiday, it is inevitable you are going to want to know as much as possible about them. The reason why that might not happen is mostly answered above: In the end, a series of email exchanges will not get you much further forward, you are unlikely to detect the character flaws that the operator has not already been aware of. If you have a request like a yacht charter with a skipper who is:

• Good with children
• Enjoys teaching
• Is good company
• Is unobtrusive when not needed

Are all matters your operator will take into consideration when

Any Last Questions on Chartering with a Skipper

Are you considering chartering with a Skipper?

Give us a Call or Send us an Email.

We’re here to help., +44 8000988118, +1 8443351306, +30 8008481290, +61 730678907.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Founder Member IFCYA

Yacht Charter & Sailing.

Start typing and press Enter to search

How to Qualify as a Yacht Skipper 2022

You don’t need any qualifications to sail around the United Kingdom. Yes, you heard me correctly, you don’t need to be a qualified skipper to sail in the waters around the United Kingdom.

The catch is: you need your own boat!

If you’re like me, you probably can’t afford to buy and maintain a comfortable modern family-size yacht. The costs don’t stop once you’ve bought a yacht mooring, insurance and maintenance costs keep coming. You have to be a dedicated yachtie to enough use to justify the cost.

A more sensible approach is to charter a yacht when you need it, and to do that you will need to qualify as a skipper.

Lucky for us in the UK we have the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) originally started in 1875 when sailor caps and infeasibly large walrus moustaches were required sailing apparel. The RYA is the national governing body for pretty much every form of water cruising and sail racing.

The RYA has created a series of courses that can take someone that is totally inexperienced to a fully qualified Day Skipper in 2 weeks, although most people do it in a more leisurely way!

The main courses leading to the are:

What can you do with a RYA Day Skipper qualification?

Well, I am glad you asked! The Day Skipper qualification is accepted by most charter companies in the Solent area for sailing around the Solent (in known waters). That’s assuming you did your qualification in the Solent.

But the real bonus is that your new shiny Day Skipper qualification is accepted by pretty much every charter company in the Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean is a nice place to practice sailing after qualifying. It is not tidal, so there are no currents or heights of tides to worry about. So you can practice those manoeuvring, anchoring and mooring skills without worrying about the effect of tides. And there are some fantastically beautiful places to sail, the water is warm in Summer, so just jump off the boat to go swimming.

A bonus is that if you hold an RYA Day Skipper certificate, you can also apply for the ICC. It is simply a form to fill in and submit back to the RYA. The ICC or International Certificate of Competence proves the holder is a competent skipper to the internationally agreed standard. It has been adopted by a few countries, including :

• Netherlands
• Switzerland

In all other cases, foreign-flagged boat skippers are required to have the licence required by the vessel’s flag state.

In practice, it is very rare to be asked to produce the ICC, especially on holiday chartered vessels. I’ve sailed in the Mediterranean a few times with no ICC and I’ve never been asked for certificates. I would recommend checking the situation with the charter company before you travel.

Note: Since publication it has come to light that some port authorities in Greece are no longer accepting Day Skipper as a valid sailing qualification. As with most of sailing, conditions change, and regulations change, so it pays to check at the time before you travel.

For more information check the RYA’s site: https://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge/abroad/icc/evidence-of-competence-abroad

Sailing Qualification Courses

So what are the courses and what do you have to do on the courses?

Sailing Experience

This is not really a course, it is more a weekend of fun on a yacht! It is meant to be a taster for you to discover if you like sailing. You are normally part of a crew of 6 people with a fully qualified training skipper in control. You will learn what the pointy bit and the blunt end of a boat are called, (bow and stern by the way), and lots of other seafaring terms you can impress your friends with! The yacht will probably moor overnight somewhere and you can experience sleeping on the boat and have the delight of being rocked to sleep by the movement of the yacht in the water.

Competent Crew

So, you’ve done the sailing experience weekend and now you have a real taste for the sea. Things are now getting real! The next step is to do the Competent Crew course. This is a 5-day course that teaches you all the essential skills needed to be an active member of the crew. At the end of it, you will be able to tie up a yacht, helm, put sails up, know the difference between tack and gybe, and be able to say ‘arrrgh!’ like a real sailor!

