Tender Driver / Tender Operator
On most shore runs the tender driver is the first crew member guests see and the last one they see on the way home. On larger yachts it is a dedicated deck role. You drive the limousine and chase tenders, keep them spotless and mechanically sound, and get people ashore dry, on time and safely. It suits a deckhand who handles boats well and stays calm with the principal aboard.
The jobWhat fills the day
The job is boat handling and boat care. You run guests and crew between the yacht and shore, collect provisions and parcels, run the chase tender during watersports and pick up guests from restaurants and beach clubs at any hour. In between runs you wash down, polish stainless, dry the upholstery, check fuel and oil, and log engine hours. Your tender is your responsibility. If it looks tired or fails to start, that is on you.
With guests aboard the radio decides your day. You stand by at the swim platform, often on short notice, and you may make thirty runs between breakfast and midnight. You learn every quay, fuel dock and night landing in Antibes, Monaco, Porto Cervo or St Barths. With no guests aboard you do deck work with everyone else: varnish, washdowns, tender servicing and passage watches. Below about 60m the job is usually folded into a deckhand role. Dedicated tender drivers are mostly a feature of yachts over 70m.
Captains hire people who can put a 10m limousine tender alongside a crowded quay without fuss and keep guests comfortable in a chop. You will need RYA Powerboat Level 2 at minimum, and most large yachts want Advanced Powerboat or a Yachtmaster Coastal. Previous deckhand time matters more than a perfect CV. Water toy experience, outboard and jet drive knowledge, discretion and a tidy appearance all help. Former watersports instructors and RIB drivers from dive or charter businesses often move in successfully.
Most tender drivers move up within two or three seasons. The usual route is lead deckhand, then tender captain on a yacht with a large fleet of boats, then bosun. Others start sea time towards the MCA Yachtmaster Offshore and OOW 3000gt and move onto the bridge as a third or second officer. Some pick up engineering skills from looking after outboards and jet drives and move across to a deckhand engineer role.
Skills captains look for
- Close-quarters boat handling
- Outboard and jet drive care
- Night and heavy-weather landings
- Guest etiquette and discretion
- Tender detailing
- VHF radio procedure
- Water toy operation
A day aboardCharter day, 75m motor yacht, Exumas, Bahamas
Uncover the limousine tender and chase RIB, do engine checks and wipe the dew off seats and glass.
Shore run to Staniel Cay for fresh produce and a chef's order, then fuel the RIB at the dock.
Chase boat for the guests' Seabob and jet ski session off the sandbar, staying close and watching every rider.
Quick crew lunch on the aft deck while the other driver covers the radio.
Run four guests and a beach set-up team to a private cay, then stand off and wait for the call.
Bring the beach party back, then freshwater wash both tenders and dry the upholstery.
Dinner and an hour off before the evening plan is confirmed.
Uniform on for an evening run ashore to a restaurant, wait, then bring guests back in the dark at walking pace onto the platform.
Secure the tender on the boom, log hours and fuel, and hand over the radio to the night watch.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Charter tips on busy Mediterranean and Caribbean programmes can add the equivalent of one or two months' salary per season. Rotation is uncommon at this level, so expect standard annual leave. See the Bosun & Deckhand salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- PDSD
Gets you hired
- RYA Advanced Powerboat or Yachtmaster Coastal
- VHF SRC radio licence
- RYA Personal Watercraft
- Efficient Deck Hand (EDH)
- Medical First Aid
Visas
- Schengen right to work or visa
- US B1/B2
Where it leadsA typical career path
Bosun & Deckhand jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Can I get a tender driver job as my first yacht job?
Rarely. Captains want to see at least a season as a deckhand so they know you understand yacht routines and guest service. Get your Powerboat Level 2 and EDH, take a deckhand job, and ask to drive the tenders as often as you can.
Which powerboat qualification do yachts want?
RYA Powerboat Level 2 is the minimum for any tender work. On 80m+ yachts running large limousine tenders, Advanced Powerboat or Yachtmaster Coastal is now expected. Some flag states and owners also ask for specific tender operator training.
Are the hours long?
With guests aboard, yes. You are on call from early morning until the last guest is back, which can be after 01:00 in the Med. Larger yachts share the load between two or more drivers and give you time off once the guests leave.
Is it a dead-end role?
No. Boat handling, guest contact and responsibility for expensive equipment are what captains look for in a future bosun. Plenty of chief officers started out driving tenders.