The term 'skipper' is used to refer to a variety of roles related to the operation of a boat or ship. The most common of these roles are CAPTAIN (7 letters), seacaptain (10 letters), shipmaster (10 letters), boatcaptain (11 letters), and gilligansfriend (15 letters). A CAPTAIN is the leader of a vessel, responsible for its navigation and safety. A seacaptain is a more experienced CAPTAIN who has been in charge of a vessel for a longer period of time. A shipmaster is the highest-ranking officer on a merchant vessel, responsible for the overall operation of the ship. A boatcaptain is the leader of a smaller vessel, such as a fishing boat or pleasure craft. Finally, a gilligansfriend is a reference to the character Skipper from the television show Gilligan's Island, who was the CAPTAIN of the S.S. Minnow.