Your yacht. Your questions.

We offer four clearly scoped services: Managed Yacht Delivery, Weather Routing & Passage Support, Yacht Shipping Coordination and New Build Yacht Handover. New Build Yacht Handover can be appointed independently or combined with any of the other services when the yacht moves on from the yard.

For a managed delivery, we arrange the professional captain, crew and complete passage operation. For a supported passage, you remain the captain and we provide structured shoreside weather, tracking, operational and logistics support.

We work with sailing yachts and motor yachts—including monohulls, sailing catamarans and power catamarans—up to 35 metres (approximately 115 feet). We assess each yacht’s condition, equipment, range, route, season, insurance requirements and delivery-team needs before accepting an operation.

A power yacht’s size alone does not establish its suitability for an ocean crossing. Where range or conditions make an own-hull passage impractical, we can discuss shipping coordination.

Managed delivery is focused on long-distance and ocean passages. Weather Routing & Passage Support can also include coastal or regional legs where remote shoreside support adds value around a longer journey.

North Star checks qualifications, references, passage records and relevant yacht experience, drawing on captains known through our professional network. We match the appointment to the vessel, route, season, systems and wider crew. The captain receives an agreed operating brief and reports to our shore team throughout the managed delivery.

Tell us when you enquire. Owner participation can be considered as part of the crew plan, subject to space, experience, insurance requirements and the captain’s agreement. We will clarify watchkeeping, onboard responsibilities and expectations before departure.

A capable independent captain may be an excellent mariner. North Star adds a company-managed operation around that person: captain verification, a shared brief, weather and practical support ashore, vessel-care requirements, reporting and coordinated handover. You have an accountable point of contact for the operation and additional support when circumstances change.

Our team and captain network have more than one million nautical miles and over 100 years of combined professional maritime experience, spanning ocean delivery, elite competitive sailing, fleet management and sailing and motor yachts. These figures include careers before North Star. We discuss the experience relevant to your particular yacht when selecting its captain.

We begin with the yacht, exact departure and arrival points, intended timing, service required and the basic vessel profile. We then review readiness, crew, route, logistics and any known constraints before issuing a proposal or requesting further information.

Submitting the quotation form does not commit you to a booking.

As soon as you know the likely origin, destination and timing. Early enquiries give us more time to review readiness, match a captain to the boat and consider seasonal constraints. A fixed departure date is not required to start the conversation.

For short-notice movements, we first confirm whether a suitable team and a sensible preparation window are available.

Complete what you know and identify anything uncertain. The first enquiry helps us understand the job; it is not a technical examination. We can request missing information from you or an authorised yard, manager or service provider during the next stage.

The proposal will identify the management fee, captain and crew costs, travel, fuel, provisions, communications, marina or port charges and other anticipated expenses. Third-party costs and reasonable passage expenses are normally payable by the owner as set out in the agreed terms.

Your written proposal sets out payment stages and how operating expenses are funded and reconciled. It also identifies who can authorise repairs, diversions or other additional costs.

If timing or the scope changes, we explain the implications and seek approval where practicable. Cancellation, waiting time and remobilisation arrangements should be agreed before a booking is confirmed.

No. We can plan around a requested window and provide a realistic estimate, but weather, vessel performance, technical issues, port access and other external conditions can change the timetable. Safety and the yacht’s condition take priority over an arbitrary arrival date.

We consider the vessel’s age, maintenance position, engines, fuel and water capacity, navigation and communications equipment, safety equipment, rig and sails where applicable, documentation, crew plan and the demands of the route.

The quotation is not a substitute for a professional readiness inspection, survey or statutory certification. Final acceptance remains subject to the captain’s assessment.

We may request registration and insurance details, recent surveys and maintenance records, plus information about the liferafts, capacity and service dates, lifejackets, distress communications, EPIRB, firefighting equipment and other passage equipment.

The documents and equipment required depend on the flag, use, area of operation and planned passage. Any missing or expired items must be resolved as appropriate before the captain accepts the yacht for departure.

