Aspiring Superyacht Deckhands - Your Questions Answered!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 มิ.ย. 2020
- Welcome to the very first Question & Answer video for the channel! Here we cover topics such as working hours, deckhand duties, salary, career progression and more.
If you've got any questions of your own then please just drop them in the comments section below and I'll do my best to give you some good answers.
In addition, go ahead and check out the rest of the channel, where you'll find lots of useful information on what to expect from a career working on board superyachts.
And, before you go please be sure to hit that subscribe button to stay notified of when future videos are released.
Thank you for watching!
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I’ve recently decided to pursue a career in the yacht industry and very excited to do so. Your channel is not only extremely informative but also very inspiring and for that, THANK YOU! Cheers mate 👍🏻
Best of luck! I'm rooting for you!
Hello Ross. My mission is to inform and inspire, so it's great to receive such a wonderful comment! I wish you every success in your new career, and please don't hesitate to ask any questions.
Such an awesome channel, great content. I have learnt so much. Thank you!
thanks so much for the vid, helps so much coming into finding new positions. Definitely subscribing and following for more cool videos.
This is a great video for folks the age to pursue it. I found this channel off a recommendation by Tristan. I’m going to watch a few more and likely subscribe because of the two vids I’ve watch - so far it seems well put together.
It’s great you took the time to address all these questions. 👍
Thank you so much for the video man. Very helpful.
You're most welcome. Always happy to help!
Thanks for answering all of these questions and cheers to the person who asked all of the questions!
Hello Rushell. You're very welcome and thank you for commenting.
Good job
Learned a lot from this, thank you!! Could you do a video on terms/knots/etc a deckhand should know going into it completely green?
Hi Nicole. Yes of course, I will put something together for you. In the meantime, start by looking up how to tie a bowline as this is one of the knots that we use most often.
Hey Matthew, how’s everything?
I have more of a personal question to you. I’ve decided that I wanted to work on yachts in 2018 but things happened and I had to postpone this dream, but now I’m back and 100% committed to it, the only problem is that I’m turning 32 in December and I feel like I’m getting too old to start, because everyone that applies for a deckhand usually is under 30. I definitely don’t feel and look like I’m 31 but it puts me down sometimes.
What do you think? Can you give me you honest opinion on this. Am I overthinking it or should I keep trying to look for a job?
Thanks in advance and keep doing what you’re doing!
Hi Matthew, thank you for the useful content! Any plans on doing a 2nd Q&A?
Hello Joeri, and thank you for commenting. Yes, it's been 6 months since I did this Q&A, so I really need to do another! I shall go through the comments and choose some of the best questions to answer again. Please let me know of anything that you'd like me to include.
You kindly brother
Great video thanks, very informative. I love the idea of working as a deckhand on a yacht, but I know I'm not the best at practical work or general work with my hands e.g. intricate tasks (knots, fixing/creating things etc.) I'm more than willing to practise before I go looking for a job and more than willing to learn once/if I find a job, but wanted to ask if you think the skills/physicality required can be something learned with a good attitude or would someone with more natural skills be better suited for the job? Thanks!
Hello Harry. You can learn all of the skills necessary to become a good deckhand; however, a natural aptitude for these things is beneficial. Most importantly, you should have a genuine interest in learning and perfecting skills such as ropework, painting, and carpentry. In addition, you should take a pride in any job that you're given, always striving to complete it to the highest standard.
Gaining a bit of experience before starting your job search would certainly help; a chief officer or captain is unlikely to hire you for a deckhand position if you tell them that you're not the best at practical or general work! Please check out this video for a few ideas:
th-cam.com/video/CTFYzlqaNZk/w-d-xo.html
Ive decided to try my hand at being a deckhand this year! So happy to find videos like this on youtube to get me even more excited for the coming months! I have my 20 day training course with the UKSA booked for the end of February so hopefully I will be out working or looking for work for the summer season!
Hello Calum. Thank you for sharing this. I originally did my basic STCW training with UKSA, and I’ve been back for more advanced courses since. I’m sure you’ll have a great time, and I wish you every success in finding work this summer!
