Skippered or bareboat boat hire in Spain: which suits you

1. What each option means

Bareboat (sin patrón in Spanish): you hire the boat and drive it yourself. You sign as the responsible skipper. You need the licence that matches the length and power (see what licence you need) and, on boats of any size, the company has to trust your experience.

Skippered (con patrón): the company provides a professional who drives the boat. You decide where to go within reason; the skipper decides whether it can be done. You need no licence. On big yachts there may also be a deckhand or crew.

2. When the company will insist on a skipper

Even with a valid licence, there are cases where they will not let you go alone:

• Length: above 12–15 metres, almost no company hires bareboat to someone it does not know.
• Type of boat: catamarans and big motor yachts, almost always skippered.
• Experience: if your licence is recent or you cannot show miles on similar boats, they may require a skipper for the first day (a "skippered check-out") and leave you alone afterwards.
• Passages: to cross to another island or spend a night away from the home harbour, some companies require a skipper even if your licence allows it.
• Weather: with a strong-wind warning they may make the departure conditional on a skipper, or cancel.

None of this is whim. The boat is theirs and the insurance has conditions they know better than you.

3. What the skipper costs

The skipper is charged per day, on top of the boat, except on yachts where it is included. Indicative range (September 2026): from €50 for half a day on small motorboats to €150–250 per day on sailing boats and bigger motorboats; more on yachts. Add their food and drink on board (it is customary and sometimes in the contract) and, if they sleep aboard on a week's hire, a cabin.

On a 10- to 12-metre sailing boat that costs €400–900 a day bareboat, the skipper takes the price to €600–1,500. Shared between 6 or 8 people, the difference is €25–40 per person per day.

4. Who each option is for

Bareboat suits you if:

• You hold a licence and have real experience on a similar boat.
• You want total freedom of timing and destination.
• You are a small group on a tight budget.
• It is a no-licence boat or a small motorboat for a trip to a cove.

Skippered suits you if:

• You have no licence or have not sailed for years.
• You are a group and everyone wants to swim, drink and not watch the anchor.
• You want to do a passage (Dénia–Ibiza, Mallorca–Cabrera, Formentera from Ibiza) without knowing the area.
• You are hiring a catamaran or a yacht: it will be required anyway.
• It is your first hire. A day with a skipper teaches more than a course.

5. How to work with the skipper

Three things that avoid misunderstandings:

1. Agree the route before leaving, with alternatives if the wind changes. The skipper is in charge of the sailing; the group is in charge of the plan.
2. Ask what their day includes: departure time, return time, whether they anchor for lunch, whether they go ashore.
3. Food and drink: the norm is to include the skipper. If you would rather not, say so when booking.

Tipping is not compulsory. On day hires in Spain it is not usual; on week-long crewed charters, it is.

6. Where skippered hire is the norm

Some harbours in the directory are skippered harbours by nature. Ibiza town, Puerto Portals, Port Adriano and Puerto Banús are built around motor yachts and catamarans with crew; Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga city are group markets where the sailing boats and catamarans go out with a skipper because of harbour traffic; Menorca's Mahón has twelve companies advertising skippered hire. At the other end, Sant Antoni de Portmany, Fornells, Alcúdia, Fuengirola and the Mar Menor are the bareboat and no-licence harbours. Each destination page shows how many companies advertise each option.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence if I hire with a skipper? No. The skipper is responsible for the boat. You and your group are passengers.

Can I take the helm for a while even with a skipper? Usually yes, with the skipper beside you and in calm conditions. It is their call.

Does the skipper count as a seat? Yes. An 8-seat boat with a skipper carries 7 passengers. Check when booking.

Can I have a skipper just for the first day? Many companies offer it on week hires: a "check-out" day with a skipper to learn the boat and the area, then the rest on your own.

What if the skipper decides not to go out because of the weather? Their judgement prevails. Companies usually offer a change of date or a partial refund; check the contract before signing.

Do skippers speak English? In the Balearics, the Costa Blanca, the Costa del Sol and the Canaries, almost always. On the Galician and Cantabrian coasts, ask when booking.