Rates and pricing
Boat delivery captain rates
Whether you are a captain deciding what to charge or an owner working out what a delivery should cost, the pricing follows a few clear patterns. This is how professional delivery captains rate a job, and roughly what you should expect for a cruising yacht in 2026.
How captains price a delivery
There are three common models. A day rate covers the captain per day at sea (and often a travel day either side). A per-mile rate works well on long, predictable passages. An all-in figure bundles the day rate with expenses into a single number. Larger boats and long ocean passages raise the rate; a bigger boat means more crew and heavier logistics.
Typical rates by route and boat size
As orientation for a 40 ft cruising yacht: a short Mediterranean hop of a few hundred miles runs into the low thousands; a longer passage such as Gibraltar to the Solent sits higher; an Atlantic crossing is several times that again. Under 40 ft trims the figure, 50 ft and up adds to it.
What is included, and what is charged on top
The captain's rate (and crew, where needed) covers the labour of the passage. Billed separately, usually on receipts, are fuel, crew travel to and from the boat, marina, mooring and lock fees, customs, paperwork and provisioning. Insurance for a paid delivery crew is the owner's responsibility to confirm.
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