Key takeaways
- ✓Get STCW Basic Safety Training and a seafarer medical (ENG1 or an accepted equivalent) before you start looking.
- ✓Be where the yachts are at the start of the season — and be ready to start the same day.
- ✓Daywork is often the way in: one good day on board can turn into a full-time job.
- ✓A one-page CV with a professional photo, your certificates and real skills matters more than a long list of hobbies.
Step 1: Get the basic certificates
- •STCW Basic Safety Training — the entry ticket for almost every professional job at sea.
- •A seafarer medical certificate — ENG1 for UK-flagged yachts, or a medical your flag state accepts.
- •Useful extras for deck crew: Powerboat Level 2 and a VHF/SRC radio licence. For interior crew: food hygiene and a basic wine or barista course.
Check which certificates the flag state of the yacht requires. Requirements change, so always confirm with the issuing body before you book a course.
Step 2: Build a CV that captains actually read
- •One page, a clear and friendly photo, your contact details and your nationality/visa situation.
- •Certificates with expiry dates, and any sea time — sailing club, dinghy instructing and deliveries all count.
- •Transferable skills: hospitality, carpentry, painting, mechanics, childcare, languages, first aid.
- •Two references who will actually pick up the phone.
Step 3: Be in the right place at the right time
| Season | Where crew look for work | When to arrive |
|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean summer | Antibes, Palma, Monaco, Barcelona and other main yachting ports | March to May |
| Caribbean winter | Fort Lauderdale, then Antigua and St Maarten | October to December |
| Year-round | Yards and refit ports where yachts prepare for the season | During refit periods |
Step 4: Dockwalking and daywork
Dockwalking means walking the marina with your CV, politely asking crew if they need help. Daywork is short paid work — washing down, sanding, varnishing, helping with provisioning. It is how captains test new people.
Be on time, dressed neatly, and work hard without being asked twice. Many first contracts start with “can you come back tomorrow?”.
Step 5: Use online platforms the right way
- •Make your profile complete: certificates uploaded, experience described, availability set.
- •Apply only to jobs that fit you, and write two or three lines about why you fit this boat.
- •Never pay to get a job. Under MLC 2006 a recruitment service must not charge seafarers for finding them work.
On Maritime Delivery crew apply for free, keep 100% of their pay, and get a verified profile they can share with captains and agencies.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a job on a yacht with no experience?+
Yes. Most crew start as green deckhands or stewards. You need STCW Basic Safety Training and a seafarer medical, a good CV, and you need to be where yachts are hiring at the start of the season.
What is daywork on a yacht?+
Short, paid work on board — usually a day or a few days — such as washing down, varnishing or helping before a charter. It is a common way for captains to try out new crew before offering a contract.
Should I pay an agency to find me a yacht job?+
No. Under the Maritime Labour Convention, recruitment and placement services must not charge seafarers fees for finding them work. Walk away from anyone who asks you to pay to be hired.
Sources
- IMO — STCW Convention
- ILO — Maritime Labour Convention, 2006
- UK MCA — Seafarer certification
- RYA — Commercial endorsements
- PYA — Professional Yachting Association
- STCW Basic Safety Training explained (Maritime Delivery guide)
- How to write a yacht crew CV (Maritime Delivery guide)
- Can a crewing agency charge you a fee? (Maritime Delivery guide)
Put it to work