Passage Plan

TL;DR, A passage plan is the document every professional delivery skipper produces before departure, covering the route, the weather window, the alternates (ports of refuge), the crew, and the emergency procedure. It is what your insurance, your owner, and your captain's own due diligence all expect to see in writing.

The four phases of passage planning#

Both MCA and RYA teach passage planning as four phases:

1. Appraisal: identify the route options, the season, the constraints (tidal gates, traffic separation schemes, restricted areas) 2. Planning: select the route, draft the waypoints, identify the alternates, choose the weather window 3. Execution: sail the planned route, log deviations and the reason, communicate position daily 4. Monitoring: track progress against plan in real time, decide when to deviate

What a typical delivery passage plan includes#

• Route: departure and arrival ports, waypoints, total distance, expected duration
• Weather window: forecast windows for the planned days, alternate dates if the window closes
• Crew: who is aboard, what each person is responsible for, watch system
• Vessel readiness: rigging inspection, engine check, safety gear audit, fuel and water capacity
• Comms: daily check-in schedule, satellite or SSB equipment in use, emergency contacts
• Alternates: ports of refuge along the route with bar conditions, opening hours, fuel availability
• Emergency procedures: man-overboard procedure, fire, abandon ship, medical evacuation

Why it matters for owners#

Most yacht insurance policies expect a passage plan to be on file. Without one, an insurer may refuse to pay out for a loss attributable to navigation or planning failure. Owners should ask to see the plan before the boat leaves port; a professional captain produces one as a matter of course.

Related reading#

• Insurance and contracts for paid yacht delivery
• The yacht owner's delivery checklist, 23 things to verify