Yacht Deck Department
The Deck Department is responsible for maintaining the exterior maintenance of the yacht, cleaning and set-up of watersports equipment, and tender (smaller motorized boat) upkeep. Deckhands will assist the deck crew with washdowns, docking, polishing, painting, detailing, and teak care. Experience with boats or water sports expertise is extremely valuable.
Captain
At the top of the hierarchy chart for any yacht is the Captain. The captain on board a yacht is the main point of contact and the person who is in charge.
He/she is responsible for the overall running, safety, and operations onboard. They are also responsible for navigation, finances/accounting, crew, guests, rules, and regulations compliance. The captain is usually the main person onboard who does all the hiring and dismissals. A captain must be highly skilled at working with people as he/she will be working very closely with guests and crew.
Skills
· Communication
· Extensive Nautical Knowledge
· Financial and Administrative
· Superior Leadership and Management
· Regulatory and legal compliances
Salary
First Officer/Chief Mate
Every superyacht is different so depending on the size there may be a Chief Officer but also a second, third, and so on. A Chief Officer is the primary crew member in charge of assisting the Captain and supporting yacht management onboard. They normally are the ones who train the deckhands and new crew on the exterior department when they arrive onboard. Safety procedures and upkeep are one of the main priorities on board, along with navigation, deck procedures, and knowledge of the bridge duties. In the absence of the captain, the Chief Officer/Mate will be standing in.
Skills
· Communication
· Nautical Knowledge
· Leadership
· Yacht Maintenance
· Inventories
· Safety Equipment and protocols
· Passage planning and Itineraries
Salary
Bosun
Bosuns usually oversee the maintenance and repair onboard the exterior of a yacht. They usually have a larger variety of skills in comparison to the deckhand such as varnishing or rigging. Some of the duties of a Bosun include varnishing, fiberglass repair, caulking, painting, repair projects, cleaning, and overall yacht maintenance. A Bosun needs to have the ability to drive a tender and a lot of knowledge of water sports activities. When charter guests or owners are aboard the Bosun is normally in charge of helping with guest excursions.
Skills
· Communication
· Teamwork
· Yacht maintenance
· Knowledge of basic engineering
· Great eye for detail
Salary
Deckhand
When starting your career path in the Deck Department your initial role will be as a Deckhand. The deck department is responsible for maintaining the exterior maintenance of the yacht, cleaning, and set-up of watersports equipment, and tender (smaller motorized boat) upkeep. Deckhands will assist the deck crew with washdowns, docking, polishing, painting, detailing, and teak care. Some experience with boats or water sports expertise is extremely valuable.
Skills
· Communication
· Teamwork
· Ability to take direction
· Great work ethic
· Good eye for detail
Salary
Deck/Steward/ess
In the Deck and Interior Department onboard some yachts there may be hybrid roles. One popular position is a Deck/Steward/ess. This role is for someone who will work both in the exterior and interior of the yacht helping both departments. This will depend on where that crew member is most needed at the time along with the yacht program, and itinerary. This can be a fun job as the crew gets to experience what it is like to work in both departments and gain well-rounded experience.
Skills
· Communication
· Teamwork
· Ability to take direction
· Great work ethic
· Good eye for detail
· Watchkeeping
Salary
Transferrable Skills
The Deck Department will have additional hybrid roles such as:
- Personal Trainer
- Watersports Instructor
- Dive Master
It is always a benefit to have other skillsets when joining the yachting industry as this will make you stand out from the crowd when being hired for a job. Yachts are always looking for a crew that can provide a well-rounded skill set to help with guest excursions and trips!
Working in the Deck Department can be a lot of fun! This is an experience of a lifetime. Meeting crew and people from all over the world and working in an industry where you can grow and build a fantastic career. There are so many perks to working onboard a yacht and being a part of the Deck Team. If you want to learn more contact the experts at Meridian today! What are you waiting for? Start your dream career journey today!
Looking for a yacht job? We are here to help guide you on the journey! Send us your CV/Resume and we will create a profile for you today! Crew@MeridianGo.com
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