Officer of the Watch (OOW)
The Officer of the Watch is the first proper bridge job in yachting. You hold a certificate of competency, you stand a watch with full responsibility for the yacht's safety, and the captain trusts you to call them before a problem becomes an emergency. Most OOWs are former deckhands who have put in the sea time and the exams.
The jobWhat fills the day
The core of the job is the watch. On passage you keep a lookout, track traffic on radar and AIS, apply the collision regulations, fix the yacht's position and keep the deck log. At anchor you watch the holding, the weather and the swing circle, and you stay in touch with the tenders. You also look after charts and publications, check bridge equipment, run safety rounds and help with drills. When the yacht is quiet, you go out on deck and work with the deck team.
Guests change the rhythm. On charter in the Bahamas or the Balearics you may spend more time driving tenders, running watersports and handling lines at the marina than on the bridge. On passage, such as a crossing from Gibraltar to Antigua, the work is almost all watchkeeping, usually four hours on and eight off. On a 50m yacht the OOW is often a working deck officer. From 80m upwards the post is more bridge-focused, with ECDIS, ISM paperwork and security duties.
Captains hire OOWs who have done real time on deck and know what a deckhand's day involves. Most have the MCA OOW (Yachts less than 3000gt) CoC. Some come in from merchant cadetships with an unlimited OOW ticket. Clean references, a calm radio manner and evidence that you have handled tenders, mooring and guest operations all count. The first officer post is the hardest to land. Many take it on the yacht where they were already lead deckhand.
Progression runs on sea time and tickets. After about a year of watchkeeping service you can step up to Second Officer, and with more service and modules you can sit for Chief Mate (Yachts less than 3000gt). From there the route leads to Chief Officer and then to command. People who move fastest keep good records, ask the captain to sign their Training Record Book, and do not change yachts every season.
Skills captains look for
- Radar and ARPA plotting
- Collision regulations
- Passage planning
- ECDIS navigation
- Bridge resource management
- VHF and GMDSS procedure
- Tender and mooring operations
A day aboardAtlantic passage day, 70m motor yacht, Gibraltar to Las Palmas
Take over the watch from the Chief Officer after a full handover on traffic, weather and engine status. Check the course, the radar set-up and the alarms.
Hourly position fixed and logged. Call the engineer on watch to confirm engine room rounds are complete, and alter course for a container ship crossing ahead.
Hand over to the next watch and write up the night orders log. Sleep.
Chart and publication corrections, then work on the passage plan for the Canaries arrival and the berth at Las Palmas.
Crew lunch in the mess.
Back on watch. Noon position, distance run and fuel figures sent to the captain.
Weekly fire and abandon ship drill. You run the bridge side, logging musters and radio checks.
Hand over the watch, then an hour on deck with the bosun securing tenders and checking lashings before the forecast swell.
Gym, dinner and an early night before the midnight watch.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Charter yachts usually add a share of tips, often worth a month's salary or more over a busy season. Rotation posts on larger yachts may pay slightly less per month in exchange for paid leave. See the Chief Officer, Mate & OOW salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- MCA OOW (Yachts less than 3000gt) CoC or OOW 3000gt
- GMDSS GOC
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical certificate
- Advanced Fire Fighting and Medical First Aid
Gets you hired
- PDSD
- RYA Yachtmaster Offshore
- HELM (Operational)
- ECDIS generic and type-specific
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
Visas
- US B1/B2 visa
- Schengen right to work (helpful for Mediterranean yachts)
Where it leadsA typical career path
Officer of the Watch (OOW) jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Is an OOW the same as a Third Officer?
On most yachts they are the same rank, with one stripe and the same ticket. Some yachts use OOW for a dedicated watchkeeper and Third Officer for a deck officer who also runs tenders and deck projects. Read the advert closely and ask about the split.
How long does it take to get the OOW ticket?
For the yacht route, plan on about three years. You need qualifying sea service, Yachtmaster Offshore, a set of STCW and navigation modules, GMDSS, written exams and an MCA oral. Keeping your Training Record Book up to date from day one saves months.
Why is the first OOW job so hard to find?
Captains want someone they already know can handle a bridge alone at night. A new ticket with no watchkeeping history is a risk. The best route is often to get promoted on the yacht you already work on, or to start on a yacht of 45-60m where the OOW also works on deck.
Can I move to commercial shipping with a yacht OOW ticket?
The yacht OOW certificate is limited to yachts under 3000gt and does not carry over to merchant ships. If you want to keep the commercial option open, an unlimited OOW 3000gt through a cadetship is the better choice.