r/yachting

Hi there. I am a 19 year old female with 2+ years in luxury housekeeping alongside other luxury hospitality gigs such as Ascot Racecourse. i am hoping to become a yacht stewardess soon and plan on obtaining my STCW and ENG1 before the end of september. i understand the carribean season is coming up where all the yachts will move around november time and was wondering what my chances are of being hired seeing that i am still a greenie. Do you have any advice on which places I should dockwalk/network or jobs I could work to get closer to that industry? What are the best times to go to antibes/caribbean (i've heard Fort Lauderdale is a lot stricter about dockwalking, but not sure). where would be the best places to get my STCW? It's much cheaper in croatia but i think antibes would be better for networking. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Im thinking of crewing on peoples sailboats for a few months before looking for deckhand roles on superyachts. Would this increase my chances of finding work? The industry is packed full of greenies looking for opportunities so im just wondering if it'll be worth it. Im aware this is a silly question but im just looking for a second opinion

I’m a female seafarer working on a cruise ship
Now here’s some “baseless rumors” facts:

1. if your partner is officer 1 stripe and above and solo cabin “it’s easy for them to get a boyfriend/grilfriend onboard. They are being chased for their perks onboard and nobody would care if they have a girlfriend or wife or kids ashore

2. For regular crew, they are after of their same departement or someone who have equal lenght of their contract.

3. Wattsapp: that’s where ALL the communication goes! Especially if they claimed “the internet is expensive / I don’t have internet” ONBOARD WATTSAPP is free! Link your device to their wattsapp.

4. You being the profile picture / cover photo every social media DOESN’T MATTER. Normally! The married one’s flirt harder than the single ones.

5. I can talk to his/her trusted friends onboard. “THEY KNOW”, NO YOU CANNOT TRUST THAT FRIEND.

6. “Oh but he’s married with kids right” -response that you will get? “It’s normal! Shiplife”.

7. I’m sending money back home. How many nights should I sleep alone? - seaman

Seriously, what is the point of keeping an hourly log? "Oh so we can see where we were!" - Yeah, go look on your chart plotter! Does anyone really go and look at old coordinates in logs? I can understand for different shifts to have a log of unusual events like: at 1431 - spotted a square grouper at this location or 1612 - generator 1 shut down due to overheat, suspect impeller damaged etc... But why are we wasting time with logging idiotic things like hourly coordinates, speed, wind, barometric data etc, etc... on my boat, a lot of this data is complied in TimeZero when you hover the mouse over any point in the track. I can go back and look at all the details. I feel it is an absolute waste of time to keep a log book and is absolutely antiquated just like paper maps. Does anyone really look through their logs rather than just go to your digital chart plotter and look at the tracks?

Im on a asylum process in the US
I’ve been able seaman for 3 year on a tugboat, I’m think to go to Fort Lauderdale to find a job on a yatch. Already have stcw and eng1.
would I be allow to get a job on yatch with my current immigration status!?

About six months into the bunker side, came in from outside the industry, still very much learning.

The part I underestimated: how hard it is to get anywhere from cold callingl. We have real coverage across the Med and North Africa and pricing that holds up against what's out there, but I've stopped believing that's enough. Nobody moves suppliers because someone rang them with a good number.

What I'm trying to understand from the buying side:

1. What actually gets a new name added to your panel ,track record, references, or just being strong in a port where your current panel is weak?
2. Credibility : what makes a supplier you've never used sound real rather than like another broker? Physical presence, named references, something else?
3. The ask : is "can I be on your panel as a backup for X port" a reasonable opener, or does that already sound like noise?
4. Channel : call, email, WhatsApp, LinkedIn. Ranked. Honestly.
5. Dealbreakers :what do new suppliers say on that first contact that immediately writes them off?
6. Timing: is there a moment in your week or your voyage planning where a call is actually welcome, or is it always an interruption?

Genuinely here for the answers, not the exposure. No company name, no links.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time.

How do I choose a training center? I don’t believe most expensive always means the best id love to hear some of your experiences. I’m wanting to begin a career as a deckhand. Ive don’t have much experience with boats besides working as a Divemaster.

Some background details are also that I have double nationality (including American), am fluent in French and Spanish, I have formal culinary training and experience and am also a Yoga Alliance certified instructor. But I want to work the exterior.

