Where the yachts are
Start with STP. The yard says it repairs almost 1,500 yachts a year, has more than 140 under repair at any one time and lets more than 500 specialist companies work on site. Because so many hulls sit in one place, much of Palma's daywork comes from STP: cleaning, sanding, painting and preparing yachts to go back in the water. A columnist writing from STP in SuperyachtNews counted 80 yachts there in mid-August and expected 120, with about 2,000 crew and contractors, by October.
The marinas matter too. Dockwalk's Superports guide lists Club de Mar with 543 berths, more than 70 of them for superyachts, and room for yachts up to 170m. Bluewater names three main areas for dock walking on Mallorca: the marinas in the bay of Palma, Puerto Portals and Port Adriano. The adverts below show the kind of work on offer, from a one-day job on a 50m charter yacht at Club de Mar to engine room cleaning on a 49m motor yacht in STP.
When the work comes
Hill Robinson says Palma's refit season has traditionally run from October to May, and it says Palma's winter crew infrastructure makes a five-month refit period manageable. That is when the yards are full and captains want extra hands for short jobs. In SuperyachtNews, the STP-based columnist notes that some yachts let junior deck and interior crew go before a long yard period to save money. That leaves fewer permanent crew on board to cover the work.
Bluewater says its own busiest hiring periods run from mid-April to the end of May, before the Mediterranean summer, and again from mid-September into October, when yachts re-crew for winter. Bluewater says daywork builds experience and contacts that may lead to a permanent position. Winter jobs on yachts staying in Palma do appear. YaCrew carried an advert for three temporary deckhands on a classic sailing yacht there from January to March.
Dock walking rules in Palma
Palma is harder to dock walk than many ports. Bluewater warns that the marinas and shipyards in the bay of Palma are all gated. Its advice is to dock walk discreetly, in neat uniform and alone. YaCrew says dock walking is now more tightly controlled and that new crew may struggle to get into STP at all. Treat the yard as a place you reach through agencies and adverts.
When you do go, go early or late. Bluewater suggests 7.30 to 9.30am or 5 to 6pm, because during the day captains are too busy to talk. Lars Molin, admin of the Palma Yacht Crew Facebook group, told Superyacht Content that he checks MarineTraffic or VesselFinder each evening and visits newly arrived yachts first thing in the morning. Give your CV to the right department: an interior CV handed to a deckhand rarely reaches the chief stew.
Agencies, job boards and groups
Palma has a cluster of crew agencies. Dockwalk lists JMS Crew, YPI Crew, El Crew & Co, the Barcelona Crew Palma office and Mistral Crew. Bluewater runs introduction-to-yachting events for new crew in Palma. Register in person if you can, and keep your phone free for calls. Erica Lay of El Crew & Co told Dockwalk that a few days of daywork can make all the difference to a new crew member's CV.
Online, Yotspot regularly posts daywork in Palma. Recent adverts came from individual yachts and from Warren Maritime, a Palma company. Many say Palma-based candidates only, ask you to have your own accommodation, and want six months to a year in yachting, though one advert accepted crew with less than six months. One required the right to work under Schengen rules or EU residency. Superyacht Content notes that Palma has fewer crew houses than Antibes or Fort Lauderdale, so sort out a room before you arrive.
Pay
EUR a day. Figures are from two Palma daywork adverts on Yotspot in 2026, and one quoted its rate as depending on experience. Other Palma adverts gave no figure or paid by the hour, so the rate moves with the job, the yacht and your experience. Refer to the Bosun & Deckhand salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- Be in Palma alreadyMany Palma daywork adverts on Yotspot accept only candidates already based in the city, and several say no housing is provided.
- Right to workOne Club de Mar advert asked for Schengen visa-free status or EU residency. Check your status before you fly in.
- Some experience helpsMost recent Palma adverts asked for six months to a year in yachting, and one wanted engine room experience. One accepted crew with less than six months.
- Neat uniformBluewater advises dock walking in Palma discreetly, in neat uniform and on your own, as the marinas and shipyards are gated.
- Trade skillsYard adverts often want a specific skill, such as brush painting to a high standard or detailed engine room cleaning.
Open now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Related pages
Questions people ask
Can you dock walk at STP in Palma?
It is difficult. YaCrew says new crew may struggle to get into STP, and Bluewater notes that the shipyards and marinas around the bay of Palma are gated. Look for STP work through agencies and Yotspot adverts instead.
What does daywork in Palma pay?
Two 2026 Yotspot adverts in Palma offered €150 a day. One was for deck and interior work on a 50m charter yacht at Club de Mar, the other for interior preparation before a shipment. Other adverts paid by the hour, depending on experience.
When is the best time to look for daywork in Palma?
The refit season, roughly October to May, brings the most yard work, according to Hill Robinson. Bluewater says hiring is busiest from mid-April to the end of May and from mid-September into October.
Which marinas should you try outside the city?
Bluewater names Puerto Portals and Port Adriano as the other two main dock walking areas on Mallorca, alongside the marinas in the bay of Palma. Go alone, discreetly and in neat uniform.
Should you use a crew agency in Palma?
Yes, because gated marinas limit what dock walking can achieve. Dockwalk lists several agencies in the city, including JMS Crew, YPI Crew, El Crew & Co and Mistral Crew, and Bluewater runs introduction-to-yachting events for new crew in Palma.
Sources
- STP Shipyard Palma: about STP
- Hill Robinson: why Palma is still a leading hub for superyacht refit
- SuperyachtNews: Command on the hard
- Bluewater: Starting out in yachting, top 12 FAQs
- Bluewater: New to yachting?
- YaCrew: Dockwalking for beginners
- Superyacht Content: dock walking etiquette
- Dockwalk: crew recruitment agencies in Palma
- Yotspot: dayworker advert, Club de Mar, Palma
- Yotspot: interior dayworker advert, Palma