Day Skipper

OMG! Now you are fully committed! This 7-day course is split into two: you spend 2 days in the classroom to learn how to navigate and highway code for the sea, then you spend 5 days sailing yay! You will use all the information you learned in the classroom and put it into practice on the yacht. You will learn and practice all elements of being able to manage a yacht and its crew.

The theory course has two main sections:

• general boat knowledge and navigational equipment
• navigation using charts — plotting a course to steer and estimated position
• knowledge of tides
• weather forecasting
• collision regulations and safety

The practical part of the course is putting what you learnt in the theory into practice:

• Sailing on different points of sail
• Man overboard drill
• Plotting and sailing on a course to steer
• Estimating your position from observations
• Close handling of the boat including mooring

That’s it, after you get your Day Skipper practical certificate you are now able to hire yachts from UK charter companies. The catch is that you can only sail in ‘known waters’, so the waters you have trained in.

The other positive is that you can now hire yachts from most yacht charter companies in the Mediterranean. The reason that you can hire anywhere in the Med and not anywhere in the UK is due to the UK waters being very tidal. The Med isn’t tidal and so is a lot easier to sail. Also, the weather is a lot more consistent in the Med and not as changeable as in the UK.

If you really get hooked and want to sail more and further afield, you can continue and do the Coastal Skipper qualification.

Coastal Skipper

Now you’re getting serious. After getting your Day Skipper and spending some quality time on the water crewing and skippering on yachts (you need about 300 miles, some as skipper), you can take your Coastal Skipper qualification. This is in 2 parts: the first part is the theory course (this can be done online or in the classroom), and the second part is a 5-day practical course.

The theory course has sections on:

• navigation using charts
• estimating tidal streams
• estimating tidal heights
• navigation aids
• passage planning
• meteorology
• protection of the environment

Once you pass your theory test, you can then do the Coastal Skipper practical course and test. This is a 5-day course doing lots of sailing. The instructor does an assessment of your boat handling skills over a series of fairly informal tests.

The things they will have you doing are:-

• Sailing on different points of sail.
• A morning of plotting courses and sailing them, under sail of course!
• An afternoon of Man Overboard drills both under sail and under power
• Mooring a yacht under power in different ways. You will moor the yacht on finger berths forward and reverse. Ferry gliding into a position between 2 other boats.
• Picking up mooring balls under sail
• Plot a whole day’s passage and then sail it. We sailed round the Isle of Wight.

Once you have your Coastal Skipper certificate you can hire a yacht anywhere around the UK. I can tell you there are some amazing places to sail around the UK!

More Advanced Qualifications

The Coastal Skipper qualification is probably the only qualification you need if you want to charter yachts for holiday day cruising in coastal waters anywhere in the world.

You may get ‘bitten by the bug’, and decide to sail on longer passages or maybe cross oceans and do more extreme sailing, or you may want to make a career out of sailing. For this, the RYA provide advanced sailing qualifications leading up to the full Yachtmaster Ocean qualification. Here is a rough breakdown of the quals:

Yachtmaster Coastal

If during your sailing up to now you have developed a taste for more adventurous sailing, you could refine your skills with the more advanced Yachtmaster Coastal qualification. The qualification proves that you are a very capable skipper and can command a yacht on long coastal passages.

Yachtmaster Offshore

From the Yachtmaster Coastal, the next step is the Yachtmaster Offshore qualification, this proves that you can command a yacht on offshore passages of up to 150 miles from a safe harbour.

Yachtmaster Ocean

The last qualification in this programme is the Yachtmaster Ocean qualification. Before you attempt the practical, you will need to complete the compulsory Yachtmaster Ocean Theory course. This qualification proves that you can command a yacht on passages of any length, and on ocean crossings anywhere in the world. This is also a professional qualification, which means with a commercial endorsement you could work professionally within the marine industry as a skipper. So, it could be a career change too!

Where Can You Get Trained

There are over 2400 RYA training centres countrywide in the UK that provide training courses in various formats.

The most usual learning format for practical courses on the boat is: Students share the boat with other students that are at different stages of their sailing experience. Everyone is in the same boat, literally. Everyone wants to learn, so students help and support each other during the course. During the day, students take it, in turn, to prepare lunch for everyone and there is usually the obligatory tea and coffee making. On multi-day courses, students usually sleep on board and have the option of cooking meals on board or going to a nearby pub or restaurant for an evening meal.

