Mechanical Technician
The mechanical technician does the hands-on work in the engine room. On larger yachts, usually 70m and up, the role sits below the third engineer and handles the planned maintenance that keeps main engines, generators, pumps, tenders and deck hydraulics running. It suits tradespeople from shoreside marine, automotive or plant backgrounds who want to work at sea before they hold an officer's certificate.
The jobWhat fills the day
Most of the day is planned maintenance from the yacht's maintenance system, such as IDEA or AMOS. You change oil and filters on generators, overhaul raw water pumps, replace impellers, service separators and watermakers, and chase leaks. You also look after the tenders and toys: outboard servicing, jet ski impellers, winch and capstan greasing. Every job is logged, every part is booked back into stores, and the bilges stay spotless. You work under the second or third engineer and take on rounds and watchkeeping once you have proved yourself.
With guests aboard the work changes. Noisy jobs and anything that takes a system offline wait until guests are ashore or asleep. You run daily engine room rounds, keep the tenders fuelled and ready, and fix whatever breaks at short notice: a sticking davit, a slow passerelle, a guest's jet ski that will not start. Yard periods in Antibes, Palma or La Ciotat mean long days alongside contractors stripping and rebuilding machinery. Under 60m the role rarely exists. The work falls to a deckhand/engineer or junior engineer.
Captains and chief engineers hire people who already know how to use tools properly. A time-served apprenticeship in diesel, plant, automotive or marine trades, or a few years at a boatyard or engine dealer, counts for more than yachting experience. Manufacturer training on MTU, Caterpillar, MAN or Yamaha outboards helps. You need STCW Basic Safety, an ENG1 and PDSD as a minimum. A tidy, calm attitude matters as much as skill, because even on a 90m yacht you will share a cabin.
Most people use the role as a way into the officer ranks. With AEC 1 and 2 and some logged sea service, you can move up to third engineer within a year or two. From there the MCA route runs through the Y4 to Y1 certificates of competency, with engine room sea time recorded in your discharge book and testimonials. Some prefer to stay technical and move into specialist roles such as tender engineer or hydraulic systems technician. Others go back ashore to refit yards, where sea time is valued.
Skills captains look for
- Diesel engine servicing
- Pump and valve overhaul
- Outboard and jet ski maintenance
- Hydraulic fault finding
- Planned maintenance logging
- Basic welding and fabrication
- Stores and spares control
A day aboardOwner trip, 95m motor yacht, at anchor off Mykonos
Morning engine room rounds with the third engineer. Check generator readings, bilge levels, sewage plant and watermaker output, then log them.
Fuel and check both chase tenders and the jet skis before the deck team launches them for the guests' morning.
Breakfast in the crew mess and the daily engineering briefing over coffee.
Change the impeller and seals on a fire and bilge pump in the forward pump room, a quiet job that will not disturb guests.
Lunch, then an hour off in the cabin.
Called to the swim platform: a jet ski will not start. Trace a blocked fuel filter, replace it and return the ski to service within half an hour.
Close out the morning's jobs in the maintenance system, book used spares out of stores and flag low filter stock to the second engineer.
Crew dinner, then off until the late check.
Final rounds once guests are back aboard. Wash down the tenders' engines and check the generator load before handing over to the night watch.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Usually tax-free, with food, cabin and flights home included. Charter yachts share tips among crew, which can add $1,500 to $3,000 a month in season. Rotation is rare at this level. See the Engineer salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical certificate
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
Gets you hired
- AEC 1 and 2 (Approved Engine Course)
- MCA Engine Room Watch Rating
- Trade qualification such as NVQ Level 3 or City & Guilds in mechanical engineering
- Manufacturer courses (MTU, Caterpillar, Yamaha)
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
Visas
- Schengen right to work or visa
- US C1/D crew visa
Where it leadsA typical career path
Engineer jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Can I get this job without yachting experience?
Yes, if you have solid trade experience. Chief engineers often prefer a time-served diesel or marine mechanic to a green crew member with a few charters behind them. You still need STCW, an ENG1 and PDSD before you start.
How is this different from a junior or assistant engineer?
The title tells you the yacht wants hands-on mechanical skill first, rather than a cadet on the certificate route. The day-to-day work overlaps heavily. Once you add AEC 1 and 2 and sea time, the step to third engineer is short.
Does sea time as a mechanical technician count towards a CoC?
Engine room service counts towards MCA engineering certificates when it is properly documented. Keep your discharge book up to date and ask the chief engineer for testimonials as you go. Check the current MCA requirements before you plan your Y4 application.
Where are these jobs advertised?
Mostly on yachts of 80m and up, and in refit yards in Antibes, Palma, La Ciotat, the Netherlands and Fort Lauderdale. Many roles start as refit contracts and turn permanent once the season begins.