Skippered yacht charter in Palamós: what a day on board is like

Chartering a yacht with a skipper in Palamós is the way to spend a whole day at sea without anyone in your group having to take the helm. You decide the plan; the skipper sails, anchors and brings you back to harbour. Here you will find which boats are available, what each one includes, what a day on board is like and how to book. They all leave from Port Marina Palamós.

Who it suits

• Groups without a boating licence. From 1 October 2026 you need at least the Licencia de Navegación (the basic Spanish boating licence) to skipper a rental boat yourself. With a skipper, you need no qualification at all.
• Groups of 10 to 12 people who want to go together on a single boat, with shade, a toilet and room to eat.
• Celebrations: a birthday, a proposal or a company outing.
• Anyone who wants to go further, as far as Llafranc or the Begur coast, without plotting courses or keeping an eye on the wind.

The skippered boats in the fleet

Prices are per boat per day, VAT included. They are higher in July and August.

Yachts: Sunseeker Camargue 50 and Absolute 45

• Sunseeker Camargue 50: 15 metres, up to 12 people, galley, two cabins and a large swim platform at the stern. From 2,200 € a day, skipper included.
• Absolute 45: 13.71 metres, up to 11 people plus crew, two double cabins, two heads, galley and air conditioning. 2,500 € a day, skipper included.

Large motorboats, always with a skipper

Two new additions for 2026, each for up to 12 people. The Gozzo Positano 32 Open is 10.5 metres long, with two cabins and a bathroom, from 1,199 € a day. The Jeanneau Cap Camarat 12.5 WA is almost 12 metres long, with three 300 hp engines, two cabins and a bathroom, from 1,704 € a day. On both, a skipper is compulsory and paid separately: 200 € a day.

A skippered sailboat: Sun Odyssey 40

Twelve metres, up to 11 people, with snorkelling gear and a paddleboard on board. From 847 € a day, skipper included, for those who would rather sail.

If there are fewer of you, several motorboats for 8 to 12 people can be hired with an optional skipper for 180 € a day. You will find them all in skippered boat hire in Palamós.

What the price includes and what costs extra

Each listing sets out its own terms. This is what they currently state:

• Absolute 45: includes the skipper, VAT, snorkelling gear, the berth at Port Marina Palamós and insurance for the boat and passengers. Fuel and final cleaning, at 50 €, are extra. The trip runs from 10:00 to 18:00; departures before 9:30 on request.
• Sunseeker Camargue 50: skipper included, fuel paid by the customer. The listing shows a cleaning fee of 220 € and, as optional extras, water toys for 50 € and an onboard assistant for 160 € a day.
• Gozzo Positano 32 Open and Cap Camarat 12.5 WA: 9:00 to 19:00, with berth, cleaning, insurance and VAT included. The skipper and fuel (charged on consumption) are extra. Waterskis, a towable ring, a paddleboard or a wakeboard cost 50 € a day each.
• Sun Odyssey 40: skipper, snorkelling gear and paddleboard included. We will confirm the remaining terms when you book.

Fuel is the cost that varies most: the Absolute 45 listing gives an approximate consumption of 40 litres per hour per engine, so a long route makes a much bigger difference than a loop around the nearby coves. Everything is broken down in how much it costs to rent a boat in Palamós.

What a day on board is like

Boarding

You meet the skipper at Port Marina Palamós at the departure time. Before casting off, they show you round the boat and the safety equipment, and you talk through the plan: quiet coves, snorkelling, seeing the villages from the sea or a leisurely lunch at anchor.

Morning: heading north

The most popular route follows the coast north: La Fosca, Cala s’Alguer, Platja del Castell and the protected stretch of Castell–Cap Roig, with the Illes Formigues further out to sea. Llafranc is about 4.5 miles from the harbour: on a yacht at a relaxed pace that is around 15 to 20 minutes without stops, and on the sailboat, a little under an hour. If time allows, the skipper may suggest carrying on to Tamariu or the Begur coast. The full route, stop by stop, is in Calella and Llafranc by boat from Palamós.

It is best to do the furthest swims in the morning, when the sea is usually calmer.

Midday: lunch at anchor

The skipper chooses the anchorage according to the day’s wind. They drop anchor on sand, never on Posidonia (seagrass), which is protected by Real Decreto 191/2026 (a Spanish Royal Decree), and outside the swimming zones, which off the beaches extend to about 200 metres from the shore. In buoy fields you tie up to a mooring buoy rather than dropping anchor. This is the time for snorkelling or paddleboarding, if the boat carries the gear.

Afternoon: the return

In summer the garbí, a south-westerly breeze, picks up from midday and raises a short chop. The entrance to Port Marina Palamós faces south, and the official harbour guide advises care with the garbí when entering, so the skipper plans the return with time to spare. If the tramontana (the strong northerly) is blowing, the usual move is to switch the plan south, towards Platja d’Aro, S’Agaró or Sant Feliu de Guíxols. We explain it in tramontana, levante and garbí.

What to bring

• Swimwear, a towel, a cap and sun cream.
• Plenty of water.
• Food, drinks or something to celebrate with: tell us when you book and we will confirm what each boat allows.
• A dry bag for your phone and a light layer for the trip back.

How to book

• Choose the boat and the date on its listing.
• Pay the deposit. Under our terms, the booking is confirmed with 50% paid in advance and the balance 7 days before departure, unless the listing gives a different percentage. On the Absolute 45, for example, the booking deposit is 40%.
• Cancellation: free up to 30 days before departure.
• Security deposit: paid on the day of boarding to the company that owns the boat and returned if there is no damage. On both yachts it is 1,500 €; on the Gozzo Positano 32 Open and the Cap Camarat 12.5 WA, 500 € when you go out with a skipper.

For July and August, book well ahead. Both yachts are compared in yacht charter in Palamós.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence?

No. With a skipper, they are the one in command of the boat, so nobody in the group needs a qualification or any experience.

How many people can come?

Up to 12 on the Sunseeker Camargue 50, the Gozzo Positano 32 Open and the Cap Camarat 12.5 WA, and up to 11 on the Absolute 45 and the Sun Odyssey 40. If there are more of you, you can book two boats and sail together.

Can we choose the route?

Yes. You suggest the plan and the skipper adapts it to the wind and sea conditions on the day. For safety reasons, they may also change the route or bring the return forward.

What if the weather is bad on the day?

If the company that owns the boat, the skipper or Capitanía Marítima (the Spanish maritime authority) advise against going out for safety reasons, you will be offered a new date or a full refund of what you have paid.

Choose your yacht on its listing and book online, or write to us via the contact page with the date and number of people, and we will suggest the boat and a plan for the day.