Boat captain cost is a hard number to pin down online. Plenty of captains want a phone call before they'll say a price. So I went through the rate pages that delivery captains and captains for hire actually publish, and put the numbers in one place.
Captains mostly price by the day, but the day rate isn't the whole bill. On a delivery the owner also pays fuel, dockage, the captain's travel and crew meals. Day count is what turns a day rate into a total.
Quick answer: Published day rates for a licensed delivery captain run from about $300 to $950 a day on operator websites, and most fall between $300 and $600. Captains who post an hourly rate list $105 to $160 an hour, and one operator posts a three hour minimum. A mate or deckhand adds $150 to $300 a day. Fuel, dockage, captain travel and crew meals are on the owner, at cost. My own rate is $750 per daylight running day, and the delivery estimator runs the day math for your route.
Boat captain cost by job type
Every number in the middle column comes from a published rate page, linked in the next section.
| Job | Published rates on operator sites | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly or half day captain | $105 to $160/hr $650 half day at one operator |
$105 has a 3 hour minimum. $160 and $650 include coaching |
| Full day captain, daylight | $735 to $950/day | $735 is an 8 hour operating day. $950 is a full day with coaching |
| Boat delivery captain | $300 to $950/day Most $300 to $600 |
Plus fuel, dockage, travel and crew meals at cost |
| Travel day to or from the boat | Half the day rate | Plus the actual cost of getting there and back |
| Relief or fill-in captain | No separate published rate | Expect day or half day pricing |
| Sea trial captain | Hourly minimum or half day | At $105/hr with a 3 hour minimum, a short trial starts at $315 |
| Mate or deckhand | $150 to $300/day | Credentialed seaman: $175/day at one operator, about $300 at another |
| Catalyst Marine (my posted rates) | $750 per daylight running day $450 half day, up to 4 hours |
Travel and weather days $375. Owner pays fuel, dockage, captain travel and meals at cost |
Ranges are the published rates, not quotes. "Starting at" rates go up with boat size and trip length on most of these pages.
Want the day count for your run?
Put in your ports and cruising speed to see the running days at my posted rates.
Price My DeliveryHow much does a boat delivery captain cost per day?
Most published delivery captain rates sit between $300 and $800 a day, and one Annapolis operator lists yacht delivery from $950 a day. Here's who posts what.
These are published rates on operator sites as of November 2026, listed for comparison, not as a ranking.
| Rate page | Captain | Crew |
|---|---|---|
| East Coast Boat Delivery | From $325/day | Deckhand $150/day. Travel days at half rate, fuel and dockage at owner's expense |
| Professional Yacht Delivery | $300 to $500/day | Priced by the day only. Crew added as trip length requires |
| Trusted Yacht Delivery | $400 to $800/day | Crew $200 to $300/day, credentialed seaman about $300 |
| Coastal Yacht Delivery | From $475/day | Deckhand from $240/day. 50% deposit to book |
| Captain James Lowe | From $495/day | Deckhand $275/day |
| Capable Captain | $600/day | NASBLA certified crew $300/day |
| USCG Master Captain | $105/hr or $735/day | 3 hour minimum on hourly. The day is an 8 hour operating day |
| Best Boating Annapolis | $160/hr, $650 half day, $950 day | Captain plus coaching on your boat. Yacht delivery listed from $950/day |
What drives the cost of a boat captain?
The biggest cost drivers are boat size, distance and day count, the route, weather days, crew, captain travel, fuel and dockage, insurance requirements and license level. Size and license move the day rate. The rest moves the day count or the expenses.
Boat size and complexity
A twin outboard center console and a 56 foot diesel express are different jobs. Bigger boats often need a higher license and extra crew, which is why so many rates say "starting at."
Distance and day count
Distance sets the number of running days, and days are what you pay for. A slow boat costs more in captain time than a fast one on the same route.
Inside or outside
The ICW is slower and more protected. Running outside is faster but needs a weather window and safe inlets, so the route choice changes the day count.
Weather days
A good captain won't leave into a bad forecast. Trusted Yacht Delivery's page notes that captain and crew rates may continue during a weather delay once the crew is aboard. I bill a weather day at half rate, $375.
Crew needed
Capable Captain's rate page says most one or two day deliveries on boats under 50 feet need a captain and one crew member. Professional Yacht Delivery says trips of more than four or five days usually need two extra crew so everyone gets sleep while a watch is kept. Overnight running adds cost too. USCG Master Captain posts $1,050 a day for an overnight 24 hour on-call captain, with alternating crew at $450 a day.
