Everything people ask before booking

For six guests in mid-season: the yacht itself typically €2,000–€4,000 per week from a partner fleet, my skipper service €180–€220 per day, plus running costs (fuel, water, mooring fees, roughly €250–€450) and end cleaning. Split between a full crew, most groups land between €600 and €1,100 per person for the week before food. You always get one written all-in quote first.

Included: all skippering, passage planning, weather routing, harbour manoeuvres, safety briefings, local knowledge, and my time from handover to handback. Not included (by charter custom): my meals aboard or ashore, travel to and from the boat, and a berth for me on the yacht. Every expense is agreed in writing before you commit.

The yacht is paid to the charter fleet under their terms (usually 50% to book, balance before boarding). My skipper service is a separate written agreement — typically a deposit to lock the dates and the balance at the start of the trip. No hidden extras on the dock.

Yes — multi-week charters and repeat bookings get reduced day rates. Ask when you enquire.

Yes — charter fleets hold a refundable security deposit for the yacht (typically €1,500–€4,000 depending on boat size). Most fleets offer deposit insurance that reduces the risk to a small non-refundable premium; I help you choose what makes sense.

No. That is the point of hiring a skipper: I hold an internationally valid Coastal Skipper certificate (vessels up to 24 m LOA, day and night, up to 12 NM offshore), the ICC, and a VHF radio licence. The paperwork is my job.

None at all. Guests who want to learn are welcome at the helm and on the winches under my guidance; guests who want a floating holiday can simply enjoy it. Both make a good crew.

Yes — sailing holidays are wonderful for families. We fit the route to the crew: shorter legs, more swim stops, harnesses and lifejackets for the small ones, and harbours with ice cream.

Honest answer: it can happen, and route planning is the best medicine. We favour morning passages before the wind builds, sheltered waters when the forecast is lively, and there is always a harbour option. Bring your preferred remedy; I will do the rest with the itinerary.

Home waters are Greece (Saronic, Cyclades, Ionian) and Croatia (Dalmatia). Beyond that — anywhere a boat needs a captain: other Mediterranean waters and further afield by arrangement, for both charters and deliveries.

May–June and September–October are the sweet spots: warm sea, kinder winds, quieter harbours, better prices. July–August is peak summer — brilliant atmosphere, strongest winds (meltemi in the Aegean), highest prices, busiest moorings. April and late October are the quiet bargains — fresher weather, empty anchorages.

The plan changes — and I tell you early. A skippered itinerary is a menu, not a contract: we swap exposed passages for sheltered ones, wait out a blow in a good taverna harbour, and never sail into conditions the crew will not enjoy. Safety decisions are mine and they are not negotiable; the fun ones are all yours.

Your choice: self-cater from island supermarkets, eat ashore in tavernas, or mix both (most crews mix). By charter custom the crew covers the skipper’s meals — I promise to be cheap company and to know where the good kitchens are.

For July–August and the best boats: three to six months ahead. Shoulder season is more forgiving — weeks are often possible with a month’s notice, and last-minute day sails can sometimes be arranged within days. Asking costs nothing.

Yes — coastal deliveries and repositioning are a regular part of the work: between islands, marinas or seasons, up to 24 m, day and night within coastal limits. Quoted per passage: day rate × realistic passage days plus return travel.

Monohull sailing yachts and catamarans up to 24 m, plus motor boats within my licence. Charter boats come from established, licensed fleets in Greece and Croatia — insured, surveyed and maintained.

Soft bags (no hard suitcases), non-marking shoes, layers for the evening breeze, swimwear, high-SPF sunscreen and a hat. Towels and bed linen are usually provided by the fleet — confirmed in your quote.

Yes — day sails and multi-boat mini-flotillas work brilliantly for teams, birthdays and proposals. Tell me the occasion and the headcount and I will suggest a format that fits.

Taip! Aboard we speak English or Lithuanian — whichever your crew prefers.

Yes, weather permitting. Coastal deliveries and repositioning run through spring and autumn windows; winter passages are planned conservatively around reliable forecasts.