How to become a Marina Manager
Nobody starts as a Marina Manager. The usual path starts as a Deckhand, a job you can get with no yacht experience, and reaches Marina Manager at about year 12 or later of a yacht career.
The pathFrom no experience to Marina Manager. A typical path, not a rule.
Deckhand
Year 0. 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.
Bosun / Boatswain
Year 3-4. 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.
Chief Officer / First Mate
Year 6-8. Pay from about US$6,500 a month. Second in command on a superyacht.
Yacht Agent / Port Agent
Year 9-10. Pay from about €30,000 a year. A shore-based agent who handles berths, clearance, provisioning, logistics and guest arrangements for superyachts visiting a port or cruising area.
Marina Manager
Year 12+. Pay from about €45,000 a year. Runs a marina's berths, staff, budget and safety, from allocating superyacht berths in Antibes or Palma to managing fuel, security and dock teams.
Before you applyWhat a Deckhand needs, from the Deckhand guide
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 seafarer medical
- Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD)
Gets you hired
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- RYA Yachtmaster Offshore
- Efficient Deck Hand (EDH)
- VHF SRC radio licence
- PWC or watersports instructor ticket
Later, for Marina Manager
- RYA Powerboat Level 2 or local equivalent
- First Aid at Work
- VHF SRC radio licence
Visas
- US B1/B2 visa
- Schengen right to work or EU passport helpful for Mediterranean yachts
What counts instead of yacht experienceOur advice
Captains hire a Deckhand for exterior detailing and washdowns, line handling and mooring and tender driving. 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.
- Exterior detailing and washdowns
- Line handling and mooring
- Tender driving
- Water toy operation
- Teak and varnish care
- Watchkeeping basics
- Guest-facing manners
Your first stepsIn the order we suggest
Get the tickets a Deckhand must hold
You need STCW Basic Safety Training, ENG1 seafarer medical and Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD) before a yacht can put you to work as a Deckhand.
STCW and ENG1: what they are and what they cost →Write a first Deckhand 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 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. 67 Deckhand jobs are open on SuperyachtRoles.com now.
See open Deckhand jobs →Step up to Bosun / Boatswain
The usual path puts Bosun / Boatswain at year 3 to 4. Pay starts from about US$4,000 a month.
How to become a Bosun / Boatswain →
Deckhand jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com. Some ask for experience, so read each advert.
QuestionsMore in the green crew guide
Can I become a Marina Manager with no experience?
Not directly. Marina Manager is shoreside work. The usual path starts as a Deckhand, which you can get with no yacht experience, and reaches Marina Manager at about year 12 or later.
How long does it take to become a Marina Manager?
The usual path puts Marina Manager at about year 12 or later of a yacht career, after Deckhand, Bosun / Boatswain, Chief Officer / First Mate and Yacht Agent / Port Agent. It is a typical path, not a rule: time on busy yachts and the tickets you pass move it.
What does a Deckhand earn at the start?
From about US$3,000 a month, by our Deckhand guide. Charter tips, often 5-15% of the charter fee shared among crew, can add several thousand dollars a month in a busy season. Food and accommodation are covered, and rotation or generous leave is more common on larger yachts.
Other paths from DeckhandAll roles
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.