Captain travel
East Coast Boat Delivery bills travel days at half the daily rate plus round trip transportation by rental car, bus, train or plane. Professional Yacht Delivery waives travel when the crew lives within 50 miles of the boat.
Fuel and dockage
Fuel is the owner's cost on the delivery rate pages above, and so is dockage at overnight stops. Coastal Yacht Delivery asks for a credit card or deposit to cover fuel and marina fees. USCG Master Captain's page puts typical dockage at $75 to $200 a night depending on the port.
Insurance approval
The owner's insurer usually needs to approve a hired captain before the trip. East Coast Boat Delivery's page also notes that some insurers require a minimum number of crew.
License level
Professional Yacht Delivery matches the license to the boat, and says it won't send a 1600 ton captain at $500 a day to deliver a 36 foot sailboat. My guide to USCG captain licenses covers what each level allows.
How many days will a boat delivery take?
To estimate delivery days, divide the route in nautical miles by 85% of your boat's cruising speed to get hours underway, then plan on about 8 running hours per daylight day. A 150 nautical mile run at a 20 knot cruise is about 9 hours underway, which is 2 running days plus a travel day.
That's the method behind my estimator. The 85% allows for sea state and no wake zones.
Worked example: 150 nm at a 20 knot cruise. 20 knots times 85% is 17 knots, and 150 divided by 17 is about 9 hours underway. At 8 running hours a day, that's 2 running days ($1,500 at $750) plus 1 travel day ($375), so $1,875 in captain time. If a weather day comes up, it's $2,250. Fuel and dockage are added on top at cost.
Run the same distance in a 10 knot trawler and the hours roughly double, and the trip goes from 2 running days to 3.
Do boat delivery captains charge by the mile?
Most delivery captains charge by the day, not the mile. Trusted Yacht Delivery describes captain and crew day rates as the common pricing method, and Professional Yacht Delivery charges by the day only. Per-mile pricing is common for truck transport, where the cost follows road miles and permits.
If your boat can be trailered, I compare trucking and a captain side by side in boat transport vs a delivery captain, with published per-mile truck rates.
What does the owner pay on top of the captain's rate?
On top of the captain's day rate, the owner pays fuel, dockage at overnight stops, the captain's travel to and from the boat, and crew meals on multi-day runs. East Coast Boat Delivery lists provisions at $25 per person per day and Captain James Lowe lists $67.50, and deposits run 25% to 50% of the estimate.
| Expense | Published figures |
|---|---|
| Fuel | At cost, owner pays |
| Dockage at overnight stops | $75 to $200 a night typical (USCG Master Captain) |
| Crew meals and provisions | $25 (East Coast Boat Delivery) to $67.50 (Captain James Lowe) per person per day |
| Captain and crew travel | Travel days at half rate, plus transportation |
| Deposit | 25% (East Coast Boat Delivery) to 50% (Coastal Yacht Delivery) |
Boat captain cost in Ocean City and on the Eastern Shore
In Ocean City, MD and across the Eastern Shore, Catalyst Marine's posted captain rate is $750 per daylight running day and $450 for a half day of up to 4 hours. Travel and weather days are $375. The owner pays fuel, dockage, captain travel and meals on multi-day runs at cost.
| What | Rate |
|---|---|
| Daylight running day | $750 |
| Half day, up to 4 hours (local moves, sea trials) | $450 |
| Travel day or weather day | $375 |
| Repeat dealers and brokers, multi-day work | $650/day |
| Fuel, dockage, captain travel, meals on multi-day runs | Owner pays at cost |
| Deposit | 50% on trips over two days |
My $750 sits above the $300 to $600 middle of the published range. That rate covers daylight running and a written quote before you book, plus dated photos at both ends of the trip and texts while the boat is underway. Because I also detail boats, yours can arrive washed or detailed.
What common runs cost with me
| Run (25 knot cruise) | Distance | Running days | Captain cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annapolis to Ocean City, MD via the C&D Canal | 148 nm | 1 | $1,125 |
| Annapolis to Ocean City, MD via the bay entrance | 229 nm | 2 | $1,875 |
Example only. Fuel and dockage are extra, at cost. Distances are NOAA figures from my Chesapeake to Delaware Bay route guide (148 nm is 65 to the canal's east entrance plus 83; 229 nm is 129 plus 100). Math: 25 knots times 85% is 21.25 knots. 148 divided by 21.25 is 7.0 hours, so 1 running day at $750 plus 1 travel day at $375. 229 divided by 21.25 is 10.8 hours, so 2 running days at $1,500 plus 1 travel day at $375. A weather day adds $375.