When you are just starting your learning path, it is very helpful to have other more experienced crew around you to help and explain things. When you are training to be a Day Skipper it helps to have people at different levels of competence to practice your delegation and people management skills.

A Stage at a Time

There are 3 stages to get to the Day Skipper qualification and I highly recommend doing this one stage at a time, especially if you are not sure it is for you. I tried the Sailing Experience weekend with my 2 sons. One of them was a bit too young and didn’t like it. The eldest went on and did the Competent Crew qualification with me. I then went on to do the Day Skipper qualification on my own. This worked out perfectly for us because we all took the level that we were comfortable with.

Theory Classroom or Online

There are several companies providing online courses for the Day Skipper Theory and the Yachtmaster Theory. These are great, there are lots of videos and examples, and they all provide instructor support via email. These are great if it takes you time to learn and absorb the information. The classroom approach is great if you want to dedicate a short space of focussed time to learning. There is on-hand face-to-face instructor support and it is a great way to get quickly up to speed without the distractions at home. I did the Day Skipper theory as classroom learning, it meant that I could do the theory part and then quickly get out on the water and apply it practically while the information was fresh in my head. It worked out well.

I took the Yachtmaster Theory as an online course and took just over a year to complete it, with all the distractions and demands at home. This also worked out well for me, there is a lot more information to absorb in the Yachtmaster Theory, compared to the Day Skipper Theory. So, it made sense to take time over it and practice really tough subjects like secondary port tide height calculations!

There are a few training centres that provide fast-track courses to Day Skipper. If you are certain that sailing IS for you, then this is the quickest way to get qualified.

Also, it is possible to fast-track training to Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster qualifications. I would not recommend this unless you are aiming to do this professionally. The reason is that it takes time as a skipper of your own yacht to master all the skills of managing a yacht. The level of competence required to pass the higher level qualifications are quite strict, and you may end up spending more time and money on re-sits!

Combined Holiday and Training

There are a few holiday companies that provide RYA standard training courses at destinations in the Mediterranean. This can combine a nice holiday in warm sunny climes and get trained to Skipper a yacht at the same time. What could be better? The only drawback is that the Day Skipper qualification you would get in the Mediterranean would be marked as ‘non-tidal’, which means you wouldn’t be qualified to sail in tidal waters around the UK, for instance, or in the Caribbean. But, you can do extra training and convert to “tidal”, or if all you can imagine is Mediterranean sailing holidays, this is for you!

Where Can You Train

There are many training centres around the UK, too many to cover in this article.

The best way to find a training centre near you is to go to the RYA site and put in your postcode: https://www.rya.org.uk/training/courses/day-skipper-practical-sailing-course-dss

I trained in the Solent, so I am probably biased, but I would say this is probably the best place in the country to train because you can encounter pretty much every type of tide condition and every type of vessel, which is very helpful when you are being supervised. There are also countless harbours, estuaries and bays to visit, so you never get bored.

I would recommend that if you start learning in an area that you stick to that area when you do you further qualifications to Coastal Skipper. The reason is when you are sailing, you get to recognise the landmarks, so it is easier to work out your position. Also, if you are being assessed for your boat handling when you are mooring up in a harbour, it is useful to already be familiar with the features of the harbour.

As my instructor said to me when I passed the Day Skipper qualification, “Well done, now the real learning begins!”. He was right. I have been sailing for nearly ten years, I am still learning and I still make mistakes! People with a lot more experience than I have told me the same thing!

A word of caution: If you are going to hire a yacht as a newly qualified skipper, pick a calm day. The wind and tide around the UK can be pretty unforgiving some days and can be a handful for the most experienced skippers!

…or better still, book a summer holiday in the Mediterranean where there is virtually no tide and do your first skippering there!

For more information about RYA courses, check the RYA website at: https://www.rya.org.uk

For more information about chartering yachts once you’ve qualified, check out my article on yacht charter in the UK: https://blog.sailfinder.org/how-to-bareboat-charter-a-yacht-in-the-uk/

To find yachts to charter in the UK, checkout the search website: https://sailfinder.org it has a searchable list of every charter yacht in the UK.

Good luck and happy sailing!

