Your Captain, Your Choice
How captain selection works on Playpen Chicago
The Short Version
For bareboat charters, you choose your captain. We show you suggested captains who know your vessel, but you’re free to request any qualified captain in our network — or even bring your own.
Why This Matters
Under USCG Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 7-94, a bareboat charter means the renter takes operational control of the vessel — including the decision of who captains it. This distinction matters for regulatory compliance and for your experience.
When you rent a captain-included charter, the boat owner or operator provides the captain as part of the service. But when you book a bareboat charter, the captain works for you, not the boat owner. That means the choice of captain is yours.
How It Works on Playpen
You pick a vessel
Browse our fleet and select a boat that fits your occasion, group size, and budget.
We suggest qualified captains
For bareboat charters, Playpen surfaces captains who are USCG-credentialed, insured, and authorized by the vessel owner. You see their profiles, ratings, and rates.
You make the final choice
Select a suggested captain, request someone else from our network, or bring your own qualified captain. The decision is always yours.
Two Booking Modes
Captain Included
The boat owner provides the captain. Price includes the captain fee. No selection needed — just show up and enjoy.
Choose a Captain (Bareboat)
You select your captain from our verified network. Captain fee is separate from the boat rental. Your captain, your choice.
About NVIC 7-94
NVIC 7-94 is a guidance document from the U.S. Coast Guard that clarifies the distinction between bareboat charters (where the renter has operational control) and time charters (where the owner retains control). This distinction determines who is responsible for selecting the captain and crew. Playpen structures its bareboat charter mode in full compliance with this guidance.