@@WorkonaSuperyacht Thats awesome! Glad to know im on the right track to finding work! Any tips or advice for the training?
@Calum Some of the training is based in the classroom, but a lot of it is practical. My main advice would be to stay focused in the classroom, and make the most of the practical sessions. Walking into a burning building; jumping into a swimming pool with an immersion suit on before climbing into a liferaft; these are rare opportunities, so you want to learn from and enjoy them as much as possible.
Aside from the courses, you're going to be spending a lot of time with other new yacht crew, so make friends, network, and enjoy your time together. Take their contact details and keep in touch with them after the courses have finished. You can then help and support each other with the job search afterwards.
@@WorkonaSuperyacht Thank you for taking the time to reply to my messages! Really means alot and hypes me up even more for the months ahead!
@@calum5144 - G’luck. This comment is a year old so I hope it’s going well for you. 👍
Thank you for doing all these videos, they are most helpful and informative and I really appreciate them. I have a small question for you about tattoos. I am about to do a deckhand course and hopefully start a career on the water but I have a couple of small tattoos (that I regret). I guess that the general view is that people prefer no tattoos but what is your opinion. Should I look at trying to get them removed or cover them up when for example dockwalking to increase my chances of employment. Thank you again for all your videos. All the best.
Hello Laurence, and welcome to the channel! I'm so pleased to hear that you're finding the videos helpful.
The question of tattoos comes up a lot, and there seems to be a misconception that having them means you can't get a job on a yacht. This isn't correct. To start with, we must establish whether or not the tattoos are visible when in uniform; if they aren't, there really is no issue. If they are, there are some yachts for whom it's a deal breaker; however, there are many yachts that don't consider tattoos to be such a problem (so long as they aren't offensive, or in locations such as your face which could be seen as intimidating). I have worked with a number of crew that had tattoos, who served in a variety of different roles on board. Some of their tattoos were more obvious than others, but all were clearly visible when in uniform.
I wouldn't suggest that you get them removed (at least not in the first instance), and I certainly don't recommend trying to hide them. Instead, focus on marketing the skills and experience that you have effectively, and demonstrating why you're the one to hire, tattoos or not. Just be prepared for the fact that some yachts won't be an option for you.
I hope that helps, and all the best with your upcoming deckhand course.
@@WorkonaSuperyacht Thank you so much for such a great response, your wealth of knowledge is so very valuable and muchly appreciated. My tattoos are not visible when in uniform and are rather small and inoffensive. (got them while on seasons). So I think and hope I should be alright. Wish you all the best and hope you are in a nice spot for our new lockdown. Many thanks :)
Great video! thanks.
Can you you please answer if its worth to begin all the certificates if you have an tattoo on your biceps, for exemple.
Hello Jannike and welcome to the channel. It is true that some yachts absolutely will not accept crew members with visible tattoos. However, there are many yachts where this isn't a problem and I have worked with people who have had some very obvious tattoos. For that reason, I wouldn't let it put you off but be prepared that you may be ineligible for some jobs.
These videos are incredibly informative, thank you for easing many of my concerns as green crew! I have a question, however. How often, in your experience, do employers do background checks in this industry? And would you view a minor misdemeanor as a deal breaker in the case of a background check? I'm deciding whether to go through the expungement process before looking for work.
Hello Jacob and thank you for your comment. In my personal experience, employers are more likely to seek references from your previous job roles than attempting to perform in-depth background searches. Every yacht is different however and I couldn't guarantee that this is the case all of the time.
Regardless, you can certainly expect to be asked to sign a declaration that you don't have any unspent criminal convictions, and are not banned from entering any countries (this doesn't include countries that you can't enter due to visa restrictions).
@@WorkonaSuperyacht This is reassuring. Thank you for the insight!! Keep doing what you're doing!
@Jacob Williams You're welcome! And thank you for the encouragement; I really appreciate it.
