Yacht Crew Training: How to Become a Superyacht Deckhand
If you have an adventurous spirit, you may be considering a career in the world of superyachting. Most young people start in the role of deckhand. With the right yacht crew training, you could find yourself sailing the oceans, living a life of excitement and luxury.
Learn more about what would be expected of you in this job, as well as the qualifications and skills you need.
What Deckhands Do
As a deckhand, your time will be filled with various tasks, some more exciting than others. Part of your responsibilities will include ensuring that the yacht exterior is kept in top condition. This could be anything from swabbing the decks to maintaining the tenders.
Maintenance is vital to ensure the yacht's seaworthiness at all times, so other tasks will involve cleaning, painting,varnishing, and water sports.
You may also be tasked with safety and security duties, ensuring all safety equipment is checked and operational, as well as fire safety and overall safety of the guests onboard.
Required Skills and Qualifications
Good physical fitness and strength is a non-negotiable as a deckhand. You will also need to work well in a team, communicate clearly, take instructions, and have a positive attitude. As you can face unexpected challenges, problem-solving and critical thinking skills are also important.
The minimum training courses and certifications that you need to work on a yacht include:
STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) Basic Safety Training: Understand the importance of safety at sea, including fire prevention, personal survival, personal safety, social responsibility, first aid and CPR.
ENG 1: Medical clearance to perform your duties.
PDSD: Proficiency in Designated Security Duties equips crew members with the knowledge and skills to react to emergency safety situations.
Some of the skills you will need to get to grips with include how to drive a tender, terminology and signals; cleaning procedures; maintenance and repair procedures, varnishing and caulking, and rope handling.
Read more about this topic in our blog post titled “What Training Courses Do I Need to Work on a Yacht?” which also includes additional options for career advancement.
Becoming a deckhand on a superyacht is an exciting and rewarding career path, both personally and financially. YachtieWorld can connect you with reputable companies that host yacht crew training. Contact us today to find out more about our accredited training partners.
