How to become a Tender Driver / Tender Operator
Nobody starts as a Tender Driver / Tender Operator. The usual path starts as a Junior Deckhand, a job you can get with no yacht experience, and reaches Tender Driver / Tender Operator at about year 2 to 3 of a yacht career.
The pathFrom no experience to Tender Driver / Tender Operator. A typical path, not a rule.
Junior Deckhand
Year 0. Pay from about US$2,800 a month. Entry-level deck crew on a superyacht, doing washdowns, lines and fenders, tender support and guest watersports while learning seamanship from the bosun.
Deckhand
Year 1. 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.
Tender Driver / Tender Operator
Year 2-3. Pay from about US$3,500 a month. Tender drivers run guest and crew shuttles on superyacht tenders, keeping the boats immaculate and operating them safely in all conditions.
Before you applyWhat a Junior Deckhand needs, from the Junior Deckhand guide
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical certificate
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
Gets you hired
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- RYA Personal Watercraft Proficiency
- RYA VHF SRC radio licence
- PADI Open Water or Advanced Open Water
- RYA Competent Crew or Day Skipper theory
Later, for Tender Driver / Tender Operator
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- PDSD
Visas
- Schengen right to work or EU passport for the Med
- C1/D crew visa for US-based yachts
- B1/B2 visa where required for Fort Lauderdale
What counts instead of yacht experienceOur advice
Captains hire a Junior Deckhand for line and fender handling, teak and exterior detailing and tender and toy launching. 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.
- Line and fender handling
- Teak and exterior detailing
- Tender and toy launching
- Basic watchkeeping
- Varnish and paint prep
- Watersports supervision
- Living in close quarters
Your first stepsIn the order we suggest
Get the tickets a Junior Deckhand must hold
You need STCW Basic Safety Training, ENG1 medical certificate and PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties) before a yacht can put you to work as a Junior Deckhand.
STCW and ENG1: what they are and what they cost →Write a first Junior 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 Junior 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. 3 Junior Deckhand jobs are open on SuperyachtRoles.com now.
See open Junior Deckhand jobs →Step up to Deckhand
The usual path puts Deckhand at year 1. Pay starts from about US$3,000 a month.
How to become a Deckhand →
Junior Deckhand jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com. Some ask for experience, so read each advert.
QuestionsMore in the green crew guide
Can I become a Tender Driver / Tender Operator with no experience?
Not directly. Tender Driver / Tender Operator is junior work. The usual path starts as a Junior Deckhand, which you can get with no yacht experience, and reaches Tender Driver / Tender Operator at about year 2 to 3.
How long does it take to become a Tender Driver / Tender Operator?
The usual path puts Tender Driver / Tender Operator at about year 2 to 3 of a yacht career, after Junior Deckhand and Deckhand. It is a typical path, not a rule: time on busy yachts and the tickets you pass move it.
What does a Junior Deckhand earn at the start?
From about US$2,800 a month, by our Junior Deckhand guide. Food, accommodation and uniform are covered. Charter tips are usually shared equally among the crew and can add a month's salary or more over a busy summer. Leave is typically 21-30 days a year.
Other paths from Junior DeckhandAll roles
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