How to become a Deckhand / Steward
You can start as a Deckhand / Steward with no yacht experience. You need the right tickets, a CV that shows work that transfers, and to be where the yachts hire. This page sets out each step.
Where you startAnd where it leads. A typical path, not a rule.
Deckhand / Steward
Year 0. Pay from about US$3,000 a month. A dual deck and interior role on smaller yachts: washing down and driving tenders in the morning, serving guests at lunch and turning down cabins at night.
Deckhand
Year 1-2. Pay from about US$3,000 a month. Deckhands keep a superyacht's exterior spotless, handle lines and tenders, run water toys and stand watches.
Lead Deckhand / Senior Deckhand
Year 2-3. Pay from about US$3,800 a month. The senior deckhand who runs daily deck jobs, trains newer crew and covers for the bosun on superyachts of roughly 50m and above.
Bosun / Boatswain
Year 3-5. Pay from about US$4,000 a month. The bosun runs the deck crew day to day, leading deckhands on maintenance, tenders, watersports and mooring, and reports to the chief officer.
Before you applyWhat a Deckhand / Steward needs, from the Deckhand / Steward guide
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical certificate
Gets you hired
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- GUEST Interior Crew Introduction
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
- RYA Personal Watercraft Proficiency
Visas
- Schengen visa for Mediterranean seasons (non-EU crew)
- US B1/B2 visa for Florida and Caribbean yachts
What counts instead of yacht experienceOur advice
Captains hire a Deckhand / Steward for tender driving, washdowns and exterior detailing and table and bar service. With no yacht job behind you, show the same skills from work ashore. A background in watersports and boat handling is the closest match, for example work as a watersports instructor.
Write each job on your CV as what you did, with numbers: how many guests, how many boats, how many covers. Then list every skill below that you can prove.
- Tender driving
- Washdowns and exterior detailing
- Table and bar service
- Cabin housekeeping
- Line handling and mooring
- Laundry and pressing
- Switching tasks quickly
Your first stepsIn the order we suggest
Get the tickets a Deckhand / Steward must hold
You need STCW Basic Safety Training and ENG1 medical certificate before a yacht can put you to work as a Deckhand / Steward.
STCW and ENG1: what they are and what they cost →Write a first Deckhand / Steward CV
Keep it to one page. Put your tickets and your start date at the top, then the work that transfers: watersports and boat handling.
See a Deckhand / Steward CV example →Create your crew profile
Upload that CV and we build your profile from it. Your name and contact details stay hidden. Captains and recruiters contact you. It is free.
Create your crew profile →Apply and look for daywork
Apply to open jobs and to crew agencies, and take daywork: a few paid days on a yacht is how most first-time crew get a reference. 1 Deckhand / Steward job is open on SuperyachtRoles.com now.
See open Deckhand / Steward jobs →Step up to Deckhand
The usual path puts Deckhand at year 1 to 2. Pay starts from about US$3,000 a month.
How to become a Deckhand →
Deckhand / Steward jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com. Some ask for experience, so read each advert.
QuestionsMore in the green crew guide
Can I become a Deckhand / Steward with no experience?
Yes. Deckhand / Steward is a first job on yachts. You need STCW Basic Safety Training and ENG1 medical certificate, and work that transfers, such as watersports and boat handling, puts you ahead of other new crew.
How long does it take to become a Deckhand / Steward?
It is a starting role, so the time is what it takes to get the tickets and find the first job. From there, the usual path puts Deckhand at year 1 to 2.
What does a Deckhand / Steward earn at the start?
From about US$3,000 a month, by our Deckhand / Steward guide. Charter tips on a busy Caribbean or Mediterranean season can add 1,000 to 3,000 USD a month, split evenly between crew. Permanent roles usually include flights home and about 30 days' leave a year.
Let the yachts come to you
Upload your CV and we build your crew profile from it. Captains and recruiters contact you. Free for crew.