Ian McLauchlan is a keen amateur sailor and Coastal Skipper, founder of sailfinder.org a charter yacht search site for finding charter yachts, motor boats and RIBs.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• CHARTER YACHTS
• CREWED YACHTS
• Bareboat Charter

Skippered Charters

• Crewed Yacht Rentals
• POWERBOAT or MOTORYACHT CRUISING
• HOUSEBOATING
• SAILBOAT CHARTERS
• CATAMARAN CHARTERS
• SAILING DESTINATIONS & ITINERARIES
• CHARTER GUIDE
• martinique catamaran with skipper
• 50ft skippered yachts
• skippered yacht for 10 people
• skippered catamarans seychelles

Skippered charter is an excellent choice if you have never chartered before. When it comes to yacht charters, skippered options offer a world of advantages that can transform your sailing vacation into an unforgettable and stress-free experience. Whether you're a novice sailor or a seasoned seafarer, the inclusion of a professional skipper can elevate your journey in numerous ways.

Skippered Charters: Elevating Your Sailing Experience

Chartering a skippered yacht has many advantages. Hiring a Skipper on your charter yacht is an excellent choice if you have never chartered before, particularly sensible when you lack a sailing license or other relevant qualifications required for chartering a yacht on your own. Additionally, a skipper imparts their sailing know-how to the crew members and provides guidance on tasks aboard. The Skipper is responsible for a smooth sailing trip, considering weather conditions, local factors, and onboard equipment. The experienced Skipper possesses excellent knowledge of the desired sailing area and is the perfect companion for a yacht charter. A skippered yacht charter means you'll have a highly skilled captain at your service throughout the trip.

The Benefits of Charter Boat with Captain

One of the most significant advantages of a skippered yacht charter is the inclusion of a professional skipper. Having a skipper on board means you can relax and focus on enjoying your vacation, leaving navigation and safety to the expert. This is particularly advantageous if you lack a sailing license or other necessary qualifications for chartering a yacht on your own. Your captain is not just a navigator; they are your key to a smooth and enjoyable sailing vacation. Your skipper can act as your personal guide, suggesting the best anchorages, pristine beaches, and charming villages that are off the beaten path. With a skipper at the helm, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that you're in safe hands. They are well-versed in handling the yacht in various conditions and can make quick decisions to ensure the safety of everyone on board. This is especially valuable for less experienced sailors or those who simply want to relax without the stress of navigating. Perhaps the most significant advantage of a skippered yacht charter is the peace of mind it brings. With a skipper on board, you can relax and fully immerse yourself in the vacation experience. Navigation, safety, and decision-making are all handled by the expert, allowing you to focus on enjoying the journey to the fullest.

Sail with Confidence: No License Required

Skippered charters suit many types of travelers and sailors. This type of charter is tailor-made for those who lack sailing experience or have just started sailing. There are times when you simply don't want to be in command or you are new to sailing and just want to grow your confidence. In a skippered charter, a skilled skipper takes charge of sailing the yacht for you. While sailing can be a source of joy for everyone else, it can be quite a demanding task for the skipper. For those interested in learning the art of sailing, having a skipper on board is an opportunity to expand their knowledge like no other. The skipper willingly imparts their sailing wisdom to crew members, offering hands-on guidance and sharing their passion for the sea. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced sailor, you'll have the possibility to deepen your sailing know-how while relishing your vacation.

Responsibilities of Your Hired Skipper

A skipper's responsibilities on a sailing or boating trip are extensive and vital. They ensure safe navigation, operate the vessel effectively, and prioritize the safety of the crew and passengers. This includes understanding weather conditions, handling sails and the boat's mechanics, and anchoring securely when needed. Staying informed about current and forecasted weather conditions is crucial. Skippers need to make informed decisions regarding when to sail, when to take shelter, and how to adjust the course based on changing weather patterns. The skipper is responsible for anchoring the boat securely when necessary and safely mooring it when docking or tying up at marinas. Local knowledge and adherence to environmental regulations are also part of their role. The skipper should set an example in this regard.