I run in daylight. An overnight leg is something I look at case by case, and if it makes sense for the boat and the route, it gets priced in the written quote. I take trips between U.S. ports only. Dealers and brokers moving boats on a regular basis can see the dealer and broker details.
Who's running the boat
I'm a 100 Ton USCG Near Coastal Master, licensed since 2018. I ran 48 to 78 foot crewboats for two years, then spent three seasons running Sea Quenched Private Charters out of Ocean City. I've run coastal deliveries between New York and North Carolina, and in October 2026 I was one of two captains, with a mate, on a Hunt Ocean 56 from Annapolis to Fort Lauderdale for the boat show. I'm a CAPCA member.
I'm also a full-time Starke certified detailer, so your boat can arrive washed or detailed. Before departure I do a pre-departure check with dated photos. That's a captain's check, not a marine survey. If you're buying, my post on sea trials vs marine surveys explains who does what.
Where I run
Home base is Ocean City, MD. Local work covers the Delmarva coast, the coastal bays behind Ocean City, the Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware Bay, and deliveries run up and down the East Coast. Day captain work, relief captain fill-ins, sea trials and storm moves are on my captain services page.
Moving a boat on the East Coast?
Put in the ports and the cruising speed and you'll see the day count at my posted rates. Every trip still gets a written quote.
Frequently asked questions about boat captain cost
Do you tip a hired boat captain?
On a charter, guests commonly tip the captain and crew. For a delivery captain or day captain you hired at a day rate, a tip isn't expected. It's appreciated when the trip went well, but the day rate is the price.
How much does a relief captain cost?
None of the rate pages I checked list a separate relief captain rate. Relief work is priced like a day captain, at a day or half day rate. My rate for relief work is $750 a day or $450 for a half day of up to 4 hours. Details are on my captain services page.
How much does a sea trial captain cost?
Most sea trials fit inside an hourly minimum or a half day. One published rate is $105 an hour with a 3 hour minimum, so a short trial starts at $315. My half day rate, up to 4 hours, is $450. A sea trial is not a marine survey, so a buyer still needs an accredited surveyor. More in sea trial vs marine survey.
Do I pay for the delivery captain's travel?
Usually, yes. Published rate pages commonly bill travel days at half the day rate, plus the actual cost of getting the captain to the boat and home again. One operator waives travel when the crew lives within 50 miles of the boat. My travel days are $375, with travel costs passed through at cost.
Does my insurance company need to approve a hired captain?
Usually, yes. The owner's insurer typically needs to approve a hired captain before the trip, and some insurers require a minimum number of crew. Send the captain's license details to your agent and wait for the OK before anyone unties a line.
How much does it cost to have a boat delivered by water?
A water delivery costs the captain's day rate times the running days, plus travel days, any weather days, fuel and dockage. At my rates, a 150 nautical mile run at a 20 knot cruise comes to $1,875 in captain time, or $2,250 with a weather day, plus fuel and dockage at cost. If the boat can be trailered, compare it against truck transport.
How do you get an accurate boat captain quote?
To get an accurate boat captain quote, send the departure and arrival ports, the boat's model and length, its cruising speed and fuel burn, your dates and how flexible they are, and any recent service work. Get the quote in writing, and check with your insurer before you book.
- Ports. Where the boat is and where it's going, including the marina names.
- Model and length. This sets the day rate and the crew the trip needs.
- Cruising speed and fuel burn. Speed sets the day count. Fuel burn sets the fuel budget and the fuel stops.
- Dates and flexibility. A wider window makes weather easier to wait out.
- Recent service work. When the engines, impellers, filters and batteries were last serviced, and anything that's been acting up.
Get the quote in writing, with the day rate, the expected running days, travel days, how weather days are billed, and what you'll be paying at cost. Then send the captain's license details to your insurance agent for approval.
My guide to hiring a delivery captain has the questions to ask first.
See what your run would cost
The estimator does the day math at my posted rates. Ocean City, the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay and the East Coast, U.S. ports only.