Mate / Engineer
The mate/engineer is the captain's right hand on yachts too small to carry a separate chief officer and engineer. You navigate, handle lines and drive the tender, then go below to change filters, fix the watermaker and log the generator hours. It suits practical people who like both halves of the boat and don't mind being the person everyone calls when something stops.
The jobWhat fills the day
The job splits in two. On deck you are the senior officer under the captain: bridge watches on passage, passage planning, mooring, anchoring, tender driving and supervising any deckhand. Below you are the whole engineering department. That means daily engine room rounds, oil and filter changes on mains and generators, watermaker and black water upkeep, air conditioning faults, bilge checks and the planned maintenance log. On a 30m with four crew you will also wash down, polish stainless and help the stew carry provisions.
With guests aboard the deck side takes over the daylight hours. You run the tender, launch toys, set up the swim platform and keep the anchorage safe. Engineering gets squeezed into early mornings and late evenings, so you learn to keep the generator running quietly and fix things without the guests noticing. In the yard or on a quiet winter berth in Palma or Fort Lauderdale the balance swings back, and you will spend weeks on services, contractor jobs and paperwork for the flag and class surveys.
Captains hire people who can prove both skills. The usual profile is a deckhand with a Yachtmaster Offshore commercial endorsement who has added the AEC and a year of hands-on engine work, or a trained mechanic who has picked up deck tickets. Sailing yachts like candidates who can also handle rigging and hydraulics. A reference from a previous captain saying you kept the boat running without outside contractors carries more weight than any certificate.
From here most people choose a lane. Those who prefer the bridge move to chief officer on a 40m to 60m yacht and then to captain, often on the size of boat they already know. Those who enjoy the engine room take the Y4 and move into sole engineer or second engineer roles. A few keep both and become captain/engineers on 24m to 30m yachts, where an owner pays well for one person who can drive and fix the boat.
Skills captains look for
- Diesel engine and generator servicing
- Passage planning and watchkeeping
- Tender driving and recovery
- Watermaker and HVAC fault-finding
- Planned maintenance records
- Mooring and anchoring
- Supervising junior deck crew
A day aboardCharter day, 34m motor yacht, British Virgin Islands
Engine room rounds: check oil levels, coolant, bilges and generator load, then note the hours in the log.
Clean the watermaker pre-filters and start a run so the tanks are full before guests shower.
Wash down the decks with the deckhand and prep the tender and paddleboards.
Quick crew breakfast and a short brief with the captain on the move to Jost Van Dyke.
Raise anchor, take the bridge watch for the short passage, then anchor and set the swim platform.
Run guests ashore and back in the tender, then tow the inflatable for the children.
Lunch in shifts while the deckhand covers the platform.
Fix a cabin air conditioning unit that has tripped, clean the strainer and reset the breaker.
Recover toys, secure the tender, final engine room check and anchor watch handover.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Charter tips of 10 to 15 percent of the charter fee are shared among the crew and can add several thousand dollars a month in the Caribbean or Mediterranean season. Rotation is rare at this size, so expect a fixed annual leave allowance of 30 to 45 days. See the Chief Officer, Mate & OOW salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- RYA Yachtmaster Offshore with commercial endorsement
- MCA Approved Engine Course (AEC 1 and 2)
- PDSD
Gets you hired
- OOW (Yacht) 3000gt or Master 200gt
- MCA Y4 or MEOL (Yacht)
- GMDSS GOC or SRC
- Elementary First Aid or Medical Care
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
Visas
- US B1/B2
- Schengen visa if not an EU national
Where it leadsA typical career path
Chief Officer, Mate & OOW jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Do I need to be a qualified mechanic to get this job?
No, but you need to show real engine room experience. The AEC is the minimum ticket, and captains will ask what you have actually serviced. Time as a deckhand/engineer or in a boatyard workshop is the usual way to build that record.
Which ticket should I do first, deck or engineering?
Most people start with Yachtmaster Offshore and the AEC together, as that combination gets you hired on boats under 30m. After that, choose based on where you want to end up: OOW 3000gt for the bridge or Y4 for the engine room.
Is the workload heavier than a single-department role?
Usually, yes. During charter you work deck hours and then catch up on engineering early and late. In return you learn a great deal fast and are paid more than a deckhand or junior engineer on the same boat.
Are there mate/engineer jobs on sailing yachts?
Yes, and they are common. Sailing yachts of 25m to 40m often want someone who can handle rigging, winches and hydraulics as well as the main engine and generator. Racing or ocean-crossing experience helps.