Any advice is appreciated. I’ll be in Florida next month. Also if any recs for crew houses I’d take those too (or if it even makes sense to stay in one). Thanks

Hey everyone, I’m 25 and currently in California and seriously considering getting into the yacht industry. I have several years of hospitality experience (serving, beer/beverage knowledge, customer service) as well as experience working in luxury retail/jewelry.
I’m completely new to yachting, though, and I’m having a hard time figuring out where to actually start.
I keep seeing people mention STCW and ENG1, but when I went to the US Coast Guard website I couldn’t figure out where I’m actually supposed to get the STCW training or what credentials I need as a complete beginner.
If someone could explain the process like:
1. What certification/medical do I actually need?
2. Where do I get STCW training?
3. Do I need an MMC?
4. Do I need ENG1 or a USCG medical exam?
5. Where should I look for my first yacht job?
6. Is Fort Lauderdale basically where I should go to find work?
I’d really appreciate it. I’m trying to figure out the legitimate process before spending money on courses or traveling somewhere.
Thanks!

A while ago I came across a post of a couple living on a catamaran looking for a nanny to join them on their sailboat. Is that an actual market - could I find a job like this? I would appreciate any leads/suggestions on where to look!

I have basic sailing skills from a few trips I've been on, so as crew I am helpful, but not professional level yet. I am, however, a professional nanny. I have experience with children from 1 year old and up, I have also taught English and chess to children. I can tutor teens of all ages in mathematics, physics and chemistry. I can cook well, and have particular experience dealing with food sensitivities in children. I have excellent references... the list goes on. Most importantly, I am just great with children and have had success as a (screen-free and engaging!) childminder.

The original poster that got me thinking about this was not for me for many reasons. The couple got flamed in the comments for looking for a full-time nanny with no pay - just food/marina expenses covered. I would be expecting an allowance if constant work with a family is required, or clearly defined part-time hours for expenses covered. I am, however, open to be just about anywhere in the world.

I work in the yachting industry in Australia across yacht management, sales, charter and refit/service, so I get to see a pretty broad cross-section of boat ownership.

One thing that always interests me is how different the reality of ownership can be from what people expected before buying.

For existing owners, what caught you by surprise?

Maintenance costs? Finding good trades? Insurance? Marina fees? Crew? Resale? Actually finding enough time to use the boat?

And for anyone currently looking at buying, what are the things you're struggling to get a straight answer on?

Hi everyone.

A few years ago I did one of those courses where you get a list of yacht crew related qualifications.

I dock walked for a month around Antibes, Cannes, Monaco, Genoa, etc. but ended up returning home for multiple reasons and doing different jobs.

Now, I am 24, and looking to actually begin my yachting career properly. I was wondering how the industry is now?

I went out in 2023 and was told by multiple people that it was the busiest season they had ever seen for greenies.

Is it the same now or has it quietened down? Also is there opportunities for greenies in September-November in Europe, or would it be better to wait till next year March?

Is the industry more or less the same? I am thinking of going to Antibes to try dockwalking again, and committing to it for a lot longer. I have previous powerboat experience but that was a UK based job and non-yachting related.

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some honest advice from people currently working in the industry. I’m 30F from Ireland, and have several years of hospitality and management experience. I’m planning to do my STCW in Palma with Bluewater in the first week of October. I’ll also be getting my ENG1 beforehand.

The problem is that money is very tight. Between paying for the STCW, the ENG1 and accommodation, this is a huge investment for me, so I really want to know whether it’s a realistic plan before I commit.

My questions are:

1. If I finish my STCW in October, what are the chances of finding work as a green deckhand or steward/ess over the winter in the Mediterranean?

2. Is winter maintenance/refit work a realistic way to get into the industry and build experience before next summer?

3. Would you recommend Palma in October, or would another location or season give me a better chance?

4. If I find winter work, do green crew usually live onboard, or should I expect to keep paying for a crew house or apartment?

5. What sort of monthly salary should I realistically expect as a complete greenie, and are there usually any tips during the winter refit season?

6. Looking back, if you were starting from scratch today with limited savings, would you still choose this route?

I’d really appreciate honest opinions, whether positive or negative. :)

Hey everyone, I'm moving to San Diego in a month, and my two ideas for jobs is either a restaurant or a boatyard... much more interested in boatyard idea. I did a bunch of sailing when I was younger but mostly limited to 420s and lasers. I plan on getting into the real sailing scene on the west coast (it's much less accessible here in Boston).

Does anyone have some inside info about working in boatyards, pay info, and potentially any yards that are looking for workers? I have over two years construction experience, so I know how to use power tools and am very reliable to show up and whatnot. I have osha 10, osha 30, and also a d1.1 stick welding cert (which has expired by now but I still know how to weld) I'm not sure how much any of that applies, but I'm not a total newbie with that kind of work. I would prefer working on sailboats.

I’m planning a yacht trip in Dubai and trying to decide between a private yacht and a shared tour. For those who have tried either option, which one did you prefer? Is the private experience worth the extra cost, or is a shared tour good enough for a first-time trip?