How to become a Yacht Captain
Nobody starts as a Yacht Captain. The usual path starts as a Deckhand, a job you can get with no yacht experience, and reaches Yacht Captain at about year 10 or later of a yacht career.
The pathFrom no experience to Yacht Captain. 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.
Lead Deckhand / Senior Deckhand
Year 2. 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 3-4. 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.
Second Officer
Year 4-6. Pay from about US$5,500 a month. A qualified watchkeeping officer who keeps bridge watches, plans passages and looks after safety equipment on yachts from about 50m upwards.
Chief Officer / First Mate
Year 6-9. Pay from about US$6,500 a month. Second in command on a superyacht.
Yacht Captain
Year 10+. Pay from about US$8,500 a month. The yacht captain commands a private or charter superyacht and carries legal responsibility for crew, guests, safety, budgets and the vessel.
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 Yacht Captain
- STCW Basic Safety Training with refreshers
- ENG1 medical
- MCA Master (Yacht) 500gt or 3000gt CoC
- GMDSS GOC
- HELM (Management) and Medical Care
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 Lead Deckhand / Senior Deckhand
The usual path puts Lead Deckhand / Senior Deckhand at year 2. Pay starts from about US$3,800 a month.
How to become a Lead Deckhand / Senior Deckhand →
Deckhand jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com. Some ask for experience, so read each advert.
QuestionsMore in the green crew guide
Can I become a Yacht Captain with no experience?
Not directly. Yacht Captain is command work. The usual path starts as a Deckhand, which you can get with no yacht experience, and reaches Yacht Captain at about year 10 or later.
How long does it take to become a Yacht Captain?
The usual path puts Yacht Captain at about year 10 or later of a yacht career, after Deckhand, Lead Deckhand / Senior Deckhand, Bosun / Boatswain, Second Officer and Chief Officer / First Mate. 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
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