Do You Need Training to Be a Deckhand?

Working on a superyacht deck is a dream for many. The idyllic images of luxurious oceanic journeys on sleek and magnificent boats attract crowds to the yachting industry. However, behind these scenes, there is a multifaceted job demanding not only physical prowess but also a high level of training. As the backbone of the maritime industry, deckhands play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety, efficiency, and overall success of superyacht operations.

One of the episodes of the famous Below Deck TV show featured a green deckhand on his first day onboard: looking completely lost, standing by the gangplank, he was clutching the handrail and paid no attention to the guests arriving onboard. Needless to say, this is not what captains and officers expect to see when they add a new member to their team.

It is no secret that boats are reluctant to hire inexperienced crew, and more so crew with no knowledge of their tasks. Whereas experience comes with practice and time, knowledge is something that is possible to acquire through proper training.

Last year, around 70% of newcomers to the yachting industry opted for deckhand route, and only less than a half of them had skills and experience that helped them secure a job upon completion of the STCW Basic Safety training. To strengthen CVs and gain extra skills and qualifications that come handy on boats, we’ve recommended aspiring deckhands to add RYA Powerboat Level 2 and PWC/Jet Ski License. The three courses – Basic Safety, PB2, and Jet Ski – are wrapped in a Full Tender and Jet Ski pack allowing to get comprehensive training at a reduced price.

Having analyzed the needs and knowledge gaps of green deckhands, this year we’ve come up with a more efficient solution – a 2-day Yacht Deckhand course – the training that makes you fully prepared to step onboard and know what to do and how to behave.  Drawing from the expectations of perspective employers, the course addresses the issues of hierarchy and terminology used on superyachts, code of conduct, and general deck procedures; focused on practical aspects, it covers a variety of tasks a starter deckhand is faced with – tick and steel maintenance, ropework, line handling, anchoring, docking etc.

As always, striving to deliver high quality training at an affordable price, we put this course in our Full Deckhand pack (STCW 95 + Yacht Deckhand training + Powerboat + Jet Ski). As of today, this is the most comprehensive solution for those who fancy a confident step onboard a superyacht in a deckhand role.

Not sure what role is most suitable for you? Reach out to training@seascopefrance.com, and we will assist you with advice in your superyacht journey!