How to Hire a Skippered Yacht

Skippered charters are your ticket to a sailing adventure like no other, where relaxation and enjoyment take center stage. At YACHTICO, we understand that every customer has unique preferences. Whether you have your heart set on a sleek catamaran, a classic sailboat, or any other type of yacht, our diverse fleet has a wide range of sizes and configurations. This means you can customize your sailing experience to perfectly match your group's size and desires. Booking a skippered charter with YACHTICO is a breeze. When you make your reservation online, you have the option to include a professional skipper in just a few simple steps. We make it convenient for you to have a seasoned captain join your journey, ensuring that every moment is smooth sailing. It's important to keep in mind that your hired skipper requires their own cabin, as they are obligated to stay onboard. This arrangement is essential to ensure a harmonious and enjoyable voyage for all.

Skippered Yachts to Choose from

Best places for yacht charter with skipper.

The best places for yacht charters with a skipper can vary depending on your preferences, but here are some stunning and popular destinations worldwide:

Croatia's Adriatic coastline is renowned for its rugged beauty, crystal-clear waters, and its array of thousands of islands and islets. The coast enjoys relative shelter, making it an ideal destination for smooth sailing. The islands are conveniently close to each other, allowing for effortless island-hopping adventures. While many travelers opt for bareboat charters, there's a growing trend towards skippered yacht charters in Croatia, and it's easy to see why. This convenient way to explore the Croatian coastline offers numerous benefits. Experienced skippers not only possess an intimate knowledge of the waters but also a deep understanding of local culture, history, and hidden gems. They can recommend the finest local restaurants, helping you immerse yourself in Croatian culture and ensuring your journey is rich and authentic. Croatia's cuisine is a delightful fusion of Mediterranean and Balkan flavors. On a yacht, you can savor the freshest seafood, indulge in local wines, and relish traditional dishes at waterfront restaurants and taverns, embarking on a culinary journey you won't soon forget. Skippered charters in Croatia provide unparalleled flexibility when it comes to planning your itinerary. Whether you wish to explore historic cities such as Dubrovnik and Split, swim in secluded coves, or visit picturesque islands like Hvar and Korčula, your skipper can tailor the journey to your preferences, ensuring a personalized adventure. Croatia's historic towns, including Dubrovnik (Known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic), Split (with the famous Diocletian's Palace), and Šibenik (and its impressive St. James' Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Nearby, the Krka National Park showcases stunning waterfalls.), are conveniently located along the coast, making them easily accessible by yacht. With a skippered yacht charter in Croatia, you'll create memories that will last a lifetime. Croatia's captivating coastline awaits, ready to be discovered.

Tip: Vis - This remote island offers unspoiled natural beauty, secluded bays, and charming fishing villages. It's an excellent destination for those seeking a peaceful and authentic Croatian experience.

2. Greek Islands (Greece)

With their timeless allure and diverse landscapes, these islands are a treasure trove of experiences for every traveler. The historical depth of the Greek Islands is unparalleled. Greek islands are home to some of the most important ancient civilizations, including the Minoans on Crete, the ancient Greeks, and the Byzantine Empire. The Greek Islands are steeped in mythology, with many islands believed to be the birthplaces of ancient gods and heroes. Greek cuisine is celebrated for its diversity and use of fresh, local ingredients. While the BVI offers its own delicious fare, the Greek Islands' culinary scene provides a wider range of traditional dishes, from moussaka and souvlaki to fresh seafood mezes and baklava. From the iconic architecture of Santorini to the ancient ruins of Delos and the medieval charm of Rhodes, the Greek Islands provide a more diverse range of cultural experiences. This historical richness can add a profound layer of exploration to your sailing journey.

3. Key West

Key West, with its unique charms, offers the perfect setting for boat rentals with captains. Thanks to Key West's temperate climate, you can enjoy sailing adventures year-round. Whether you're escaping the chilly winters elsewhere or seeking a summer getaway, Key West welcomes you with open arms. What truly sets Key West apart are its exceptional well-protected anchorages. These safe and tranquil spots provide a haven for sailors, making it easy to drop anchor and bask in the beauty of the surroundings. Whether you desire a peaceful night's rest or a serene lunch stop, Key West's anchorages have you covered. But Key West's allure doesn't stop there. The Florida Keys are renowned for their diverse marine life, featuring colorful fish, playful dolphins, graceful sea turtles, and breathtaking coral formations. Sailing in these waters not only grants you a picturesque experience but also opens doors to thrilling snorkeling, diving, and wildlife observation opportunities.

