A skipper is a person who has command of a boat or ship. It is more or less equivalent to "captain". At sea, the skipper has absolute command over the crew. The skipper may, or may not, be the owner of the boat. The word is derived from the Dutch word schipper; schip is Dutch for "ship". In Dutch sch- is pronounced [sx] (not [ʃ] as in German), and English-speakers rendered this as [sk]. The word "skipper" is used more than "captain" for some types of craft, for example trawlers. It is also more frequently used than captain with privately owned non commercial vessels, such as small yachts and other recreational boats. Mostly in cases where the person in command of the boat is likely not a licensed or professional captain, suggesting the term is less formal. In U.S. Navy slang, it is a term used in reference to the commanding officer of any ship, Unit, platoon, or detachment regardless of rank. It is generally only applied to someone who has earned the speaker's respect.