Hoping to start my own career within the industry in the next 2 or so years, I’ve just passed my PADI DiveMaster certification, so hoping this will stand me in a good position once I’ve got the other certifications needed! Has anyone got any experience within both diving and yachting?
Thanks for the videos and the information.
I have some questions and I would appreciate your opinion.
I see that the salarii medii of a deckhand is around 2500 eur, right? But I have also read that in charters clients usually give between 10 and 20% of the cost of the tip trip and that is shared among the yacht's crew, is that something common in your experience?
What do you think of finding green deckhand work in this postcovid era, do you think it will be very complicated?
As a diving instructor, will it be an advantage to get a deckhand job? I live in Spain now and I am finishing the courses to look for deckhand work,
I have seen that they say that the type of cv has to be designed in the correct way for this type of work, could you speak and show some examples of the ideal cv?
There are web pages that create cv to have better opportunities to find work on yachts, do you think it is worth paying for it?
Could you recommend the best agencies or web pages or social media to send cv and look for deckhand work?
Thank you very much for your videos. :)
Hello David. Thank you for getting in touch. Yes, EUR 2500 per month is a typical starting salary. You're right that on a charter yacht the crew can usually expect a tip in the region of 10%, which is of course a big top up for your salary depending on how often the yacht is chartered. That being said, some of these yachts might pay a slightly lower base salary to compensate.
New deckhands in the industry will always be required as current deckhands step up to higher ranks or move on to other things. That being said, things have certainly slowed down due to COVID-19. Events such as the Monaco Grand Prix that usually require large amounts of extra help (even if only for a few days) have been cancelled, stopping newcomers to the industry gaining valuable experience. Many charters have been cancelled and some owners are just waiting to see how things unfold in the coming weeks and months before making a decision on how they will use their yacht this year. It is a rapidly changing situation so it is impossible to make any predictions at this stage.
Being a diving instructor is certainly advantageous; not only is it a useful qualification in its own right but it also demonstrates a whole host of transferable skills. I would therefore make this stand out on your CV, including the relevant work experience such as driving the dive boat. Maybe you used to assist with the maintenance of the boat(s) at your dive shop or routinely planned passages to get to different dive sites?
Please check my video on dockwalking in Monaco:
th-cam.com/video/P9kuhN4Kufk/w-d-xo.html
where I speak a little more about CVs. The main difference for CVs in this industry is that you should include a photo of yourself along with other information such as your date of birth and current location that is typically not found on CVs for land based jobs. Other than that, the normal rules still apply. I would therefore recommend reading articles online that will teach you how to write the best "normal" CV and then add in the extra information required by the yachting industry. Jf Recruiting have a great article on their website about this:
www.jf-recruiting.com/Info/CV-Guide
They also have a great job board on which to look for work. Your CV should be an extension of you, so I would question how authentic it is if based on a paid for template. It could give you some good ideas but it wouldn't be my preference.
As for agencies, I'd suggest you sign up with all of them. You'll be able to find them all on Google but this should get you started:
www.yotspot.com/
www.luxyachts.com/
www.bluewateryachting.com/crew-placement/yacht-crew/jobs
As for social media, Facebook is probably the best. There are a large number of groups devoted to yacht crew and yacht jobs so try searching for them. You often have to apply to be accepted but this is normally quite easy. Before you do this, just make sure that your Facebook profile doesn't have anything on it that you wouldn't want a potential employer to see.
I hope that helps. Good luck with the rest of the courses and let me know how you get on!
Thanks for the information and videos.
I wanted to know what should I do to get into yachting industry as I am merchant navy Industry.Im currently 32 years old and I am an Indian citizen based in Goa.I have worked last position as OS onboard cargo ships and currently in possession of OOW(UNLIMITED) from UK MCA Kindly reply. Thanks a lot.
Hello Ravikiran and thank you for your question. I would suggest that you start by contacting a yacht crew agent (such as Wilson Halligan) that deals predominantly with large superyachts, where your OOW Unlimited would be most desirable. They will be able to give you an idea of the sorts of jobs that are currently available and what they are looking for in potential candidates.
