Most delivery disputes come from three places: who pays which cost, what waiting on weather costs, and a breakdown on the way. The sample below puts all three in writing before anyone signs.
In short
- The service fee and the owner's costs are listed separately.
- The decision to sail or wait rests with the skipper for safety.
- The boat stays on the owner's insurance; cover is confirmed in writing before departure.
- A photographed report is signed at departure and arrival.
1. Sample Contract
SAMPLE, YACHT DELIVERY CONTRACT
1. Parties and vessel
- Owner (or authorised representative): name, address, contact
- Service provider: SurveyYat, skipper: Yacht Captain (149 GT)
- Vessel: name, make and model, length, flag, home port, registration number
- Annexes: written quote, departure and arrival report, written insurance confirmation
2. Scope of service
- Departure port, destination and planned route
- Crew: skipper, plus a deckhand where needed; the number is stated in the quote
- Passage plan: daylight legs or continuous passage with watches
- Estimated duration depends on weather and the boat's condition; it is an estimate, not a promised arrival date
3. Fees and costs
- Service fee: crew fee as quoted
- Owner's costs, paid at actual amounts: fuel, provisions, marina and port fees, canal and agent fees, transit log and customs charges, crew travel
- Weather waiting: first 24 hours at no extra charge; beyond that, the daily crew rate in the quote
- Any spend over €150 on the way needs the owner's written approval (WhatsApp included)
- No commission is added to these items; receipts and invoices are handed over at arrival
4. Payment
- 50% on booking (this secures the dates)
- The remaining 50% before departure, when the departure report is signed
- Costs spent on the way are settled at arrival against receipts
- Bank transfer or SWIFT; an invoice is issued for every payment
5. Owner's obligations
- Hand over the boat seaworthy, with fuel and consumables ready
- Keep valid documents aboard: registration, insurance policy, transit log for foreign flags
- Confirm in writing before departure that the policy covers this delivery, the navigation area and sailing with a professional skipper
- Declare known defects in advance
- Keep safety equipment in date: liferaft service, extinguishers, flares
- Remove valuables or leave them in a locked locker recorded in the report
6. Pre-departure check
- Before departure the skipper checks machinery, bilges, steering, navigation lights, VHF and safety equipment
- Defects found are reported to the owner with photos
- No departure until a defect affecting safety is put right; this postponement is not a cancellation
- Repairs and parts are at the owner's cost
7. Skipper's authority and weather
- Decisions to sail, the route, ports of refuge and waiting rest with the skipper for safety
- Waiting or postponing for weather is not a cancellation; a new window is agreed together
- The skipper gives the owner the reasons in writing
- Only people named in the contract are aboard during the delivery
8. Breakdowns on the way
- After a breakdown affecting the passage, the skipper puts into the nearest safe port and informs the owner
- Repairs are made with the owner's approval and at the owner's cost
- The minimum urgent action for the safety of people and boat is taken without waiting for approval and reported at once
- Waiting for repairs is charged on the same basis as weather waiting
9. Reports
- A photographed handover report is filled in and signed together at departure and arrival
- Daily position and status updates throughout the passage
- A log is kept; a passage summary (time, miles, fuel, notable events) is handed over at arrival
10. Insurance and liability
- During the delivery the boat stays under the owner's insurance policy; the owner, as policyholder, notifies any claim, and the reports and photos needed are provided the same day
- The provider's liability is limited to the fee for that delivery, except for intent and gross negligence
- Failures arising from pre-existing defects, normal wear, or hidden defects not visible in the pre-departure check cannot be charged to the provider
11. Cancellation and postponement
- Cancellation up to 48 hours before departure: the booking payment is refunded or moved to a new date
- Cancellation at shorter notice: the booking payment is not refunded
- Postponement for weather or the pre-departure check is not a cancellation
12. Ending the delivery
- If the boat becomes unseaworthy or the owner does not meet their obligations, the skipper may end the delivery at the nearest safe port
- The passage made so far and its costs are then paid; the boat is handed over with a report
13. Disputes
- First, written discussion
- Before any lawsuit, mediation (mandatory for commercial disputes in Turkey; for consumer disputes, the consumer arbitration committee or mediation depending on the amount)
- Governing law: Turkish law; the competent court is named in the contract
- In a bilingual contract, state which language prevails if the texts differ
14. Signatures
- Date and place
- Owner or authorised representative
- Service provider / skipper
2. Check Before Signing
- Is each cost listed as either included in the fee or payable by the owner?
- Is it clear when weather waiting becomes chargeable, and at what daily rate?
- Has written confirmation been obtained that the policy covers the delivery and the navigation area?
- Is there an approval limit and method for spending on the way?
- Is the departure and arrival report named as an annex?
- Is the arrival date written as an estimate rather than a promise?
3. How to Use It
This sample shows the structure of the contract we send with a delivery quote. The quoted figures and route go into these clauses, and it is signed before departure together with the handover report. For general terms see terms of service; for the process, the yacht delivery guide.
Note: This page is a sample and checklist, not legal advice. Your lawyer can settle the binding wording.
Frequently Asked Questions
The service fee is the crew fee. Fuel, provisions, marina and port fees, agent and transit log costs and crew travel are the owner's, paid at actual amounts against receipts.
The first 24 hours carry no extra charge. Beyond that, the daily crew rate in the quote applies. Waiting for weather is not a cancellation.
The skipper puts into the nearest safe port and informs you. Repairs are made with your approval and at your cost; urgent safety action is taken without waiting.
The delivery calculator shows distance, time and a cost range by route; the written quote is what binds.
Related Pages
Delivery Handover ReportDeparture and arrival recordYacht DeliveryProcess and termsDelivery QuoteRoute, days, costDelivery RoutesReal coastal distancesTransit Log GuideForeign-flag entry and exitTerms of ServiceContract basics
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