Staying In Hubs With Your Bubs: Finding A Way To Stay In The Yachting Industry With Kids

It’s not easy —and yacht crew is one of the few careers in the world that people have had to walk away from in huge numbers when they become parents.  

But that’s changing, with more shore-based yachting roles coming into play and a host of supporting industry roles that offer exciting careers that use your yachting knowledge.  

Here are some roles that allow you to stay in yachting hubs with your bubs.

Day Charter Crew 

Don’t want to get off yachts at all? Want to stay working as crew, but need to get home every night for your child? Then, consider offering your services to day charters. Enjoy the thrill of being out on the water and doing the job you love while still being able to cuddle your kiddo to sleep at night.  

Shore-Based Purser 

Remain a valued crew member by working as a shore-based purser — a role becoming more popular as the paperwork and compliance demands on captains get heavier. In this role, you can either be a permanent crew member working remotely when the yacht is out of port, or you can do this work freelance as a kind of virtual assistant. 

Crew agencies 

We love ex-crew as crew agents, as you have a real insight into what it takes to be an excellent yacht crew and an existing network to draw on. There are also admin, design and marketing jobs in crew agencies that can use your talents. 

Yacht Trainer 

Fancy your skills as a trainer? Training the next generation of yacht crew and helping crew get their tickets is a fantastic and meaningful career! Come talk to us about a career in yacht training. (We know a thing or two about it :)) 

Yacht Brokerages. Want to become a yacht broker? Your yachting career is the perfect foundation point: you know what yacht owners and charterers like, how to talk to them, and much about yachts. of course, you’ll probably have to start at the bottom and work your way up (but the money is lovely when you get there!) 

Don’t forget that yacht brokerage also has many admin jobs in marketing, sales, charter or management teams.  

Marine Pilots 

For captains, retraining as a marine pilot is a well-paid option that will keep you very close to home and often offers much time on call waiting for jobs. In countries like Australia, a pilot is generally on-call for a week and then off for a week, allowing them heaps of time to stay home with the kids, work on reno projects, or even start a side hustle! 

Shipyard Roles 

Whether in management, as a craftsperson, or shipyard staff, a role in a shipyard allows you to stay right in the game while not requiring nights away from home. Remember that it’s not just welding and sanding—most shipyards have marketing and design departments and significant admin roles. 

Yachting Media and Marketing 

As ex-crew, you have a vast, possibly insurmountable advantage over other writers and journos regarding your lived experience on yachts. You have had a window into the superyacht world that other writers can’t match, and a good writer can use that to create excellent, compelling copy that resonates with a yachting audience. You know what owners and guests like, you can write with colour about yachting experiences, and you’ve been to many yachting destinations that you can write about. If you’re a good writer, this is your chance to combine a love of writing with your existing career.  

Provisioners, uniform shops, chandleries, etc  

The yachting industry has an enormous supporting sector around it, and there are many exciting jobs to find that allow you to remain involved and use all that yachting knowledge you’ve been building up for years! 

Interior and chef crew have clear potential crossover roles into yachting provisioners, where your understanding of the yachting world and its demands make you a suitable hire. Deck crew and engineers have similar crossover potential for working in chandleries and similar, while stews often find a good fit in uniform suppliers and yachting-related retail roles. 

Start a Business 

You could start a business catering to the yacht market, such as a bespoke furniture maker, marble polisher or sail-repairer. Or you might have seen an opening for a funky cafe in a town with no decent coffee (how does this still happen?), and you know that you can market this to the crew in the area and make it work.  

As long as you have the required skill, know-how, and a rock-solid business plan, your insider knowledge as ex-crew will stand you in good stead to create a thriving business in a yachting town. 

Masseuse/beautician/yoga teacher catering to the yachting market.  

Hate the idea of never stepping foot on a superyacht again? Keep your foot in the game by training as a masseuse or beautician offering their services to yachts. As your child gets older and childcare arrangements allow for it, you could also work up to making short trips away as a freelance masseuse or yoga teacher on yachts to add extra income to your family budget. 

Villa Work 

Some yacht crew get their first-ever experience of the UNHWI world in villas while they’re looking for their first yacht work, and we shouldn’t forget about this option as something to return to after your onboard time is up. There are diverse roles in villas, whether as PAs for the owners or villa staff, such as service, kitchen, housekeeping or grounds staff. 

Events 

Stews on superyachts sure know how to put on a party. You’ve organised theme parties for charter guests, created elaborate affairs on yachts for the Cannes Film Festival, and set up glamorous beach picnics that belong on the cover of Conde Nast. Event planning, from elite dinner parties to weddings, is, therefore, a natural fit. And your yachting background means you know how to talk to wealthy guests (and not get flustered under pressure), which is a huge advantage! 

Catering 

For yacht chefs, high-end catering is an obvious choice when you have children at home and must return every night. Use your networks to offer your services to yacht brokerages and spend time marketing yourself with a great-looking website and example menus. Don’t just bank on catering for big yachting parties; consider selling yourself as a chef who comes to villas to create intimate dinner parties. Just remember to play shamelessly on your yachting background. Being able to say, “Our chef tonight used to work on a superyacht,” is something that tickles people.:)  

So, do any of these jobs tickle your imagination? Hopefully, they’ve given you a jumping-off point, at least. You can have a profitable, exciting, and meaningful career in the yachting industry — even once you’ve stepped off the passerelle into parenthood.