Yacht crew agents will typically require that you set up an online profile with them, at which point you can upload your CV and copies of your qualifications. Remember that unlike on a cargo ship, a deck officer position on a superyacht is often guest facing; so, you should highlight any job roles or experience that demonstrate your people skills.
nice
Thank you, urabus. Please look out for another Q&A coming very soon!
Hello capt Matthew...Your videos are very informative, Hatsoff to your patiency in giving reply to all of us.. Big Namaste 🙏 for u in this regard..
I too have some doubts /
1) Iam 32 yrs old from india, sailed in cargo ships having 2nd mate Ceririficate of competency issued by indian shipping dept.how likely i ll get yacht job
2) any age limit
3)where can I do those courses for deck hand position.. And how much it cost
4)what is the job contract period in yatches
5)which country you ll suggest me for doing courses and acquiring job,
6) will it be possible to migrate with family to job location,
Hello kasireddy kishore, and thanks for commenting. In response to your questions:
1) Please check out this video: th-cam.com/video/r2FWpTp1g0s/w-d-xo.html
2) There is no specific age limit, but it becomes more difficult to find entry level positions after your early 30s. As an officer at age 32, you shouldn't have any problems. Deck and engineering officers continue working on superyachts into their 40s, 50s, and even 60s.
3) You will already have completed the basic STCW training courses. For a deckhand position you'll also need to have a powerboat licence. The RYA Powerboat Level 2 is most common, and can be gained throughout Europe for around EUR 300 to EUR 400.
4) Jobs on bigger yachts are typically permanent. The leave package could be anywhere from 42 days holiday per year, to a full 2:2 rotation (6 months holiday per year).
5 and 6) Please check out this video: th-cam.com/video/BhA6qEf_Xfg/w-d-xo.html
Hlw kishore sir,did you get any satisfactory answers to your 1st question?i too have the same doubt,kindly suggest.
Thanks
Hey mate, your channel has heaps of potential... Can you please make videos of everything you know about painting repair jobs. And explain the videos as if you were speaking to someone who knows nothing about it (like me). Also varnishing jobs. Run through all the different paints and processes. That would be great thanks.
Welcome to the channel and thank you for your comment. I think the Awlgrip paint system is a great place to start, so please look out for a video introducing the topic coming shortly.
do crew members hook up like they do on the show 'below deck"??
Yes, sometimes! However, you must try to avoid turning it into a big drama that interferes with work and the rest of the crew. For this reason, many captains and management companies prefer that crew on the same yacht don't hook up.
Are there lots of really busy charter yachts(obviously not in COVID times) or are they hard to find jobs on?
Hello Oscar. There are many yachts for charter, but a lot of them won't be really busy (even outside of COVID times). It's a competitive market and getting a charter yacht fully booked for the season isn't an easy thing to do.
Having said that, there are some charter yachts that are known for doing well year after year, and rewarding their crew with lots of tips; as a result there will likely be more competition for jobs on these yachts. For all the other charter yachts that might just get a few charters throughout the year, I don't think they will be more any more difficult to find a job on than a private yacht. Indeed, many crew prefer the different sort of dynamic that can be found on a private yacht.
Dear I inspired by you ,I am from India after watching your video I have applied a job for yacht ,although I got 3 years experience worked on cruise line .
Then there I got a interview call from captain miami Florida yatch so they were impressed and ready to hire me and they have send me the contract letter and employment ID but does indian get usa visa for yatch cruise job that's my concern kindly Humbly waiting for your reply
Hello, and congratulations on a successful interview. Unless you have a green card, you need a B1/B2 visa to work on any non-USA flagged yacht that is in the USA.
Hello, sincerely what is the chance to work as deckhand with 54 years old? Nevertheless I have 2 ocean sailing passages, already had my own sailing boat and have the certificates the industry needs I think that the probability for hiring is really low. I am hard worker, very discipline and I know very well the ethics of professional sailing and motor industry needs in work. Love to hear your opinion. Thanks in advance, John
Hi John. I never like to discourage anyone, but on a large yacht your chances of joining as a deckhand are very slim. However, on much smaller yachts I have seen older crew members serving in the role of deckhand, although they are likely to have been responsible for a lot of the engineering duties too. How are your skills in this regard?
Another avenue to consider is looking for work as skipper on a small sail or motor yacht. Many of these roles are seasonal, but this could be a good route in. Your age immediately makes you better suited to such a position, because it is an expectation that the skipper will be older.
Do you have a particular desire to be a deckhand, or did you just consider that starting at the bottom was your only route into the industry?
@@WorkonaSuperyacht First of all thanks a lot for your detailed reply. That was a big help. My experience is in sailing vessels to 50 feet as a skipper and crew. I already had my own sailing boat and most of the time I did solo passages. I had 2 ocean passages to Madeira and Azores as a crew member ( I was not the owner of the boat) and regarding engine and maintenance I did all in my own boat. I think I consider deckhand as I have no experience in larger sailing vessels as 30-100 meters and I was thinking in being humble and start as anybody else starts, as a deckhand junior if necessary. I have an certificate of coastal skipper, VHF class A but I do not have STCW Basic safety as I enter always in recreation vessels. But thanks a lot for your straight answer and honest one as I think people look with some discomfort to an older people not able to carry heavy duties. Sad, because I am extremely fitted and have a long experience in sailing (about 20 years racing and recreational ocean passages). Thanks a lot one more,John
I have a powerboat/rib master license up to 15m. Is this the same as the power boat level 2
Hello Cuan. Was your certificate issued by IYT? If so, I believe this is comparable to the RYA Powerboat Level 2, and will be accepted.
@@WorkonaSuperyacht Awesome Yes it is issued by iyt ! Thanks for clearing that up for me.
@Cuan Austin If you're looking to find work on a superyacht, I'd still recommend double-checking with a crew agent. However, I really don't think it will be an issue because the IYT certificates are very well respected worldwide.
Do u know anyone who is still in the industry and has a wife/family? In other words, does that romantic situation mix with the career and its demands?
how can one go into the yachting scene after they have joined a maritime school for 4,5 years doing their studies and sea days in the merchant sector starting from deck, the studies are maritime management and sea captain unlimited ticket.
Hello Jason. The question of how to transition from merchant ships to yachts comes up a lot. I have worked with a number of deck crew who joined the yachting industry with an OOW Unlimited qualification, but started out as deckhands. After 1-2 years learning the specifics of the yachting industry, they were then able to look at making use of their officer qualification.
Some people are fortunate enough to be able to step straight into a junior officer role on a large superyacht (over 3000GT), but this won't necessarily be the case. My advice is to start by signing up online with all of the yachting agencies. Then, give them a call to introduce yourself and get an idea of what job opportunities are available for someone with your experience. Depending on the job market at the time, they would be able to advise you which route is more likely.
@@WorkonaSuperyacht . Thank you for your info, your videos have been a real true insight compared to what I have been told and seen from others, so big tip of the hat to you! I will be sure to give you a sub soon.
I know that having an extra skill like scuba diving etc will probably increase your chances, but what about having a commercial diving certificate ontop of having a instructors cert for scuba, does having a commercial diving ticket make you more valuable.
@Jason Adamson Thank you for this amazing feedback.
A commercial diving qualification would look very interesting on a CV, but it wouldn't be of much use to the majority of yachts. Having said that, it demonstrates plenty of transferable skills, so it's definitely worth highlighting if you already have the certificate.
Hello, hope you're good today
Excuse me, what do you say in 9:40 ¿perth ..... what?
I cannot understand it
Thank you very much
Hello Juan. I’m very well, thank you. I say Powerboat Level 2. It’s a Powerboat course that can be done at schools throughout the UK and Europe. Another option is the IYT Small Powerboat and RIB Master course.
Are tattoos a big no go for yacht work?
Matt addressed this in another video that I just watched. He said it usually wouldn't be a problem if they can be covered by work clothes/uniform. But on exposed skin it might pose a problem on some yachts. Hope that helps :)