Choose a department
Deck, engineering, interior, galley, or dual-seasonal support. Your first CV, certificates, and dockwalking pitch should be built around a clear target.
Green Crew Guide
Getting started in yachting.
A practical step-by-step guide for new crew preparing for their first yacht job, from basic certificates to dockwalking, CVs, crew houses, and first interviews.
Quick Checklist
What most green crew should prepare first.
Requirements can vary by yacht, flag state, position, itinerary, and employer. Use this as a practical starter map, then confirm current requirements with official sources, training schools, captains, and recruiters.
Complete basic certificates
Most entry yacht roles expect STCW basic safety training and a valid seafarer medical such as ENG1 or an accepted equivalent.
Prepare a clean CV
One clear page is better than a long messy CV. Show availability, location, certificates, visas, experience, skills, and references.
Get near yacht hubs
Many first breaks come from being physically close to marinas during hiring periods, staying in a good crew house, and meeting people professionally.
Step By Step
The beginner route into yachting.
Understand the main yacht departments
Before spending money, decide where you fit. Deck crew handle exterior maintenance, tender work, lines, washdowns, watchkeeping support, and guest water activities. Interior crew handle housekeeping, laundry, service, detailing, table setup, guest care, and provisioning support. Engineering roles need technical skill and may require stronger mechanical or electrical experience. Galley roles need cooking ability, hygiene standards, provisioning discipline, and calm under pressure.
Green crew often start through daywork, seasonal junior roles, stew/deck, deckhand, junior stewardess, laundry/housekeeping support, chase boat support, or temp roles. The clearer your target, the easier it is for someone to remember you.
Get STCW basic safety training
STCW is the international safety-training framework for seafarers. For yacht crew, entry-level packages commonly include personal survival techniques, fire prevention and firefighting, elementary first aid, personal safety and social responsibilities, and security awareness or designated security duties depending on the role and yacht.
Book through a reputable approved training provider. Keep digital and printed copies of every certificate. Check names, dates, certificate numbers, and whether refresher training will be required later.
Complete an ENG1 or accepted seafarer medical
An ENG1 is a medical certificate issued by an approved doctor that shows you are medically fit for seafaring work. Some yachts may accept equivalent medical certificates depending on flag, cruising area, insurance, and employer policy, but you should confirm before relying on an alternative.
Book early. Appointments can fill quickly before busy seasons. Bring ID, glasses or contact lenses if used, medical history details, and any medication information. Keep the certificate safe because recruiters and captains may ask for it before interview or daywork.
Build a yacht CV that gets read quickly
Your CV should make the captain or recruiter understand you in 20 seconds. Use a professional headshot, full name, phone, email, nationality, current location, availability, target role, visas, medical, STCW, other certificates, driving license, language skills, and a short profile statement.
For green crew, show transferable experience: hospitality, restaurants, bars, housekeeping, childcare, watersports, sailing, diving, tender handling, trades, mechanical work, painting, varnishing, detailing, leadership, customer service, and high-pressure team environments. Keep the layout clean, spell-check everything, and export as a PDF with a sensible filename such as FirstName_LastName_Deckhand_CV.pdf.
Collect your document pack
Have digital copies ready for your passport, visas, STCW, ENG1 or medical, certificates, reference letters, police check if requested, vaccination records if needed, and a professional CV. If you have a Seaman's Discharge Book, include it. If you do not, do not panic; many green crew start without one, but it can become useful as your career develops.
Store documents securely and avoid sending sensitive ID documents casually. Use trusted platforms, reputable agencies, and direct employer channels.
Choose a good crew house
A strong crew house can help you learn the local hiring rhythm, meet other crew, hear about daywork, and stay close to marinas. Look for clean rooms, fair pricing, good reviews, reliable Wi-Fi, laundry access, realistic rules, and a reputation for helping crew professionally.
Avoid places that pressure you into paid "guaranteed job" schemes. A good crew house can create opportunity, but nobody should sell you a guaranteed placement.
Dockwalk professionally where it is allowed
Dockwalking means visiting marinas to introduce yourself and ask whether yachts need dayworkers or junior crew. Rules differ by marina and country, so respect access control, security, and signage. Never force your way onto docks or onto vessels.
Go early, dress neatly, carry printed CVs, keep your pitch short, and be polite even when people are busy. A simple pitch works: "Good morning, I am available for daywork or junior deck/interior work. I have STCW, ENG1, and I am based nearby. May I leave my CV?"
Dress and present yourself like crew
First impressions matter. Wear clean polo or plain shirt, smart shorts or trousers, clean shoes, tidy hair, minimal jewellery, and bring sunscreen and water. Do not arrive smelling of alcohol or looking like you came straight from a party.
Yachting values detail. If you look tidy, punctual, respectful, and calm, people are more likely to imagine you around guests and expensive vessels.
Treat daywork as your interview
Daywork is often the doorway. Show up early, put your phone away, listen carefully, ask before using chemicals or tools, protect surfaces, clean as you go, and stay positive. If you do not know something, say so and ask to be shown properly.
Captains and senior crew remember attitude. Reliability, humility, stamina, and common sense can matter more than having the perfect first CV.
Prepare for interviews and trial days
Know your CV, your availability, your certificates, and your reason for joining yachting. Be ready to explain how your previous work transfers to yacht life. Keep answers honest and practical. Do not exaggerate tender, service, engineering, or sailing skills.
Good questions to ask include contract type, start date, itinerary, duties, cabin arrangements, leave, pay currency, insurance, ticket requirements, and whether the position is temporary, seasonal, rotational, freelance, or permanent.
Protect yourself from bad offers
Be careful with anyone asking crew to pay for a job, pay a placement fee, hand over documents without reason, work unpaid beyond a fair trial, or sign unclear agreements under pressure. Keep records of messages, offers, and contracts.
Yacht Swipe is designed around a no-crew-fee recruitment model: crew should not pay Yacht Swipe to apply, be discovered, shortlisted, messaged, or hired.
30 Day Starter Plan
A focused first-month plan for green crew.
Week 1: Decide and document
Pick a target department, book STCW and medical, create a document folder, draft your CV, and list transferable skills.
Week 2: Train and polish
Complete or schedule certificates, update your CV, take a professional photo, prepare a short introduction, and research yacht hubs.
Week 3: Get visible
Create profiles, contact reputable recruiters, move near the right marina if possible, and start networking with other crew.
Week 4: Apply and follow up
Apply for realistic jobs, dockwalk where allowed, take daywork seriously, follow up politely, and improve your CV with every lesson.
Common Mistakes
What green crew should avoid.
Applying for everything
Target jobs that fit your actual certificates, availability, location, and department. A focused profile looks more serious.
Messy CVs
Long paragraphs, poor photos, spelling mistakes, and missing certificates make it harder for recruiters to trust your application.
Weak follow-up
Following up once is professional. Chasing repeatedly every few hours is not. Keep messages short, polite, and useful.
Ignoring rest and attitude
Yachting is physical and social. Sleep, show up sharp, stay humble, and protect your reputation from the first day.
Official References
Check current rules before spending money.
Training, medical, visa, and employment requirements can change and may differ by country, flag state, yacht, and employer.
STCW
IMO STCW Convention
Fair recruitment
UK seafarer working and living rights
Yacht jobs
Yacht Swipe