Yes. New does not automatically mean prepared for an ocean passage. We review commissioning, equipment installation, sea-trial findings, inventory and any outstanding yard work. A handover or warranty item may need resolving before mobilisation or departure.

We review tank capacities, known consumption, cruising speed, the expected crew and the route. Working watermakers, generators and charging systems all affect the plan. Estimates include practical reserves and are refined when reliable vessel information is available.

Extra fuel or water storage is considered case by case, including safe stowage, weight and transfer arrangements. We do not assume that a watermaker or additional fuel containers make a yacht suitable for any route.

Tell your insurer about the proposed route, dates, professional delivery team or owner-led passage. Any approvals, geographical limits, crew requirements and cover for the intended operation need to be confirmed before departure.

We will clarify the insurance information relevant to our appointment during the proposal process. Do not assume that a delivery fee or shoreside support package includes hull or transport insurance.

We identify known readiness issues as early as possible. If a safety-critical or operational issue is discovered, departure may be delayed until it is rectified, the scope may need to change, or the passage may be declined. Any additional work, delay or third-party cost is discussed with the authorised owner representative.

We review the service requirements for the equipment fitted, record engine and generator hours and identify maintenance likely to fall due during the passage, including early service intervals on new machinery. Captains perform routine work within their competence and the manufacturer’s requirements. Authorised providers or specialists are coordinated when required.

Records of servicing and defects are made available at handover. Manufacturer terms determine warranty cover; North Star does not issue or guarantee that cover.

We avoid unnecessary machinery use where practical and use conservative sail selection, reefing and handling to reduce avoidable loads. Routing and speed account for the yacht and conditions. Safety, charging, equipment requirements and passage needs take priority, so we do not promise a particular engine-hour total or a passage without wear.

Yes. Our passage assessment considers security information, piracy exposure, port access and support options alongside weather and vessel range. Identified high-risk areas are avoided where practicable, and the route is reconsidered when conditions change. We may recommend a different route, timing or movement method. No passage can be described as risk-free.

The scope can include liaison with the builder, dealer and yard; launch and commissioning coordination; sea-trial attendance; a documented list of outstanding items; document and inventory review; builder follow-up; and readiness for the next phase. Owner familiarisation and practical handling are optional, separately scoped and priced.

We tailor the owner-representation appointment to the build stage and the owner’s intended use rather than applying a generic handover checklist.

No. We coordinate the practical handover and represent the agreed interests of the client, but we do not replace an independent marine surveyor, engineer, statutory authority, warranty administrator or the builder’s contractual obligations. Where specialist inspection or sign-off is needed, that remains with the appropriately qualified party.

Yes, where included in the scope and programme. We can attend relevant milestones, observe the yacht in operation, record findings and keep authorised stakeholders informed. Technical acceptance and certification remain with the responsible builder, specialist or appointed surveyor.

Familiarisation can cover the yacht’s operating routines, navigation and communications equipment, engines and electrical systems, domestic systems, safety equipment, sail and rig controls where applicable, maintenance planning, docking and close-quarters handling.

This is practical, yacht-specific familiarisation. It is not represented as an accredited training course or a substitute for any qualification required by an insurer or authority.

Yes, an optional mentored first passage can be considered. The role, command structure, intended route, duration and owner objectives are agreed beforehand. If the owner remains captain, that responsibility is stated clearly; if North Star’s captain is appointed in command, the passage is scoped accordingly.

You remain legally and operationally responsible for the yacht, crew, navigation and onboard decisions. We provide shoreside weather and routing input, tracking oversight, decision support, emergency contact standby and practical coordination with marinas, ports or agents as agreed.

Crew finding is not included in Weather Routing & Passage Support. The owner-captain is responsible for choosing and assessing their own crew, including experience, watchkeeping ability and compatibility for an extended period at sea.

We need a practical way to exchange messages offshore and a backup method appropriate to the passage. Tell us about your satellite communications, email access and tracking arrangements.

