photo contest - Yacht Essentials

So, you’ve just learned about the yachting industry
from a friend who’s been off living the dream and
is back in your hometown for a quick visit before
her next adventure. Either that or it’s a sibling, or
your mum’s friend’s son’s girlfriend. Etcetera. The point
is you’re at a time in your life when you’re thinking “it’s
now or never.” You’ve been looking at how to get some
travelling done, earn some cash and have some new experiences
before settling down.
You’ve probably just discovered that it’s a way bigger industry
than you realized; people actually do work and
make a living on those massive floating hotels out there
cruising the world’s oceans. The question now is: What
are you going to do about it?
My reason for bringing this up mid-season is that normally
we talk about how to get into the industry at the start
of one of the seasons, but by then it’s usually a bit on the
late side to get everything sorted. Now is the time to really
get ready if you hope to break into the business.
The best way to find your first job on a yacht is to get
where the action is. This means arriving in the Mediterranean
in the spring (March/April). Over in the Caribbean
or Fort Lauderdale, the best time to aim for is autumn
60 YACHT ESSENTIALS
BREAKING INTO
THE BUSINESS
BY ERICA LAY
(September/October). This is just before each season
generally kicks off.
If you’re going to the Med, you should base yourself in
Antibes or Palma de Mallorca. On the other side of the
pond, aim for Fort Lauderdale, Antigua or St. Maarten.
Plan well ahead and make sure you have your vaccinations
and visas sorted out. A bit of research before you go
should give you an idea of the best (and cheapest) places
to stay, be it a crew house, shared accommodation or, better
still, a friend’s place. You’ll want to position yourself
well and make friends and contacts as soon as possible, as
jobs more often than not go through word of mouth.
The fun part comes next: dockwalking. But before we get
to that bit, you’ll need to be prepared pre-arrival. What
will you need? To start with, a STCW 95. I’m still surprised
when I meet people who’ve arrived in the Med “ready
to work” without this very important safety requirement.
Most yachts won’t entertain you without your STCW as an
absolute minimum. It’s a four- to five-day course covering
four modules: Personal Safety and Social Responsibility,
Sea Survival, First Aid and (the fun one) Fire Fighting.
I’ve heard a number of new crew telling me they’ll do the
course “when” they find employment. The problem with