Jackie BeermanIt’s a tempting prospect; long, sunny days spent on a super yacht, slipping into exclusive little harbours, all the while mingling with the rich and possibly famous. Or perhaps you want the exhilaration of skippering a yacht in a brisk wind? Becoming part of a professional crew can be the highlight of your life but it’s not all high jinks on the high seas.
From racing crew to charter skipper
Jackie Beerman discovered a love of sailing after joining the Vikings Sailing Club in Malta (www.vikingssailing.com). She rapidly became part of a racing crew. “I found that racing on bigger yachts was challenging and that there was a lot to be learned,” she says.
She was quickly smitten by racing. “I became very eager and sailed at every opportunity I had. I attended every training session, especially before major races such as the Rolex Middle Sea Race and Vega races, the Siracuse race, Marzamemi and Ragusa”.
Her gender posed more of a challenge in the racing world than she might have expected. “Being a woman who wanted to sail in Malta involved more than just enthusiasm,” she explains. “I had to prove myself over and over as perceptions are that women are taken on board for all the wrong reasons.”
Even for experienced crew members like Jackie, the dreaded seasickness can rear its head occasionally. She says, “I am one of the lucky ones not to feel sick, but I had one bad experience on a race from Siracuse to Malta. The problem was eating loads of yummy salami we had just bought from Sicily. That was not a good idea before a race.”
Having gained experience crewing, Jackie found a job as a skipper on charter yachts for tourists. She says that the clients vary and that work can be hard but the the most rewarding moment is when clients request to have her as a skipper on their next trip.
She has some advice for newbies. “Don’t hold back, persevere.” She recommends joining a club and being adaptable and sociable. The work is hard but the rewards are great. She says “One of my favourite memories is sailing through a thunder and lightning storm; the scenery created was amazing.”
Jackie’s experience is typical in that she got her foot in the door by immersing herself in the sailing world. If you’re a complete beginner, try asking around the docks for owners who need help. With luck and tenacity, you’ll find someone to take you out. You won’t get paid and will probably need to chip in for costs, but the experience you gain will be worth it. Be wary if the expenses seem too high though. Anything more than basic food and supplies (say €20 - €30 a day), then you are actually a paying passenger, meaning that the boat has different licensing requirements.
Super yacht crews
On the other end of the sailing spectrum, super yachts are less about sailing prowess (while some do have sails, many are more like mini cruise ships) and more about offering exquisite service. These professional boats can offer really excellent wages, but speak to any experienced crew member and you’ll soon have any illusions of grandeur shattered.
This career requires serious commitment to hard and sometimes tedious work. You could end up a glorified cleaner. It’s not all about meeting Bono in St Tropez, you may be working for a wealthy owner who expects the best and won’t tolerate an off day. And the job is 24/7, rather like the hotel industry, except with no escape on your day off. There’s nowhere to hide and you’re going to see the same colleagues and guests day in and day out until you dock again.
If you’re still keen, there are plenty of websites that aim to fix you up with this kind of work. And if you manage to find a coveted position, you’ll soon be sailing to some of the most beautiful places in the world, often with interesting passengers on board. Even a bad day on a yacht is likely to kick the behind of a day behind the desk at a call centre. Entry level positions start at around €2,000 a month, but you’ll have absolutely no expenses and wages go up as you climb the career ladder. Plus the tips can be astronomical.
You’ll need some experience, at least of recreational yachting, to even get a look in at one of these jobs. An internationally-recognised qualification, such as the Royal Yachting Association certifications or STCW95, is essential. These should cover BST (Basic Safety Training - firefighting, elementary first aid, personal survival, and personal safety and social responsibility). You’re also likely to need an ENG1 medical certificate. Without these qualifications, you’ll be at a serious disadvantage.
There are six main job areas: captain, engineer, first officer, chef, crew chef, deckhand, steward or stewardess. Without experience, you’re likely to end up as one of the last three. Try walking the docks when there are a couple of super yachts in port, and chat to the current crew.
They may need some additional day workers and if you show willing while doing the cleaning, it could lead to bigger things; or you can at least find out how the current crew got to be where they are.
If you’re a complete beginner, try asking around the docks for owners who need help
Caroline Navarro started out crewing recreationally, before taking her first paid job on a 20-metre classic sailing yacht, L’Illiade, in the Adriatic. Her job consisted of cooking for six elderly French guests as part of a crew of three. She says: “What I didn’t think about at that the time was that I would have to cook at an angle, with the smallest fridge, very limited storage space and the tiniest shared cabin possible. Quite a feat, but I was happy to be at sea and away from the normality of a routine on land.
“Many newbies joining the industry think it will lead them to a glamorous life, but actually that is a fallacy. It’s very hard work, long hours and one must be flexible. Living away from home and being constantly on the move is definitely not for everyone.”
Her advice for people wanting to get into the industry is to, “ follow blogs from crew members and read as much as possible on the industry”. For sailing yachts, it is a must that one completes the basic STCW (Standards of Training and Certification of Watchkeeping) as determined by the International Maritime Organisation and to have an updated Maritime Medical known as the ENG1 Examination Nautical Grade.
Caroline describes her favourite memory: “I took part in many on-deck, watch-keeping duties throughout the night. It was such a spell-binding and unforgettable experience to be floating in the middle of the ocean with only the star light above and the sound of the sea lapping up against the hull… so inspirational.”
And of course, it has not all been plain sailing. “A couple of years ago we were caught in a sudden and huge storm in the dark of night during a passage along the Croatian coast.
“The battle was a long and arduous one, fighting to salvage sails and hoping to lose no one overboard. Finally seeing our destination on the horizon after many exhausting hours was both the worst and best experience possible and definitely unforgettable.”
While working as a crew member, she also spent time producing and exhibiting seascapes paintings worldwide (you can see them at www.carolinenavarro.com). She is now back home in Malta after many years packed full of adventures, working for Grand Harbour Marina.
She says: “My duties mainly concern super yacht arrivals, events and yacht races out of the marina. I get to travel to many boat shows and feel an essential part of the yachting industry.” She supplemented her practical experience with a Masters in Tourism Studies, researching “Malta as a Wintering Destination for Super Yachts”.
Of late, the government has been ramping up the promotion of Malta as the ideal super yacht homeport and Malta’s GHM now has 33 berths for super yachts in Vittoriosa, capable of accommodating the largest of these vessels. On September 4, a Malta Maritime Careers Day is being held. There’s no better time to start looking for a job in the industry; put the date in your diary and you could be part of the push to grow Malta’s market share of the super yacht market.