{"id":29974,"date":"2020-12-16T21:07:05","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T20:07:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/?p=29974"},"modified":"2026-04-30T10:26:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T10:26:20","slug":"sailing-with-a-skipper-what-a-skipper-does","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/en\/sailing-with-a-skipper-what-a-skipper-does\/","title":{"rendered":"Boat rental with a skipper: what a skipper does and how to book"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>You don&#8217;t need a sailing licence, sailing experience, or any boating background to spend a week at sea. A <strong>boat rental with a skipper<\/strong> is the way millions of holidaymakers actually charter yachts in the Mediterranean: you pick the boat, the skipper comes with it, and the entire navigational and harbour-authority side of the trip becomes someone else&#8217;s problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This guide covers what a skipper does day to day, what a skippered week costs, how to book one, and where the best skippered yacht charters are right now in Croatia, Greece and Mallorca.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#what-does-a-skipper-do\">What does a skipper actually do?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#do-i-need-a-licence\">Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#skippered-charter-croatia\">Skippered yacht charter in Croatia<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#skippered-charter-greece\">Skippered yacht charter in the Greek islands<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#skippered-charter-mallorca\">Skippered yacht charter in Mallorca and the Balearics<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#becoming-a-skipper\">What it takes to become a skipper<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#why-skippered-is-smart\">Why a skippered week is actually the smart choice<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#ready-to-book\">Ready to book a skippered yacht charter?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Skipper-2.jpg\" alt=\"Skipper at the helm of a sailing yacht under blue sky, smiling, an example of a boat rental with a skipper\" class=\"wp-image-30015 lazyload\" title=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/533;\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Boat rental with a skipper<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-does-a-skipper-do\">What does a skipper actually do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A skipper is a licensed professional sailor who runs your charter for the week. They are not a guide, not a tour operator, and not a hired hand: they are the legal master of the vessel and the person responsible for everything that happens on board, from the navigation plan to the dock lines to the weather call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The day-to-day breakdown:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Navigation and weather.<\/strong> The skipper plans the route based on wind forecasts, sea conditions and your preferences. If a storm is building, the skipper either reroutes or stays in port, regardless of what the itinerary said in advance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Boat handling.<\/strong> Med-mooring stern-to in a tight Croatian or Greek harbour with metres of slack on the lazy lines and a 15-knot crosswind is genuinely difficult. The skipper does that. You watch from the cockpit with a drink.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Safety.<\/strong> Trained in marine first aid, sea survival, VHF radio operation and maritime emergency procedures. Carries the certifications that local port authorities check before you leave the dock.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Local knowledge.<\/strong> Which cala holds in a southerly, which family-run konoba on Vis or Symi is worth the detour, when to leave Mykonos to beat the lunchtime meltemi build. That is the part you cannot Google.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/shutterstock_276833846.jpg\" alt=\"Experienced skipper in a yellow rain jacket at the helm of a sailing yacht\" class=\"wp-image-30006 lazyload\" title=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/533;\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A working skipper at the helm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"do-i-need-a-licence\">Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not when you book with a skipper. The skipper holds the licences for the entire group. In Croatia, Greece and Spain, the harbour authority will check the captain&#8217;s papers, not yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most countries that take charter seriously (Croatia, Greece, Spain, Italy, Turkey) require an internationally recognised certificate for bareboat charter, typically the ICC plus a VHF licence, or a national equivalent like the RYA Day Skipper or the Spanish PER. With a skipper aboard, none of that applies to you or your guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How to book a skippered yacht charter on Borrow A Boat:<\/p>\n\n\n<!-- wp:list{\"ordered\":true} -->\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pick your destination, dates and group size on the search.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tick the &#8220;I need a skipper&#8221; option, or pick a boat that lists skippered charter as available.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Browse the boats that come back. The skipper fee is shown alongside the boat price.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Confirm the booking. Your skipper&#8217;s contact details land in your inbox a few days before check-in.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<!-- \/wp:post-content -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>Note:<\/em> the skipper counts as one of the people on board for sleeping arrangements. A boat that sleeps eight has room for seven guests plus the skipper. Plan group size accordingly.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"skippered-charter-croatia\">Skippered yacht charter in Croatia<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Croatia is the densest skipper-charter market in the Mediterranean. Over a thousand islands, hundreds of fishing villages, UNESCO sites in Dubrovnik and Split, and the kind of clear water that ruins you for everywhere else.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The mainstream Croatian skippered week runs from Split, Trogir, \u0160ibenik or Dubrovnik. The classic loop is Split-Hvar-Vis-Kor\u010dula. The quieter alternative is the Kornati national park out of \u0160ibenik or Biograd. The dramatic option is south Dalmatia from Dubrovnik (Mljet, Lastovo, the Elaphite islands).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Croatia is also one of the stricter charter countries on paperwork (ICC plus VHF for bareboat), and the bura wind, a NE katabatic that drops down off the Velebit, can shift from calm to 40 knots in half an hour in shoulder season. Both reasons to have someone aboard who handles paperwork and reads the weather for breakfast.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/en\/boat-charter\/croatia-with-skipper\/\"><strong>Browse skippered yachts in Croatia &rarr;<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"skippered-charter-greece\">Skippered yacht charter in the Greek islands<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Greece is set up for island-hopping. The Saronic out of Athens (Hydra, Spetses, Poros) is the easy week, especially for a first charter. The Ionian out of Lefkada or Corfu (Meganisi, Ithaca, Kefalonia) is the family-friendly sheltered option. The Cyclades from Athens or Mykonos (Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Santorini) is the dramatic photo-album week. The Sporades and the Dodecanese sit further north and east.