How to Land Your First Superyacht Job - Even If You've Never Stepped on a Boat
by Hugo Ortega 13 Jun 15:38 PDT
Not long ago, I was sitting in a Houston cubicle, 24 years old, engineering degree in hand, and completely miserable. I’d followed the safe path, but it left me burned out and questioning everything. Soon after I quit my job, ended a six-year relationship, and purchased a one-way ticket to Southeast Asia.
That’s where I met a deckhand in Myanmar who told me he got paid to work on superyachts and travel the world. That night changed my life. Within weeks, I earned my basic certifications and was crossing the Atlantic on my first yacht. Ten years later, I’ve worked my way up to Captain, visited 100+ countries, and helped hundreds of new crew do the same.
The Superyacht Industry Isn’t Just for Sailors
If you’ve never stepped on a boat, yachting might sound unreachable, but trust me, it’s not! Superyachts are floating luxury hotels that rely heavily on hospitality, not sailing. Captains like me don’t hire people with perfect resumes, we hire team players with grit, work ethic, and great attitudes.
The industry has exploded in the last decade. Bigger yachts, more guests, and higher expectations mean there’s a growing need for well-trained, entry-level crew. But breaking in takes more than simply showing up with a certificate.
What New Crew Get Wrong
The biggest mistake green crew make is spending thousands on unnecessary courses and think that’s enough. The truth is, you only need two things to legally work on most yachts: STCW Basic Safety Training and an ENG1 medical exam. That’s it. Everything else, silver service, deckhand training, is often unnecessary fluff for beginners.
What matters more is how you present yourself. Can you write a CV that gets noticed? Do you understand how to network? Do you know how to dockwalk, what to wear, where to stay, and how to land a day job that leads to a full-time contract?
That’s where my platform, Superyacht Sunday School, comes in. I created a mentorship-driven course to fill the gaps traditional training doesn’t. I give students a step-by-step playbook and coach them through landing their first job.
What Captains Are Really Looking For
Good captains don’t hire for boating skills, we hire for vibe. We want someone who shows up early, listens well, and knows how to work hard under pressure. You can teach someone to tie knots, but you can’t teach them how to be easy to live with on a 40-meter yacht.
I’ve helped hairstylists, baristas, servers, and even electricians pivot into yachting. One of my favorite students, Miya, went from doing hair in the U.S. to working full time on a charter yacht in the Bahamas, with no previous boating background. Just hustle, training, and a willingness to start fresh.
Your First Steps Into the Industry
Here’s what I tell every aspiring crew member:
1. Get hospitality experience – bartending, cleaning, restaurant work. These skills matter.
2. Get your STCW and ENG1 – and avoid expensive “starter packs.”
3. Relocate to a yachting hub – Fort Lauderdale, Antibes, Palma. That’s where the jobs are.
4. Build a standout CV – short, professional, and formatted for yachting.
5. Learn to dockwalk and network – because in this industry, face-to-face still wins.
The Reality of the Lifestyle
Yachting is not a vacation, it’s hard work. You’ll clean toilets, do laundry, serve drinks, and smile through 14-hour shifts. But in return, you’ll get paid to travel the world. Food, rent, flights—all covered. Starting salaries range from $3,000–$4,000/month, and charter tips can easily double (and sometimes triple!) that.
It’s a fast track to financial freedom and global adventure. And the best part? Anyone can do it with the right guidance.
Want in?
Start with a complimentary 45-minute training here and see if it’s the right fit for you. No sailing experience required, just ambition and an open mind. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to rewrite your entire life.
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Hugo Ortega, is a seasoned Superyacht Captain, recruiter, and founder of Superyacht Sunday School (SSS), the online platform dedicated to helping everyday individuals break into the elite world of Superyacht work—no boating experience required. Drawing from his own journey of escaping engineering burnout, Hugo provides a roadmap for aspiring crew members, emphasizing that determination and the right attitude can open the doors to a life of adventure on the high seas.