Explore More Destinations for Skippered Charter

With a skippered charter, you're in command of your journey while a skilled captain takes care of navigation and safety, ensuring a worry-free and personalized sailing experience.

Remember, a skippered charter isn't just a reservation; it's an invitation to embark on a unique maritime escapade where you can enjoy the voyage to the fullest, knowing you're in capable hands.

Explore More Yacht Charters

• Crewed Charter
• Superyacht Rentals
• YACHT CHARTERS & RENTALS WORLDWIDE
• Offer your Yacht
• B2B partner area
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy

Using this site requires JavaScript. You are either using a browser that does not support JavaScript or has JavaScript disabled. Please click here for detailed information.

Yacht models

Buy Skipper

• Advertising

Customer reviews

• Netherlands
• United States
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom

Destinations

Yacht & Skipper Luxury Sailing Week

Make memories that last a lifetime aboard our luxury, week-long skippered sailing holidays in Croatia, Greece & Montenegro.

Destination

Why to choose us

It’s time to sit back, relax and sail. We handle all the details so that you can focus on enjoying your crew’s company and soaking up the sun and sea.

Fully-skippered yacht

7-nights aboard your private Catamaran or Monohull with your very own skipper.

Stress-free holiday

Our experts plan everything so you can just show up ready to have fun.

Tailored services

Adjust your route, hire a nanny or chef, and choose your own food package.

Memorable destinations

Sail and explore the Mediterranean’s best islands with our tailored itineraries.

Explore Our Routes

For one week, one of our yachts becomes your home away from home. Your skipper will sail you between islands and secret coves while you sit back relax and enjoy

1 Itinerary

Choose the perfect boat for your crew

We have reserved the best, newest yachts from our fleet for your trip. Whether you choose the thrill of a sporty Monohull or the luxury of a Catamaran, your yacht is sure to be the perfect backdrop for your week at sea.

Monohulls - classic, nimble yachts decked-out in comfort

Catamaran - spacious, luxurious yachts for those who like to travel in style

We are responsible for the best week of your life

Our team, back office, skippers and guest managers are locals, all in love with their countries. The entire team has knowledge that allows them to provide a unique experience.

Vincent Radonic

Director & Founder

I want people to feel like they have never before when taking a vacation.

Ante Zivkovic

My mission is to provide services of superior quality and value that improve the way people view sailing holidays.

Sandra Krstulovic

Head Booking Manager

I am dedicated to providing the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth and friendliness.

From our Social

Get in touch

Work hours ( Sydney Time )

Monday-Friday: 6am - 4am

Saturday: 6pm - 11pm

Sunday: Closed

Work hours ( Perth Time )

Monday-Friday: 3pm - 1am

Saturday: 3pm - 8pm

Member 5491

We have provided financial bonds which guarantee that your money is totally safe with SailWeek Ltd.

Sustainable tourism

SailWeek believes in sustainable tourism. Our mission is to keep positive impact on the environment, society and traditional way of life. During our sails we use eco-friendly products and try to do minimum impact to the marine wildlife. We live from the sea. Let’s give something back!

Copyright © 2022 SailWeek Ltd. Travel advice from www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

Luxury yacht skipper loses $400k in scam, faces accused ‘money mule’ in court, says deception ruined his life

Lane nichols.

Share this article

Far North commercial skipper Tim Michalick lost $400,000 in an investment scam. He is speaking publicly to highlight flaws in the banking system and deficient customer protections. Photo / Jenny Ling

Sitting in court just metres from the man accused of laundering his stolen $400,000, Tim Michalick felt disgust and “burning hot anger”.

“It was really stressful. I just can’t describe my hatred towards that person. In my opinion, he’s the lowest of the low.”

Michalick, 43 - a luxury yacht skipper based in Kerikeri - thought his family’s life savings were being invested in a low-risk term deposit with HSBC bank.

In fact his money had been sent to an account allegedly controlled by a disbarred Auckland lawyer who is now facing 11 money laundering charges and, if convicted, up to seven years in jail.

Michalick lost the money in January last year and realised he’d been scammed the following month. He said the last 13 months had been a roller coaster of emotions as he came to terms with the sophisticated fraud and tried to navigate a banking regulatory system which he compares to “Swiss cheese.

