Delivery Skipper

TL;DR, A delivery skipper is hired to move a yacht from A to B, normally without the owner aboard. The work is one-off, paid by day rate or per nautical mile, and the skipper typically carries the licences (Yachtmaster Offshore or higher), the safety training, and a delivery contract template.

Delivery skipper vs charter captain#

A delivery skipper takes a yacht on a passage; a charter captain runs a yacht for paying guests. The two roles overlap (the licences are the same), but a delivery skipper rarely takes passengers and is paid by the owner of the boat, not by guests.

How delivery skippers price work#

• Per nautical mile: typical range €3 to €8 per nm on monohulls under 50 ft, €5 to €12 for catamarans and larger sailing yachts
• Day rate: €200 to €500 per day plus expenses
• Flat fee: for one-off long passages where the captain owns the schedule risk

On top of the captain's rate, the owner usually pays fuel, marina fees, captain travel home, and on-board provisioning.

What an owner expects from a delivery skipper#

• A current professional licence appropriate to the route (Yachtmaster Offshore for most of Europe, Yachtmaster Ocean for transatlantic, MCA Master 200 for vessels above 24 metres or 200 GT)
• A written passage plan
• A daily position and well-being update during the passage
• A handover at the destination port with engine hours, fuel state, and a short condition report

Related reading#

• How much yacht delivery costs, per-route breakdown
• How to find your first yacht delivery, captain side