Deckhand / Tender Driver
A deckhand/tender driver works as a full member of the deck team and has one extra job that guests notice more than anything else. You get them ashore and back safely, on time and dry. Captains give this role to deckhands who can bring a 9m limousine tender alongside a crowded quay in a crosswind without any fuss.
The jobWhat fills the day
The daily work is ordinary deck work. That means washdowns, chamoising, teak care, polishing stainless, line handling and anchor watches. The extra responsibility is the guest tender. You drive the principal to the beach club, run shopping trips and do the midnight pickups from restaurants ashore. On most boats you also look after the tenders themselves. That covers fuel, flushing, oil and impeller checks, hull cleaning, fender covers and the maintenance log. When a tender is out of service, it is your problem first.
With guests aboard, the tender is the first and last part of the yacht they see. You will be in full uniform at the helm, timing pickups to the minute and coming alongside busy quays in Saint-Tropez or Capri without a mark. You need to read guests well enough to know when to chat and when to stay quiet. Between charters the role goes back to deck work, provisioning runs and crew transfers. On a 40m yacht you may be the only regular driver. On 80m and above there is often a tender captain above you and several tenders to run.
Captains hire people with at least one season on deck and genuine boat-handling hours. Useful backgrounds include instructing at a powerboat or sailing school, running RIBs in a busy harbour, or driving dive boats in Thailand or the Red Sea. A clean record matters more than anything. People remember a scratched hull at a guest pickup. A smart appearance, a calm manner and local knowledge of the Med or the Caribbean help. A commercially endorsed RYA powerboat ticket is the minimum.
Most crew use the role as a step towards lead deckhand and bosun. Log your sea time from day one. Get your Yachtmaster Offshore with commercial endorsement, then work towards OOW 3000gt if you want a bridge career. Some crew specialise in driving instead. They move up to tender captain on large yachts, or to chase boat captain on owners' programmes that run a support vessel. Either way, a reputation for safe, tidy boat handling travels with you from yacht to yacht.
Skills captains look for
- Close-quarters boat handling
- Guest-facing tender service
- Outboard and waterjet maintenance
- Line handling and mooring
- Exterior detailing and teak care
- Water toy operation
- VHF radio procedure
A day aboardCharter day, 55m motor yacht, Porto Cervo, Sardinia
Morning wipe-down of the exterior with the deck team. Pre-use checks on both tenders: fuel, bilges, kill cords, fenders, radios and the grab bag.
Crew breakfast in the mess, then a change into the white guest uniform.
Run four guests into Porto Cervo marina for shopping. Stand by at the quay with the handheld VHF until the chief stew calls for the return.
Shuttle guests, cool boxes and the beach set-up to a cove on the Costa Smeralda. Help the stews lay out loungers and shade.
Lunch in shifts while another deckhand covers the beach and the radio.
Drive the towable and supervise jet ski use, with a close eye on swimmers and other traffic.
Bring the toys back aboard. Flush engines and jet skis with fresh water, then refuel and wash the tender ready for the evening.
Take guests ashore for dinner, then return to the yacht for a short anchor watch.
Collect guests from the restaurant pontoon. Once they are aboard, cover and secure the tender, write up the log and finish.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
On busy charter yachts, tips are usually shared equally among crew and can add USD 1,000-3,000 a month in season. Permanent roles often include 30-45 days' leave, flights home and health insurance. See the Bosun & Deckhand salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical certificate
- RYA Powerboat Level 2 (commercially endorsed)
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
Gets you hired
- RYA Advanced Powerboat (commercially endorsed)
- RYA Yachtmaster Offshore (commercially endorsed)
- GMDSS Short Range Certificate (VHF)
- RYA Personal Watercraft Proficiency
- Approved Engine Course (AEC)
Visas
- Schengen visa or EU passport
- US C1/D crew visa
- US B1/B2 for US-based yachts
Where it leadsA typical career path
Bosun & Deckhand jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Do I need a Yachtmaster to get this job?
No. A commercially endorsed RYA Powerboat Level 2 is the usual minimum, and larger yachts often ask for Advanced Powerboat. A Yachtmaster Offshore makes you more competitive, and it is the first step if you want an officer career later.
Does it pay more than a straight deckhand role?
Usually a few hundred dollars a month more, depending on the yacht and how much responsibility you take for the tenders. Tips are normally shared equally among crew, so they do not change much.
What kind of tenders will I be driving?
Anything from a 5m RIB with an outboard to an 11m enclosed limousine tender with inboard diesels and waterjets. Waterjets handle very differently at low speed, so practise with an experienced driver before your first guest run.
Are the hours longer than for other deckhands?
Often, yes. Guests eat ashore late, and someone has to drive them back. Good bosuns rotate late runs and let the driver start later the next morning, but expect midnight finishes through the summer season.