personal experience on yachts???

[JP]

Hi,
I am looking at trying some different aspects of the marine industry. Does anyone here have experience working in the private yatching industry? Can anyone relate how best to go about finding work in this sector? Does a person with tons of experience (including personal vessels) and 1600 ton master oceans license have to start as a deckhand to learn the ropes??? How is the outlook for this sector looking? Can you find work online, long distance or do you have to go hang out in the cruising ports? What is the pay range for mates (I also have unlimited DPO). Do they mostly look for very young people and the ones with the great looks or will they hire the rest of us???
Thanks for any info
JP

[Steamer]

There isn't enough room on this forum to fully answer those questions ... follow the links below and they will lead you to a hundred more links, letters, articles, and comments that may help you. After a few days of reading this stuff come back with specific questions and I may be able to help.

http://www.the-triton.com/

http://www.dockwalk.com/

[PMC]

It's a service industry, so even though you have a 1600-ton license a lot of your experience is not relevant. For example, how would you show a new deckhand how to clean a window without leaving any streaks - as in absolutely spotless. And if you start to perspire, you have to change your shirt.....

Being an American is a bit of a negative - even though 90% of mega-yachts are owned by Americans. The ideal candidate is 30 years old with 20 years of experience, six feet tall. trim and has a Kiwi accent.

Last year half of the maga-yacht charter industry had no Christmas charters. Prior to last Christmas, the holiday has been completely booked with a 20% premium.

Check out "Triton" - a yacht charter monthly paper that is available on line at no charge.

[PMC]

It's a service industry, so even though you have a 1600-ton license a lot of your experience is not relevant. For example, how would you show a new deckhand how to clean a window without leaving any streaks - as in absolutely spotless. And if you start to perspire, you have to change your shirt.....

Being an American is a bit of a negative - even though 90% of mega-yachts are owned by Americans. The ideal candidate is 30 years old with 20 years of experience, six feet tall. trim and has a Kiwi accent.

Last year half of the mega-yacht charter industry had no Christmas charters. Prior to last Christmas, the holiday has been completely booked with a 20% premium.

Check out "Triton" - a yacht charter monthly paper that is available on line at no charge.

[Captain Electron!!]

I did 2 large yachts for a couple of years - It's not at all what people think it is from outside . . It's every bit as difficult and specialized (in different ways of course) as oilfield or tug work, both of which I have also done for quite a few years.

The comment about needing a Kiwi accent is spot on, as is the streak-free windows issue.

Before you would be considered for a "managing" position aboard a larger vessel, you would need a significant amount of training and experience on how to run a yacht "operation" as well . . You need to understand yacht procedures, maintenance, crewing, provisioning, international operations and about 50 other things to a very high level, and in forms very different from what one learns in the "commercial" industry.

I can also virtually guarantee that your painting and maintenance skills would need to brought up exponentially.

And don't even get me started about the skills you need for dealing with short term charters or owners "business associates"

The outlook right now for Americans in the yacht side of the industry is quite poor, as I know 4 American "Yacht Masters" (Unlim licenses and 20+ years as Master aboard 60m+ vessels) who are sitting on the beach right now due to re-flaggings and vessel sales/relocations.

Most big US yachts (unless you're a Paul Allen) are sitting at the dock with a "Charter me for half off!" or "For sale best offer" sign in the window.

Good luck though!!

[Flyer69]

In a nutshell:
Job description? The *is* no job description.
Driving the boat is 10% of the job.
It's all about customer service.

[Mr 100-ton]

Being an American is a bit of a negative - even though 90% of mega-yachts are owned by Americans. The ideal candidate is 30 years old with 20 years of experience, six feet tall. trim and has a Kiwi accent.

I spent OVER 11 years on the private and charter yachts as chef before heading to commercial to work on my captain license,,, I am an AMERICAN and have NEVER had trouble finding a job,,,,,,,, being an AMERICAN I found to be a PLUS in the yachting industry,,, Captains were getting tired of the immigration problems especially after 9/11 with the foreign crew, i know several boats that were not allowed entry in the U.S. because the crew did not have the proper visas

PM me for more information

[Jeffrox]

Being an American is a bit of a negative - even though 90% of mega-yachts are owned by Americans. The ideal candidate is 30 years old with 20 years of experience, six feet tall. trim and has a Kiwi accent.

I spent OVER 11 years on the private and charter yachts as chef before heading to commercial to work on my captain license,,, I am an AMERICAN and have NEVER had trouble finding a job,,,,,,,, being an AMERICAN I found to be a PLUS in the yachting industry,,, Captains were getting tired of the immigration problems especially after 9/11 with the foreign crew, i know several boats that were not allowed entry in the U.S. because the crew did not have the proper visas

PM me for more information

Maybe they just liked your cooking... You say "Captains were getting tired of the immigration problems", what nationalities were these Captains usually? Where did you sail from mostly?

[Mr 100-ton]

Maybe they just liked your cooking... You say "Captains were getting tired of the immigration problems", what nationalities were these Captains usually? Where did you sail from mostly?

I worked for american captains, english and south africans, hard to say what percentage was what, there age was from 22 all the way to 63.... there is a captain for every boat and a boat for every captain,,, there is no 28/14,,,, you live on the boat all the time,,,,, i still loved it,,, might go back to it some day

[Mr 100-ton]

Fort Lauderdale is the yachting capital of the world,,, that is were yachting happens,,,most if the yachts go to the bahamas or caribbean for the winter and the med or new england for the summer,,,,,, i was in fort lauderdale every year no matter what as most of the yachts stop there for repairs and supplies before heading on

myself,,, i sailed the east coast of U.S.,,, central and south america,,, south pacific, the med, caribbean,, and the bahamas

[KennyW1983]

A friend of mine works on a private yacht, she is the mate. She works pretty much 7 days a week sunup to sundown. The owners use the boat all the time even if they dont get underway they have guests on the boat. Why they dont use their 3 side by side by side Miami Beach mansions I couldnt tell you. She makes very good money but has no life and its starting to catch up to her after 3 years of it. She feels disconnected from her friends and family, she says the only "friends" she sees are the other people on the boat and we all know how that is... When we were dateing all she wanted was a yacht job and now that she is there she isnt sure what she wants to do. She said she has seen captains with no family friends kids or home just a bunch of money and doesnt want to end up like that.

You might love it or hate it but it can be a grueling grind with no real life the money is good but is it worth it?? She is starting to doubt it, and this is her dream job.

[Swampfox]

I work on a yacht, and it is just like a company. It all depends on who you work for. Some owners are a pain, others treat you like family. I've been on the current boat for 5 years. I don't live on the boat, I treat the boat like a regular job. I have been fortunate enough to be treated like family, and I'm the only crew. I make great money. One of the drawbacks is of course job security. You don't always know there will be a job in the future.....but what else is new.