Technical Yacht Manager
A technical yacht manager looks after the machinery, class status and refit plans of several yachts from an office ashore. Most are former chief engineers who want a life on land without leaving the boats behind. You become the person the captain and chief engineer phone when something expensive breaks, and the person the owner's office asks to explain the bill.
The jobWhat fills the day
The core of the job is keeping each yacht in class and in good order. You track survey windows with Lloyd's, BV, RINA or DNV, review planned maintenance records, approve technical spend, chase warranty claims and source contractors. You read engine room reports every week and know which generator on which boat is due a top-end overhaul. When a yacht has a major failure in Sardinia in July, you find the parts, the technicians and a berth.
Refits take up a large share of the year. You write the specification with the chief engineer and captain, send it to yards in Barcelona, La Ciotat, Genoa or the Netherlands, compare quotes and negotiate. During the yard period you visit often, sit in progress meetings and hold the line on cost and scope. Smaller yachts lean on you more because they carry one engineer. On 80m+ yachts with a full engine department, you act more as budget controller and second opinion.
Management companies in Monaco, Antibes, Palma, Southampton and Fort Lauderdale hire for this role. They want a senior marine engineer, usually with a Y1 or Y2 ticket or a merchant Class 2, and several years as chief on large yachts. Some come from naval architecture or a shipyard project background instead. You need to write a clear report, build a spreadsheet budget and argue with a yard in calm, firm terms.
Progression runs from managing a handful of yachts to heading the technical department, then into fleet management or a director role. Some technical managers move into new build supervision, acting as owner's representative at a Dutch or German yard for two or three years. Others become DPA once they have the ISM training and audit experience. The ceiling is high, though growth depends on the size of the company and how many yachts it holds.
Skills employers look for
- Marine diesel and systems knowledge
- Class and flag survey planning
- Refit specification and tendering
- Technical budgeting and cost control
- Contractor negotiation
- Clear written reporting
- ISM and planned maintenance systems
A working dayTuesday in an Antibes management office, with a yard visit in the afternoon
Read overnight emails from three chief engineers. One yacht in the Caribbean reports a watermaker fault and needs a membrane shipped to St Maarten.
Review monthly technical spend against budget for a 55m motor yacht. Query two invoices from a Palma contractor before approving.
Call with a class surveyor to agree the scope and dates for an intermediate survey in October.
Lunch near Port Vauban with a paint contractor who wants to quote for the winter refit.
Drive to the shipyard in La Ciotat to walk through a 62m yacht in the shed. Check progress on the shaft line work and sign off a variation order.
Progress meeting with the yard project manager, captain and chief engineer. Push back on a delay to the hull blasting schedule.
Drive back along the coast and take a short call from home.
Write the weekly refit report for the owner's family office, with photos, cost to date and the revised completion date.
Pay by experienceAnnual salary. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Shoreside salaries are taxed, so a chief engineer coming ashore often takes home less than at sea in the first years. Some companies add a car, travel allowance or a bonus linked to fleet size and refit outcomes. See the Yacht & Crew Management salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Qualifications
Must have
- MCA Chief Engineer CoC (Y1 to Y4) or merchant Class 2, or an engineering degree
- Several years as chief engineer or equivalent technical experience
Gets you hired
- ISM internal auditor course
- DPA / Company Security Officer course
- Project management training such as PRINCE2
- STCW Basic Safety Training for site visits and sea trials
- Advanced Microsoft Excel
Where it leadsA typical career path
Technical Yacht Manager jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Do I need to have been a chief engineer?
Most companies expect it, usually on yachts over 50m. A minority hire from naval architecture or shipyard project roles, but you will need to prove you understand how a yacht runs day to day. Crews respect a manager who has done the job.
How much travel is involved?
Expect to travel several times a month in refit season and for any major breakdown. Yard visits, sea trials and survey attendance all take you away from the office. A valid passport and flexibility matter more than any visa.
Will I earn more than I did at sea?
Gross pay may look similar, but tax and living costs ashore usually reduce take-home pay at first. Senior managers and heads of technical departments at larger firms can earn well above a mid-size chief engineer. Most people make the move for family life and a fixed home.
How is this different from a yacht manager?
A yacht manager covers the whole operation, including crew, accounts, compliance and the owner relationship. The technical manager focuses on the machinery, class, maintenance and refits. In small companies one person may do both.