Yacht Training Instructor
A yacht training instructor runs the courses every crew member has to pass, from the five-day STCW basic safety week to OOW, Master and engineering modules. Most come ashore after a long sea career and want regular hours. Schools in Antibes, Palma, Southampton, Fort Lauderdale and Auckland hire people who have done the job and can explain it to a room.
The jobWhat fills the day
The work is classroom and practical teaching to an approved syllabus. Deck instructors cover navigation, stability, Passage Planning, ECDIS and the Yachtmaster, OOW and Master modules. Engineers teach the AEC, Y4 to Y1 courses and approved engine room skills. Safety instructors run fire fighting, sea survival, first aid and PSSR. Interior specialists teach GUEST courses, silver service, wine and housekeeping. Every course carries paperwork: attendance records, assessments, mark sheets and audit files for the MCA or the flag that approves the course.
The calendar follows the yachting season. October to April is busy, when crew are off the boats in Antibes, Palma or Fort Lauderdale and booking tickets before the next contract. In summer, rooms empty and many instructors do relief captain, mate or engineer work, which keeps their sea time and knowledge current. Large colleges such as those in Southampton and Hamble run all year with cadet programmes and longer CoC courses, so the work there is steadier.
Schools want credibility first. A deck lecturer for OOW or Master courses usually holds Master 3000gt or Master Unlimited. An engineering lecturer will hold Y1 or a Class 2 or above. Safety instructors often come from fire services, the Navy or the RNLI as well as yachts. You will need a recognised teaching qualification, such as the IMO 6.09 train-the-trainer course or a UK assessor award, and the MCA or flag will check your CV before approving you to teach a specific course.
Progression runs from teaching a narrow set of short courses to leading whole programmes, then to course development, head of department, or running the school. Some instructors move into MCA examining, consultancy, or training management for a fleet. Many keep a foot in both worlds for years, teaching in winter and taking rotational or relief contracts in summer. Freelancers who hold approval for several courses and can travel between schools stay the busiest.
Skills employers look for
- Clear classroom delivery
- Practical drills and assessment
- Course documentation and audit
- Current MCA syllabus knowledge
- Patience with mixed abilities
- Real sea experience
- Simulator operation
A working dayWednesday at a training school in Antibes, OOW Navigation week
Arrive, start the bridge simulator and load the day's exercise: a night passage through the Strait of Bonifacio in restricted visibility.
Morning theory session on collision regulations, working through real near-miss reports from yachts in the Med.
Coffee with candidates, who mostly want to talk about their sea time testimonials and next contract.
Simulator run in pairs. Watch each bridge team, pause the exercise when someone misreads a target, and talk them through it.
Lunch on the port with another instructor who teaches the AEC next door.
Chartwork practical: tidal calculations and passage plans, marked against the syllabus criteria.
Written assessment under exam conditions. Invigilate, then mark scripts and record results for the audit file.
Update course records, reply to a crew agent asking for a candidate's certificate, and prepare Thursday's stability session.
Finish. A captain from a 60m in Port Vauban rings about booking relief cover for June.
Pay by experienceAnnual salary. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Salaries are taxed, unlike most crew pay, so take-home is lower than at sea. Freelancers earn roughly £200 to £400 a day depending on the course, and many add summer relief contracts at sea. See the Yacht & Crew Management salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Qualifications
Must have
- CoC relevant to courses taught (e.g. Master 3000gt or Y1)
- STCW Basic Safety Training, in date
- IMO 6.09 Train the Trainer or equivalent teaching qualification
- MCA or flag approval for each course delivered
Gets you hired
- Assessor award (e.g. TAQA or CAVA)
- RYA Yachtmaster Instructor or Examiner
- Medical First Aid or Medical Care instructor status
- ECDIS and simulator instructor courses
- Fire fighting instructor qualification
Where it leadsA typical career path
Yacht & Crew Management jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Do I need to have worked on yachts to teach yacht courses?
For CoC courses, yes. Schools and the MCA expect you to hold the certificate you are teaching towards, or a higher one, with real sea time behind it. Safety and first aid courses also hire ex-firefighters, paramedics and Navy personnel.
Can I teach freelance?
Yes, and plenty of instructors do. You are approved for specific courses, then schools book you by the day or week. The work is busiest from October to April.
Will I earn less than I did at sea?
Usually, yes. A captain or chief engineer will take a large drop, and shore salaries are taxed. People make the move for home life, regular hours and to keep using what they know.
Where are the main training schools?
The busiest yacht schools are in Antibes, Palma, Southampton, the Solent area and Fort Lauderdale. There are also centres in Auckland, Sydney, Cape Town and the Caribbean.