Greenie, deckhand, super yachts

This is Bryce’s personal journey getting into the superyacht industry as a greenie and working his way up as a deckhand and onward. Bryce is from South Africa and before working on superyachts planned to study for his pilot’s license.  Unfortunately, during Covid-19 flying schools closed, so when he was able to travel, he began looking for work on superyachts.

Bryce is a now a seasoned deckhand, having travelled from South Africa to chase his dream working on superyachts, he arrived in Europe completely green and eager for work. This is his third year working in the industry and has worked in 3 longer term positions and 4 temporary work positions.

When he arrived in France his first priority was to find somewhere to stay, he had already done the STCW and ENG1 prior to coming to France so he could start networking straight away. Bryce’s prior experience painting, varnishing, carpentry and tender driving were very useful and was definately included on his CV.  As a greenie, having skills that are used on superyachts is a big asset.  He recommends the more skills you have to offer a yacht the better, but if you say you have a skill make sure you actually have it. If you lie you will get caught out and risk losing your job. 

When he landed in Antibes, France, Bryce stayed in a crew house and found it a great way to network, meet people and make friends within the industry.  This lifestyle can be quite expensive but it’s a great way to build up a network of contacts.  Finding day work was a great way to help pay for living expenses, he picked up some day work but it took him a month to find a permanent job.

The majority of work is posted online via agencies or FaceBook groups, and some you will hear of through contacts you meet when networking. A sure way to hear about any work is to be contactable at any time.  Having a local sim is essential, it’s easy to buy one, in France you can get one from Free Mobile. This will give you WiFi and a local number as having internet 24/7 is the most important tool for getting a job.  In fact wherever you are in the world it’s also possible to buy eSIM packages from Airalo

Career Highlights and Future on Super Yachts

Life on superyachts has been very rewarding for him despite setbacks and mental challenges, it has made him more resilient and confident in his own abilities. It has been hard at times to maintain relationships with people back home and when life has been a bit tough, he’s learned to just get on with it. 

Having worked on 7 super yachts in 3 years there have been times when he was a lead deckhand but then the next job was a more junior deckhand position. People often move about to gain more experience on a bigger or better boats as not all superyachts are the same. Whether you choose to leave to improve your skills as a career choice or it’s not the boat for you, it is possible to do this in the industry. Likewise, what may seem like a secure permanent job is not always guaranteed and you may only be given very short notice to leave. Bryce recommends you always maintain a watchful eye on jobs and keep your CV up to date because you never know.

Where Do You See Yourself In 10 Years Time

Bryce doesn’t see himself leaving the yachting world, his aim is to focus on working his way up to Officer of the Watch (OOW).  This route will enable him to become Captain of a yacht under 3000 tones, which is his long term dream.  In the meantime, he is working his way up the ranks as a deckhand and doing the courses to make this happen.

The pathway to Officer of the Watch follows a specific course which includes having a RYA yachtmaster offshore certificate both theory and practical, a completed training record book, a minimum of 36 months seatime and must hold Efficient Deckhand (EDH) certificate.  After qualifying for the Officer of the Watch (OOW) it is possible to bypass Chief Mate and train for Master 500 or 3000GT and proceed up the ranks to Captain.

What Advice Would You Give to Newcomers

As a greenie it may seem like a good idea to rely on help from others but this can sometimes lead to disappointment and delays in getting work.   Self-reliance, self-belief and resilience are key aspects to successful job hunting.  Always be on the lookout for potential work, in this industry no job is 100% safe and guaranteed.  This is a journey to be enjoyed, experiences in this line of work are unique and rewarding as well as challenging.  In Bryce’s opinion it makes you a stronger person and gives you a new perspective on life.