We agree the update frequency, how weather information will be delivered, urgent contact procedures and what happens after a missed check-in. Tracking is only as current as the equipment and connection allow.

You can send a message at any time during the agreed support period. Before departure we agree routine check-ins, the urgent contact method and what to do if a connection fails. Our aim is to remain available throughout the passage; response times depend on communications and the circumstances.

Shore support is not a rescue service. For an immediate threat to life or the yacht, use the appropriate distress procedures and contact the relevant rescue authority directly.

Weather, port access, fuel, vessel performance and safety may require a revised route, delay, diversion or shelter. We provide decision support and practical coordination, while the delivery captain or owner-captain retains the appropriate onboard authority.

Yes, within the agreed scope. We can research alternative ports and coordinate with marinas or local agents when weather, technical issues or timing change the arrival plan. Berths, entry formalities and services remain subject to local availability and approval.

North Star sends you a private invitation to set up your password. After that, use Owner & Captain Portal at the top of the website. You see only the projects assigned to your account. If you need access or a fresh setup link, contact the shore team.

Yes. For an equipped passage, we place the agreed satellite tracking link in your project portal. Open it to see the yacht’s latest reported position on the provider’s tracking page. Check the position timestamp: updates depend on the device, reporting interval and satellite connectivity. Tracking complements the agreed passage updates; it is not continuous monitoring or an emergency channel.

You can upload relevant PDF documents and JPEG or PNG photographs, including registration, insurance and survey information. The team reviews files and shares the records appropriate to your role. Issued proposals, shared contracts and handover documents can be downloaded. Each upload may be up to 10 MB. Please do not upload passwords or payment-card details.

The portal shows expense records and supporting receipts after operations has reviewed and shared them. Additional-cost requests identify the amount and proposed scope so you can approve or decline them with a recorded decision. Expenses in different currencies are shown separately. Approving a request does not make a payment or replace the agreed commercial terms; emergency action remains subject to the agreed passage arrangements.

The shore team publishes updates in your project workspace. Where email notifications are enabled, an email points you back to the private portal to review shared information. We agree communication and check-in arrangements for your passage; the portal and routine notifications are not emergency channels.

Yes. You can download a PDF of the published records available to your account, including relevant updates, actions, expenses and a document register. Download the underlying files separately from Documents. Shared contracts are downloadable documents; uploading one does not constitute an electronic signature.

You receive access to vessel tracking, with satellite communications connecting the delivery captain and our shore team. North Star relays relevant progress, condition, weather and routing decisions, technical developments and arrival arrangements. Tracking availability and update intervals depend on the equipment and connection; a position display does not replace operational reporting.

Yes. Departure photographs and condition records establish the starting position. We protect vulnerable finishes and furnishings using materials suited to the yacht, secure equipment and keep essential systems accessible. Captains are required to keep maintenance and machinery logs and handle the yacht conservatively to reduce avoidable wear.

Normal passage use and wear remain possible. Our vessel-care standard explains the practical measures around protection, servicing and handover.

A documented arrival record brings together condition photographs, engine and generator hours, maintenance and servicing, defects, expenditure information and outstanding actions. North Star coordinates the receiving contact and makes the relevant captain’s records available to the owner. The brief confirms the format and any additional handover requirements.

Our in-house shore operation reviews weather and routing, follows passage progress and receives the captain’s reports. We coordinate marinas, clearance agents, technical assistance and other specialist support as the assignment requires. The delivery captain retains onboard command.

The captain takes the action needed for immediate safety. North Star promptly relays a situation report as communications permit, explains the options and helps coordinate a suitable port, manufacturers or contractors. We seek timely competitive quotations where practical and approval through the agreed authority before non-urgent additional work. Changes to timing and cost are explained.

Captains work to North Star’s agreed operating brief and reporting requirements. Passage logs, machinery hours, maintenance, defects, expenditure and condition photographs are required records. Our shore team reviews the information, follows up on issues and provides relevant reporting to the client. The operation closes with a documented handover.