Delivery skipper rates: what yacht delivery captains charge and earn in 2026
Day rates, per-mile rates and crew pay for yacht delivery captains in 2026, what the owner pays on top, and how to work out your own rate and yearly earnings.
Short answer: most experienced yacht delivery captains charge a day rate of €250 to €500, or €3 to €8 per nautical mile for monohulls under 50 ft and €5 to €12 per mile for catamarans and larger yachts. Paid delivery crew usually earn €150 to €300 a day. Travel, fuel, marina fees and provisioning are paid by the owner on top. A fair quote charges for preparation, handover and travel days as well as the days at sea. What a captain earns in a year comes down to day rate times paid days, minus their own costs.
These are the ranges we publish across Boat Gigs. They are orientation, not a tariff: you set your own fee and agree it with the owner.
What is the typical day rate for a delivery skipper?
For an experienced delivery captain on a cruising yacht, most day rates fall between €250 and €500. Where you sit in that range depends on:
- Your ticket. Yachtmaster Ocean and MCA Master tickets command more than Yachtmaster Offshore.
- The boat. Bigger yachts, catamarans and motor yachts carry more responsibility and usually more crew to lead.
- The passage. An ocean crossing or an autumn Biscay passage is worth more than a summer coastal hop.
- Your track record. Verified certificates, logged miles and owners who come back let you quote with confidence.
Day rate, per-mile rate or fixed fee?
| Model | Typical range | Works best for |
|---|---|---|
| Day rate | €250 to €500 per day | Coastal passages, and anywhere weather holds are likely |
| Per nautical mile | €3 to €8 (monohulls under 50 ft), €5 to €12 (catamarans, larger yachts) | Long, predictable offshore passages |
| Fixed fee | One figure for the whole job | Owners who want certainty, captains confident about the timing |
A day rate protects you when the weather keeps the boat in port. A per-mile rate rewards a fast, efficient passage. A fixed fee moves the weather risk onto you, so build a buffer into it. Many professionals quote a day rate with expenses on top, because it is the easiest for an owner to compare.
What do yacht delivery crew get paid?
Paid delivery crew usually earn €150 to €300 a day, depending on experience and the passage. Not every crew position is paid: some are mile-building berths where travel and food are covered and the value is the sea time. The posting should say which, and you agree terms with the skipper or owner before you travel. More in yacht delivery crew jobs.
What does the owner pay on top of your fee?
Your fee pays for your time and responsibility. The running costs of the delivery are the owner's, usually settled on receipts:
- Your travel to the boat and home again (flights, trains, hotels)
- Fuel
- Marina, mooring and lock fees along the way
- Provisioning for the crew
- Crew fees, if the owner hires the crew rather than you
- Repairs and spares needed underway
Put this list in your quote so there are no surprises. A captain who spells out what is included and what is billed on top comes across as more professional, not more expensive.
How do you calculate your fee for a delivery?
Count every day the job takes, not just the days at sea. We plan offshore passages at about 100 nautical miles a day, a conservative round-the-clock pace; in good conditions many boats make 100 to 150.
- Preparation: usually one to two days to check the boat, provision and brief the crew
- Passage: the distance divided by your daily run, plus a buffer for weather
- Handover: usually one day at the destination
- Travel: the days you spend getting to the boat and home again
Example: a 300 nautical mile passage at 100 miles a day is three days at sea. Add a day of preparation and a day of handover and it is a five-day job. At a day rate of €300 that is €1,500 for your time, with travel and running costs on top. Quoting only the days at sea is the most common way new captains undercharge.
How much do yacht delivery captains earn a year?
There is no fixed salary. Delivery captains are usually self-employed, and income is day rate times paid days, minus your own costs such as insurance, training, certificates and the time between jobs. The table below is plain arithmetic, not survey data:
| Paid days per year | At €250 a day | At €350 a day | At €500 a day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | €7,500 | €10,500 | €15,000 |
| 60 | €15,000 | €21,000 | €30,000 |
| 100 | €25,000 | €35,000 | €50,000 |
Many delivery captains combine deliveries with instructing, charter or yard work. Two things raise the total: a rate that reflects your experience, and more paid days through owners who come back and routes you can chain together, such as a Solent to Gibraltar delivery followed by a Mediterranean hop.
Delivery skipper rates in the UK
UK delivery skippers use the same models: a day rate or a per-mile rate, with expenses on top. Most quote in pounds, so convert at the day's exchange rate when you compare with the euro ranges in this guide. On UK to Med deliveries, make sure your flight home is in the quote as an expense. Where the UK work is: Skipper jobs in the UK.
How to charge more without losing jobs
- Upload your certificates so owners can see verified paperwork on your profile
- Show the boats and waters you know, with the miles you have logged
- Specialise: catamarans, motor yachts, ocean crossings, or a region you know inside out
- Send a clear, itemised quote and a written agreement
- Ask a satisfied owner for the next job at handover
Owners who want to know what a delivery costs as a whole, expenses included, can read How much does yacht delivery cost? Real prices from real routes or see boat delivery captain rates.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the day rate for a yacht delivery captain?
- Most experienced delivery captains charge between €250 and €500 per day, with travel, fuel, marina fees and provisioning paid by the owner on top. The rate goes up with the ticket held, the size of the boat and the difficulty of the passage.
- How much do delivery skippers charge per mile?
- Typically €3 to €8 per nautical mile for monohulls under 50 ft and €5 to €12 per mile for catamarans and larger yachts, with expenses paid by the owner on top.
- How much do yacht delivery crew get paid?
- Paid delivery crew usually earn €150 to €300 per day. Some positions are unpaid mile-building berths where travel and food are covered instead.
- How much does a yacht delivery captain make a year?
- There is no fixed salary. Most delivery captains are self-employed, so yearly income is day rate times paid days, minus their own costs. For example, 60 paid days at €350 a day is €21,000 before costs.
- Should a delivery captain charge for preparation and travel days?
- Yes. A delivery usually needs one to two days of preparation and a day for handover, plus travel to and from the boat. Quoting only the days at sea is the most common way new captains undercharge.
Find your next delivery
Owners post their route, you apply with your fee and talk to them directly. Create your profile once and apply in a minute.
- Free to join and free to apply
- You set your own fee and agree it with the owner
- Upload certificates to earn Verified badges owners look for
- Chat with owners on the web or in the Boat Gigs app