Skippered Yacht Charter

What is a Skippered Yacht Charter?

A skippered yacht charter is the ideal way to experience the freedom of sailing without the need for prior nautical skills or licenses. With this option, you rent a yacht with a professional skipper who expertly handles navigation, docking, and all technical responsibilities. This ensures you can fully immerse yourself in the beauty of Croatia’s stunning coastline and islands, enjoying a carefree holiday filled with relaxation, adventure, and unforgettable moments.

Who Should Choose Skippered Yacht Charter?

• Novices with limited sailing experience
• Sailors without formal qualifications
• Explorers hesitant to navigate unfamiliar waters alone
• Seasoned sailors seeking stress-free vacations

What are Benefits of Hiring a Skipper?

Having a professional skipper onboard means:

• Stress-Free Sailing: No need to worry about navigation, weather, or safety.
• Local Expertise: Skippers know the best routes, secluded bays, and local restaurants.
• Tailored Itineraries: Your skipper can customize the trip based on your preferences.
• Learning Opportunity: Gain sailing tips or hands-on experience if you’re interested.
• More Quality Time: Spend more time with loved ones while the skipper handles the technical details.

Who are Our Skippers?

We meticulously select skippers to ensure your utmost satisfaction. Alongside sailing skills, we prioritize friendly, knowledgeable individuals. Our skippers, passionate about the sea, hail as local professionals and experienced sailors, often multilingual and possessing rich cultural insights.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Skipper?

This charter includes yacht rental, skipper’s fee, and skipper’s meals. The skipper’s rate is 1.540€ weekly plus meals. Other costs  – boat, mooring fees and the fuel- are the same as when bareboating – see Bareboat yacht charter in Croatia.

What Are the Skipper’s Responsibilities?

Your skipper is responsible for:

• Ensuring your safety and the boat’s security.
• Navigating and docking the yacht.
• Offering local insights and advice on destinations and activities.
• Adjusting the itinerary based on weather conditions and your preferences.

What Are Your Obligations Toward the Skipper?

To ensure a smooth trip, you need to:

• Respect the skipper’s need for rest and personal space.
• Provide meals and drinks 
• Provide a cabin and toilet (or use of toilet).
• Assist with mooring lines and fenders if needed.
• Avoid assigning non-sailing duties like cleaning or cooking.

Where Does the Skipper Sleep?

Skippers need a private sleeping area onboard. When booking choose a yacht with a layout that includes a separate cabin for the skipper.

How Do the Skipper’s Meals Work?

When chartering a yacht with a skipper, it’s your responsibility to provide their meals during the trip. This is usually done by including the skipper in your onboard meal plans and inviting them to join you when dining at restaurants. If you prefer more privacy during meals ashore, you can give an allowance, typically €40, for the skipper to dine independently. Ensuring the skipper has proper meals not only fulfills this obligation but also contributes to their energy and focus, allowing them to provide you with the best sailing experience.

Is a Security Deposit Required with Skippered Charter?

Yes, a security deposit is mandatory even for skippered charters. The deposit covers potential damages caused by you or your group (e.g., broken equipment, blocked toilets) but not damages caused by the skipper. Our skippers carry professional liability insurance for your peace of mind.

Should You Tip Your Skipper?

Tipping is a common practice in the hospitality industry in Croatia yet not obligatory. Tipping your skipper at the end of your charter is customary though not obligatory. The typical tip amounts to 5-15% of the total charter cost. Your budget and satisfaction should guide your tipping decision. More about tipping etiquette on charter can be read in our blog post here.

Some useful tips for Skippered Yacht Charter in Croatia

If this is your first time chartering a boat please consider the following tips which might make your living onboard easier:

• on the first day of the charter sit down with your skipper and discuss your itinerary, as well as the other aspects of living aboard:
  – what do you want from your holiday
  – destinations you plan to visit
  – sailing vs. motoring hours
• don’t aim for over-ambitious distances between the islands, since the sailboat is a rather slow means of transport, don’t end up motoring the whole day with little or no stops for lunch in a bay, relaxation onboard, swimming … you can not see everything there is to be seen anyway
• please understand that sometimes due to the weather conditions, the skipper will not be able to provide the entire route that you agreed on, but this is only for your and the boat’s safety
• whenever, during your trip, you feel that you are not getting what you want from your holidays, discuss it with the skipper or let us know and we will look into the solution
• the boat is a confined space, if there are a lot of people onboard, consider taking a larger boat as well as going for the overnight mooring in the area with the marinas and ports since they have got not only good toilet and shower facilities but also more entertaining options.

How to Book a Skippered Yacht Charter?

Booking a skippered charter with Fair Wind is easy:

1. Choose your yacht type and travel dates.
2. Request the skipper service during the booking process.
3. Discuss your preferences with us to ensure a tailored experience.