A skipper is the person in charge of a boat or ship. The skipper makes the important decisions: where to sail, when to adjust the sails, how to handle bad weather, and how to keep everyone safe. On a small sailboat, the skipper might be the owner taking their family out for an afternoon. On a fishing vessel, the skipper is the experienced captain who knows the best spots and how to navigate tricky waters.

It has a friendly, approachable feeling compared to the more formal word “captain.” You might call someone Skipper as a nickname if they're leading an expedition or running things. In a group project, the person organizing everyone and keeping things on track is acting like the skipper.

The skipper doesn't have to be the strongest person or the best sailor, but they need good judgment and the ability to stay calm when problems arise. When a storm approaches or equipment breaks, everyone looks to the skipper to decide what to do next. It's a position of real responsibility: the crew trusts the skipper to bring them home safely.