“This has ruined my f***en life. It’s been so hard and I’ve been on a steady decline since [being scammed]. It’s really turned my life upside down.

“I’ve got the court case coming up. I’m just struggling at the moment to be honest. I ran out of steam at the end of last year and I’ve been running off fumes.”

The Herald revealed Michalick’s story in an investigation last June . At the time he remained anonymous, concerned about the impact going public would have on his personal and professional life.

But Michalick now wants to tell his story openly due to frustrations about the banking sector’s accountability, the ability of criminals to target unsuspecting Kiwis through the country’s deficient payment system with impunity, and what he describes as a “flimsy” and ineffective Banking Ombudsman Scheme leaving some victims without hope.

“All the reasons why I didn’t go public initially still apply. But do I sit back and miss out on opportunities to tell New Zealand what’s going on, or do I go hell for leather to do my bit for all those poor people who are going to be taken advantage of?

“I would be doing the banks a favour if I didn’t come forward.”

‘Sick to my stomach’

Michalick sent his money from his ASB account to what he thought was a Kiwibank “cooling off” account set up under his own name - writing “HSBC term deposit” in the payment reference field.

After Michalick alerted the banks and police to the fraud, Kiwibank was able to recover about half the money. The rest was allegedly used by the suspected mule to pay private school fees or transferred to other accounts.

When the $200,000 was refunded, Kiwibank included the company’s name that received Michalick’s money. He Googled it to find the sole director was the disgraced lawyer whose career downfall had been reported by media.

He is still shocked this man was able to open an account and allegedly use it to conduct criminal activity without being detected by Kiwibank’s fraud security systems.

“The fact he was allegedly operating this long without any oversight from the bank makes me sick to my stomach.”

Michalick handed a dossier of information about the man to police but it took months for stretched fraud investigators to lay charges.

Michalick also complained to the Banking Ombudsman about why a supposed HSBC term deposit payment going to Kiwibank did not raise suspicions with ASB, and about what he believes was Kiwibank “harbouring” a mule account that was allegedly used to launder stolen money.

The Banking Ombudsman dismissed the complaint about ASB, ruling the bank was not at fault. Regarding Kiwibank, the Banking Ombudsman said its current remit prevented it from investigating the actions of receiving banks.

Deflated, Michalick sought a review, but the Banking Ombudsman declined to reopen his complaint this month.

He also complained to the Reserve Bank, claiming Kiwibank had breached anti-money laundering rules through alleged failures to check the customer’s background or monitor the account activity to prevent fraud.

However, the Reserve Bank found Kiwibank was not at fault.

Michalick told the Herald he believed the regulatory system was utterly deficient, with victims left to carry the blame.

“They’re allowing customers to operate without any scrutiny or restrictions on their banking activity and there’s no one I can turn to to hold them to account.

“My only option is to run a private civil case against Kiwibank which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that just can’t be done.”

He believed the Banking Ombudsman scheme was “completely flimsy”. Though it was meant to investigate the banks, two major banks’ CEOs were board members and the banking sector helped draft the scheme’s terms of reference, Michalick said.

He claimed complaints weren’t assessed on a “fair playing field” and believed the scheme wasn’t independent or working to protect consumer rights.

Michalick said he had drawn strength from other victims who were brave enough to tell their stories publicly.

He also thanked the Herald for its coverage, which was a “driving force” in promoting change.

Kiwibank, Banking Ombudsman respond

A Kiwibank spokeswoman said it immediately froze the recipient account when alerted to the fraud and tried to recover funds.

Kiwibank had co-operated with the police investigation and was satisfied it completed all required anti-money laundering checks and that its customer “met the requirements”.

The spokeswoman said there was nothing about Michalick’s transactions to trigger the bank’s security warnings.

Banking Ombudsman Nicola Sladden said she had considerable sympathy for scam victims who often lost life-changing amounts of money.

She strongly refuted Michalick’s criticisms.

The scheme was an independent dispute resolution body which must apply the rules in force at the time of a complaint. Current rules did not require banks to reimburse authorised payment scam victims unless the bank had missed “red flags”.

“We do not make the fraud reimbursement rules. We apply them.”

Sladden’s office had repeatedly urged the Government to review fraud reimbursement laws and strengthen consumer protections.

She said a recent review found the scheme was “highly effective” and operated with “integrity and professionalism”.

