Bosun / Engineer
A bosun / engineer does two jobs on one salary. You lead the deck crew, drive the tenders and keep the exterior in charter condition. You also look after the engine room, from daily checks on the mains and generators to fixing the watermaker at midnight. Smaller yachts hire for this mix because they cannot carry a separate engineer.
The jobWhat fills the day
The deck side is standard bosun work. You plan the day for the deckhands, run washdowns, look after varnish and paint, manage the toys and tenders, and lead mooring and anchoring. The engineering side covers daily engine room rounds, fluid checks, filter changes, bilge and sewage systems, the watermaker, air conditioning and the tender outboards. You keep the planned maintenance log and the spares inventory, and you are the person the captain calls when an alarm goes off.
With guests aboard, the deck takes priority during the day. You drive the tender, set up the toys and keep the boat looking right. The engineering work moves to early mornings, lunch breaks and the evening, once guests are settled. On a 30m yacht you may be the only technical person aboard, so nothing waits for a specialist. On a 45m to 50m boat there is often a chief engineer, and you act as his second pair of hands while still running the deck.
Captains hire people who have already proved themselves on deck and can show real mechanical ability. Former deckhands who have done the AEC and spent time in the engine room do well, as do people from a trade such as diesel mechanic, auto electrician or plant fitter who have learned seamanship. A Yachtmaster Offshore or Coastal and a solid tender driving record count for a lot. Charter yachts in the Med and Caribbean are the biggest employers.
From here people go one of two ways. Some build sea time and tickets towards the MCA Y4 and move into full engineering as a sole or second engineer. Others take the OOW 3000gt or Master 200gt route and become mate / engineer, then captain / engineer on smaller yachts. Either way, the dual background makes you more employable, because owners of 30m to 40m boats want crew who can fix things as well as drive them.
Skills captains look for
- Diesel engine maintenance
- Tender and PWC driving
- Deck team leadership
- Planned maintenance logging
- Watermaker and AC servicing
- Exterior detailing and varnish
- Mooring and anchoring
A day aboardCharter day, 38m motor yacht, British Virgin Islands
Engine room rounds before anyone is up. Check oil and coolant on the generators, log hours, look at the bilges and confirm the watermaker is making water.
Brief the two deckhands, then wash down and chamois the exterior while dew is still on the decks.
Breakfast in the crew mess, then launch the tender and fuel the jet skis ahead of the guest swim stop.
Run guests ashore at Jost Van Dyke and stay on the tender for pickups. Keep a radio on for the captain.
Guests at lunch on the aft deck. Swap a blocked fuel filter on the tender's outboard and check the sea strainer on the starboard generator.
Thirty minutes off in the crew mess before the afternoon toy session.
Set up the seabob and paddleboards, watch the swimmers, then recover and rinse all the toys.
Raise anchor with the captain and reposition to the overnight spot. Lay out the deck lighting for dinner.
Final engine room check, update the maintenance log and order a spare impeller for delivery in Tortola.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Charter tips of 10 to 20 percent of the charter fee, shared among crew, can add several thousand dollars a month in season. Expect around 30 to 45 days' leave a year; a Y4 or Yachtmaster pushes you to the top of the band. See the Bosun & Deckhand salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- PDSD
- AEC 1 and 2
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
Gets you hired
- RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or Coastal
- MCA MEOL (Yacht)
- MCA Y4 Engineer CoC
- RYA PWC Instructor or Personal Watercraft Proficiency
- Efficient Deck Hand (EDH)
Visas
- US B1/B2
- Schengen right to work or visa
Where it leadsA typical career path
Bosun & Deckhand jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Do I need an engineering ticket to get a bosun / engineer job?
Most adverts ask for the AEC as a minimum, and many prefer the MEOL (Yacht) or a Y4. A background in a mechanical trade can stand in for formal tickets on smaller boats. Without any engineering training you will struggle to get past the CV stage.
Is this a deck job or an engineering job?
Both, in roughly equal measure. When guests are aboard, the deck takes most of your day and engineering fills the quiet hours. In the shipyard or in winter maintenance the balance often tips towards the engine room.
Does the dual role pay more than a straight bosun?
Usually yes, by around $500 to $1,500 a month on a yacht of the same size. You are saving the owner a crew berth and a salary, and captains know it. The gap gets wider once you hold a Y4.
Where are most of these jobs advertised?
Antibes and Palma in spring, and Fort Lauderdale in autumn, are the main hiring points. Charter yachts of 30m to 45m working the Med in summer and the Caribbean in winter make up most of the demand.