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The signature wind is the meltemi: a strong NW Etesian that runs through the Aegean in summer, peaking in July and August at 25 to 40 knots in the Cyclades. The Ionian and the Saronic barely see it. Picking the right cruising area for the season is the first thing your skipper does, and the reason most experienced charter guests prefer May, June and September.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/en\/boat-charter\/greece-with-skipper\/\"><strong>Browse skippered yachts in Greece &rarr;<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"skippered-charter-mallorca\">Skippered yacht charter in Mallorca and the Balearics<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands and Spain&#8217;s most popular charter base. The Bay of Palma is the easy first day. The Tramuntana coast (Andratx, Sa Dragonera, Port de S\u00f3ller) is the dramatic side. The southeast calas (Cala d&#8217;Or, Mondrag\u00f3, Es Trenc) are the postcard ones. Cabrera national park sits 25 nautical miles south of Palma and is worth the day trip if your route allows the permit booking.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Spain requires the PER (Patr\u00f3n de Embarcaciones de Recreo) or a recognised international equivalent for bareboat. With a skipper, that is their problem. Mallorca&#8217;s signature wind is the embat, a NE thermal sea breeze that fills around midday and dies after sunset, much more predictable than the meltemi. The skipper plans your day around it: leave Palma early to be at anchor in a cala by lunch, swim through the afternoon, return after the wind drops.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/en\/boat-charter\/mallorca-with-skipper\/\"><strong>Browse skippered yachts in Mallorca &rarr;<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"becoming-a-skipper\">What it takes to become a skipper<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Skippers are licensed professionals, not enthusiastic amateurs. The standard European path is the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) qualification ladder, ending in the Yachtmaster Offshore certificate, considered the international gold standard. American skippers usually come up through the ASA (American Sailing Association) ladder.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Beyond the sailing certificate itself, every working charter skipper holds:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>VHF radio operator certificate<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Marine first aid<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Sea survival<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Local commercial endorsement for the country they work in (paid charter requires a stricter qualification than recreational sailing)<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Most skippers have logged several thousand nautical miles, sail multiple seasons in different cruising grounds, and speak the language of every port they work in. It is a profession in the proper sense, with all the certifications that implies.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-skippered-is-smart\">Why a skippered week is actually the smart choice<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Some guests worry the skipper will be a third wheel on what is meant to be their holiday. The opposite usually ends up being true. Without a skipper, half your week becomes navigation prep, weather watching and parking-the-boat anxiety. With one, you swim more, eat better, and arrive everywhere by sunset.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The concrete benefits:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Med-mooring is someone else&#8217;s problem.<\/strong> Watching a stranger reverse a 14-metre catamaran into a 15-metre slot in a crosswind is one of the small pleasures of a skippered week.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Damage from handling errors<\/strong> falls on the skipper&#8217;s professional cover, not your security deposit.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Local routing.<\/strong> The skipper knows which port to skip in August, which cala holds in the afternoon swell, which konoba serves the proper peka rather than the tourist version.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Optional sailing school built in.<\/strong> Most guests take the helm at some point during the week. The skipper teaches as much or as little as you ask. There is no exam.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>The boat is fully yours.<\/strong> The skipper sleeps in the bow cabin or the saloon depending on the layout, eats with the group, and stays out of your way when you are not sailing.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ready-to-book\">Ready to book a skippered yacht charter?<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Pick the country first, the boat second, and let the skipper handle the route at the briefing. The three biggest skippered-charter markets in the Mediterranean are all live on Borrow A Boat:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/en\/boat-charter\/croatia-with-skipper\/\"><strong>Croatia yacht charter with skipper<\/strong><\/a>: Split, Trogir, \u0160ibenik, Dubrovnik. The classic Adriatic week.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/en\/boat-charter\/greece-with-skipper\/\"><strong>Greece yacht charter with skipper<\/strong><\/a>: Athens, Lefkada, Corfu, Kos. Aegean, Ionian, Sporades or Dodecanese, the skipper picks the right area for the season.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/en\/boat-charter\/mallorca-with-skipper\/\"><strong>Mallorca yacht charter with skipper<\/strong><\/a>: Palma, Andratx, S\u00f3ller, Pollensa. Bay of Palma, Tramuntana coast, southeast calas, Cabrera.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>For the broader fleet, browse <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/en\/t\/sailboat\/\">all our sailing yachts<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/en\/t\/catamaran\/\">all our catamarans<\/a>. Pack a swimsuit, we will handle the rest.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You don&#8217;t need a sailing licence, sailing experience, or any boating background to spend a week at sea. A boat rental with a skipper is the way millions of holidaymakers actually charter yachts in the Mediterranean: you pick the boat, the skipper comes with it, and the entire navigational and harbour-authority side of the trip &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Boat rental with a skipper: what a skipper does and how to book\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/en\/sailing-with-a-skipper-what-a-skipper-does\/#more-29974\" aria-label=\"More on Boat rental with a skipper: what a skipper does and how to book\">Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":56967,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","infinite-scroll-item","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29974","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29974"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29974\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60308,"href":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29974\/revisions\/60308"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56967"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.borrowaboat.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}