The composition of the scheme’s board gave equal representation to banks and consumers, with an independent chair casting the deciding vote.

Sladden said she was “ deeply concerned” about victims’ money being laundered through domestic mule accounts.

But her office was not responsible for supervising the anti-money laundering regime. This was the purview of the Reserve Bank, Financial Markets Authority and Department of Internal Affairs.

Under its terms of reference, her office could not investigate complaints about recipient banks, as they usually provided no “direct service” to complainants.

Receiving banks could not share information about recipient account holders due to privacy laws.

Sladden’s office was considering a review of its terms of reference to consider complaints about payee banks, but this was “likely premature” until they had clear duties to scam victims, she said.

Lane Nichols is a senior journalist and deputy head of news based in Auckland. Before joining the Herald in 2012, he spent a decade at Wellington’s Dominion Post and the Nelson Mail.

Latest from New Zealand

Jailed serial groper who did indecent act on parole to be released again

Disgraced former senior representative cricket player 'will not pose an undue risk'.

'It breaks your heart': Dad's anguish after kicking out meth addict son

Chris Hipkins: 'Priorities are backwards'- National lacks vision for Auckland

‘The family deserves to know what happened': 40 years on from Trades Hall bombing

Kids missing school to feed families

The Most Powerful Lexus Ever Is A $5 Million 2,000 HP Yacht With Twin Volvo Diesel Engines

I t seems Lexus has decided to leave us landlubbers behind and take to the seas . The automaker just unveiled its new flagship: a 2,000 horsepower, 68-foot long yacht with a 1,849-gallon fuel tank, accommodations for 15 people and six beds.

The Lexus LY 680 (of course LY stands for Luxury Yacht) is the next generation of Lexus’ foray into big ol’ boats that started with the LY 650 back in 2018 , according to a release from Toyota . If you’re the kind of person who has the means for a Lexus LY 680, be prepared to fork over about $5.1 million. There’s also the small caveat thatyou’ve got to be in Japan to order one through Toyota Marine, Automotive News reports. I know, I know. That’s tough to hear.

Outside the LY 680 is wrapped in a very cool copper and silver paint scheme. It actually looks very similar to the rose gold color you can get on the Lexus LC500 . It’s quite sleek-looking, as far as yachts go. Inside is where the real good stuff is. You’ll find all sorts of lounge sofas, high-gloss paneling and other appointments designed by Lexus with the help of Italian styling company Nuvolari Lendard, according to AutoNews .

The second deck of the LY 680 (called the flybridge by nautically-inclined folks ) has apparently been extended by about 4.5 feet, and it features a lounge sofa and a grill. Lexus also extended the swimming platform by about 2.3 feet. If I had to guess, that’s probably where a good chunk of the three feet it grew over the LY 650 came from.

It should be noted, the boat itself won’t actually be built by Lexus . The Japanese automaker is outsourcing that job to a Taiwanese company called Horizon Group. Lexus says that the manufacturer has a “reputation for its advanced technological capabilities which have been honed through the construction of superyachts .

Powering the LY 680 is a pair of 12.8-liter straight-six diesel engines supplied by Volvo, according to Lexus. In their base configuration, the engines make a combined 1,600 horsepower. However, if that’s not enough for you, feel free to up the power to 1,000 horsepower each. That’s right baby. This is a 2,000-horsepower boat.

Here’s a little more from Lexus on what the LY 680 is all about:

Lexus aims to be a luxury lifestyle brand and the flagship Luxury Yacht is the embodiment of the Lexus design philosophy “Crafted.” The LY 680 expresses this philosophy by thoroughly paying attention to every single detail, in order to exceed customers’ expectations and create a unique experience that stimulates their senses, even while at sea. The concept for the Luxury Yacht is “to feel like a hideout in the middle of the sea, providing a space where discerning customers can feel free and at ease.” The exterior embodies the Lexus design philosophy of L-finesse, and the interior has been meticulously crafted down to the smallest details to provide a comfortable living space. In terms of performance, Lexus aims for confidence inspiring cruising performance, offering stable maneuverability, excellent ride comfort, and quietness.

Toyota first entered the boat business back in 1997, and it has sold nearly 1,100 boats since then, but only some have made it to the U.S. market, according to Automotive News .

For the latest news, Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .