Thinking about a career literally off-shore? Dreaming of working on a Superyacht? There are a host of different routes, using your assets and talents, above or below deck.
Be prepared to work hard, learn fast and work well within a team, immersing yourself in the way of life on the water.
It’s hard work, but the benefits are rewarding. Life on board is not for everyone, however with a healthy mind-set, and can-do attitude, you will have some amazing experiences that will enrich your memory bank!
For the crew, life on board can be as enlightening as it is horrible at times. Somewhere between cutting cigars, pouring champagne and unblocking toilets, this is a job like few others.
“I am so pleased to have worked in yachting,” says one . “I have stories for the rest of my life. Every time you join a yacht and meet your new crew, or look out of the porthole when you arrive in the Maldives, or the Seychelles, you get a kick. It’s an adventure. It gave me an education, about myself and the people who rule the world. You cannot come out the same you went in.”
The Motor industry is growing year on year, with larger, more sophisticated yachts being designed and created. Whilst every yacht is different, based on a variation of layout, management style, crew ethos, there are essentially two types of yachts that crew members gravitate toward. The smaller motor yacht, (less than 60m), have a crew of up to around 12. Due to their smaller crew size they are a great size to work and gain experience on, as responsibilities are more varied. The larger Superyachts (60m+) start with a crew of around 15, and are run very much like a company, functioning all year round, with rotating crew. These yachts run efficiently, have their own departments, and generally float the globe.
Sailing yachts are associated very much with passion. Life is more compact, and you’ll be interacting more with rope, wood and polished metal. Crew sizes are smaller, so creating the right team that fits together is essential.
The yacht itineraries are often varied with owners more likely to explore ‘off the beaten water’, so to speak. The clientele on sailing yachts have something in common with the crew; their love of sailing. This passion and the knowledge required of winds and currents, often creates a relaxed yet focussed atmosphere on board.
The sea is never still.
It pounds on the shore
Restless as a young heart,
Hunting.
The sea speaks
And only the stormy hearts
Know what it says:
It is the face
of a rough mother speaking.
The sea is young.
One storm cleans all the hoar
And loosens the age of it.
I hear it laughing, reckless.
They love the sea,
Men who ride on it
And know they will die
Under the salt of it.
Let only the young come,
Says the sea.
Let them kiss my face
And hear me.
I am the last word
And I tell
Where storms and stars come from.
Carl Sandburg