What daywork is
Daywork is temporary work on a yacht that needs more hands for a while. Yotspot describes it as helping the permanent crew wherever they need it. That could mean detailing the galley, cleaning cabins, working in the engine room, helping with laundry or doing a wash down. A job might last a single day, a few weeks or a few months.
The Crew Network in Antibes, quoted by Dockwalk, says the term usually covers people aged 18 or over who are taken on to work during the day. Dayworkers do not live aboard, so you pay for your own bed ashore. Most green crew begin this way. It gives you your first lines of yacht experience on a CV and your first references.
How crew find daywork
Dock walking is the old method and it still works. Yotspot's 2026 guide says to go early, between 7am and 9am, on weekdays, and to avoid late afternoons. Go to the passerelle and ask politely for your CV to reach the captain, mate or bosun. A Dockwalk writer who found work in Antibes advises starting by 7.30am at the latest. Agents quoted by Dockwalk say to go every morning, because a yacht can need an extra pair of hands without warning and crew remember faces they keep seeing.
The other routes run alongside. Yotspot says to register with crew agencies in person, join yacht crew Facebook groups and think about a crew house. Superyacht Content notes that crew houses often have notice boards listing local work, and that the admin of the Palma Yacht Crew group suggests checking MarineTraffic or VesselFinder each day for new arrivals. Some marinas will not let dock walkers in, so ask the local groups which ones you can get into.
What the work involves and how it is paid
On deck the work is mostly manual. Yotspot lists washing and detailing exterior decks, cleaning tenders and water toys, paint and varnish work, line handling and general maintenance. A Dockwalk writer describes a day spent sanding and varnishing every balustrade on a 62m yacht just out of refit. Turn up dressed neatly but ready to get on your knees with a chamois.
Yotspot's 2026 guide puts the rate at €100 to €120 a day. A Dockwalk feature quotes a crew agent who said daywork paid about €100 a day in 2012 and only about €120 now. The work does not come every day. One new crew member told Dockwalk he spent six weeks job searching, staying in crew houses and apartments, before he got his first job. Budget for that wait.
How daywork turns into a permanent job
Yotspot calls daywork an all-day interview. It also says daywork can sometimes lead to a permanent post if the yacht has a vacancy. The crew watching you are the people who hire. Arrive on time, do what you are asked properly, and help with other jobs such as unloading the shopping or clearing up after meals. The Crew Network told Dockwalk that daywork shows a future employer you can follow directions and know what the job involves.
Even when no job follows, a good stint gives you a reference. The Crew Network advises signing a Day Worker Contractual Agreement setting out the dates, pay and hours. They say a yacht that offers one is a serious vessel, and its reference carries weight. EL CREW CO in Palma warns that some yachts underpay or overwork new crew. Ask around before you accept anything that sounds too good.
What you need
- AgeThe Crew Network, quoted by Dockwalk, says daywork usually applies to people aged at least 18.
- Right to workThe Crew Network's day worker agreement asks you to confirm that you are allowed to work in the country where the daywork takes place.
- ENG1 and IDCarry your ID and a copy of your ENG1 medical fitness certificate, plus any other papers the job needs.
- Savingswilsonhalligan, quoted by Dockwalk, advises saving enough to live on for about three months, covering accommodation, food, transport between marinas and socialising.
- Local phonewilsonhalligan advises getting a local SIM card. Keep the line free and set a voicemail saying when you are dayworking.
- PresentationYotspot advises a white or navy polo shirt, khaki or navy shorts and boat shoes, and being clean-shaven or well groomed.
By location
| United States | The Crew Network's Fort Lauderdale office warns that anyone working in the US without citizenship, a Green Card or a US work permit risks deportation, which can harm a yachting career. |
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How to get there
- Before you startMove to a yachting hubBase yourself in a hub such as Antibes, Palma or Fort Lauderdale, in a crew house or shared flat, with savings to see you through.
- First weekRegister and networkVisit the crew agencies in person with printed CVs, join the local Facebook groups and talk to other crew.
- Every morningWalk the docks dailyBe out early every weekday and leave your CV for the captain, mate or bosun.
- As it comesTake dayworkDo the job well, sign a day worker agreement where offered and ask for a reference when you finish.
- When a vacancy opensMove to a permanent postA yacht with a vacancy may hire a dayworker it already trusts. Otherwise the reference strengthens your next application.
Open now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Related pages
Questions people ask
How much does daywork pay on a superyacht?
Yotspot's 2026 deckhand guide gives €100 to €120 a day. A crew agent quoted by Dockwalk said the rate was about €100 a day in 2012 and has only risen to about €120.
Do dayworkers live on board?
No. The Crew Network, quoted by Dockwalk, says dayworkers do not sleep on board, so you pay for your own accommodation ashore. Many new crew stay in crew houses, which often hear about local work.
What time should I go dock walking?
Yotspot advises early mornings between 7am and 9am, on weekdays, and says to avoid late afternoons. A Dockwalk writer who dock walked in Antibes says to start by 7.30am at the latest.
Can daywork lead to a full-time job?
Yes. Yotspot says it can lead to a permanent post when the yacht has a vacancy, and calls it often the fastest route into an entry-level deck job. Northrop & Johnson's 2026 guide lists junior deckhand pay at US$3,500 a month across all yacht sizes.
What paperwork should I carry for daywork?
Carry your ID and a copy of your ENG1 medical certificate. The Crew Network also advises signing a Day Worker Contractual Agreement setting out the dates, pay and hours. By signing it you confirm that you are fit and have the legal right to work there.
How long does it take to find daywork?
It varies with the season and how many crew are looking. One new crew member told Dockwalk he spent six weeks job searching before he landed his first job, so arrive with enough money to wait.
