Yachting CV Example
Updated 17 June 2026
A yachting CV is unlike any other. It includes a professional photo, personal details (date of birth, nationality, smoking and tattoo status), full references on the page, and yacht names with vessel sizes for every role. Captains decide in seconds whether to keep reading, so your CV must be specific, honest, and tailored to the role you want. This guide shows you how to write a yachting CV that gets you noticed, and hired.
Yachting CV examples
Entry-Level Deckhand
entryShows day work, transferable skills from shore-based roles, all mandatory certs, and a clear career trajectory toward officer of the watch.
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Entry-Level Stewardess
entryTranslates luxury hospitality experience into yacht-relevant skills, includes all mandatory certs, and signals cultural fit with outgoing interests and language skills.
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Senior Bosun
seniorDemonstrates leadership, progression from deckhand to bosun, multi-yacht experience with vessel sizes, and advanced certifications including Yachtmaster and B1/B2 visa.
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How to write a yachting CV
Format and length
Keep your yachting CV to one page if you are green crew (entry-level) and no more than two pages with experience. Export as a small PDF (under 1MB, ideally under 250KB) because yachts often download CVs over satellite internet. Avoid heavy colour blocks that print poorly in black and white.
Photo
A professional headshot photo is mandatory. Use a passport-style head-and-shoulders shot with a genuine smile, plain polo or collared shirt, natural light, no sunglasses, hat, filters, or selfies. Hair should be tidy. Place the photo at the top of the CV. A yacht CV without a photo will likely be ignored.
Personal details
Include your full name, date of birth, nationality, current location, phone (UK mobile format), email, and LinkedIn or professional profile URL. State your visa status (e.g. UK passport holder, US B1/B2 valid to 2030, Schengen residence permit). Add smoking status ("non-smoker"), visible-tattoo status ("no visible tattoos" means nothing visible in polo shirt and shorts), ENG1 medical status ("ENG1 valid to [date]"), driving licence, and availability ("available immediately" or "available from [date]").
Profile (personal statement)
Open with a tight 4–6 line profile naming the exact position you want (deckhand, stewardess, bosun, engineer), the certifications you hold, your transferable strengths, and a clear career trajectory (e.g. "deckhand with a view to officer of the watch"). Captains decide in 5–10 seconds whether to keep reading, so the profile must be specific to the vacancy, not a generic objective.
Certifications
List mandatory yachting certifications first, in order of importance: STCW Basic Safety Training (the non-negotiable minimum for all crew), PDSD, ENG1 medical certificate (with expiry date), then role-specific certs, Powerboat Level 2 and Yachtmaster/Day Skipper for deck, Food Hygiene/Safety Level 2 for interior. List only the highest level of each ladder (e.g. Day Skipper, not Competent Crew). Use a two-column layout to save space.
Yachting experience
For each yachting role, list the yacht name (bolded), vessel size in metres, dates, job title, location/cruising itinerary, and 3–4 achievement bullets with metrics. Include ALL yacht experience, even day work (casual daily/seasonal labour) and family/holiday sailing. Day work shows work ethic and familiarity with onboard standards, and is how most green crew break in. A 50m motor yacht vs a 30m sailing yacht signals very different experience to a captain.
Shore-based experience
If you are entry-level, translate shore-based roles into yacht-relevant skills: luxury hospitality, watersports instruction, customer service, teamwork under pressure. Keep bullets achievement-focused with numbers.
Skills
List 8–12 role-relevant skills: tender driving, line handling, deck maintenance, guest service, silver service, housekeeping, inventory management, watersports instruction, navigation, teamwork.
Education
List formal education in reverse-chronological order. Keep it brief, one or two lines per qualification unless it is directly relevant to yachting (e.g. Maritime Business degree).
Hobbies and interests
This section genuinely matters in yachting because crew live and work together in close quarters. Outgoing, sporty, travel-minded interests signal you will fit a small live-aboard team. List scuba diving, surfing, fitness, travel, cooking, languages, anything that shows you are sociable and adaptable.
References
References are critical and listed in full on the CV (not "available on request"): full name, position, yacht name, email, and phone, most recent first. Use former captains or senior crew, never family. Agencies verify references before presenting a candidate, and captains often phone previous captains directly before an offer, so referees must be briefed and willing.
Honesty
Never lie or embellish on a yacht CV. Yachting is a small, tightly networked industry where captains cross-check references and social media. Getting caught means rejection or being blacklisted by crew agents and management companies. Make sure your public Instagram and Facebook match CV claims (e.g. "non-smoker"), since crew agencies and captains routinely check them before reaching out.
Personal statement examples
Motivated deckhand with STCW, PDSD, and Powerboat Level 2 seeking a position on a motor yacht 30m+. Physically fit, strong work ethic, and experienced in tender operations and watersports instruction. Completed 42 day-work shifts across six yachts during Mediterranean season, building network and learning onboard standards. Eager to develop toward officer of the watch.
Hard-working and reliable person looking for a yachting role to use my skills and travel the world. Passionate about the sea and excited to join a crew. Team player with a positive attitude.
Writing your experience
The result-plus-metric pattern
Yacht captains want to see what you delivered, not just what you were responsible for. Every bullet should show an action, a result, and a number.
Weak: Responsible for deck maintenance and tender operations.
Strong: Completed 300+ safe guest transfers and watersports sessions across 180 charter days, maintaining zero incidents and 98% positive guest feedback for deck presentation.
Weak: Assisted with interior service and laundry.
Strong: Supported chief stewardess on M/Y Azure Dream (52m) for a ten-day charter, serving breakfast, lunch, and formal dinners for eight guests, receiving positive feedback for presentation and discretion.
Action verbs for yachting roles
Deck: Operated, maintained, coordinated, supervised, completed, managed, assisted, trained, delivered, reduced (downtime/incidents).
Interior: Delivered, managed, coordinated, maintained, served, trained, supported, achieved (guest satisfaction scores).
Leadership (bosun, chief stew): Led, supervised, trained, implemented, reduced, improved, coordinated, mentored.
Include yacht names and sizes
Bold the yacht name and include the vessel size in metres alongside the dates and job title. Captains scanning quickly recognise vessels and understand the scale of your experience. A 50m motor yacht vs a 30m sailing yacht signals very different crew size, guest capacity, and operational complexity.
Example:
M/Y Silver Horizon (45m) | Deckhand | Mediterranean | Apr 2024 – Oct 2024
Day work counts
If you are green crew, list all day work in one entry with the total number of shifts, the yacht size range, and the tasks you completed. Day work shows work ethic, familiarity with onboard standards, and that you have started building a network.
Example:
Completed 42 day-work shifts across six motor yachts (28m to 55m), assisting with deck wash-downs, line handling, and tender operations during Mediterranean season. Built network of four captain references and secured repeat day-work bookings on three yachts.
| Aspect | Weak | Strong |
|---|---|---|
| Deck bullet | Responsible for tender driving | Completed 300+ safe guest transfers with zero incidents across 180 charter days |
| Interior bullet | Assisted with laundry and cabin service | Managed cabin service for eight guests on a ten-day charter, receiving commendation from chief stewardess for attention to detail |
| Day work | Worked on a few yachts in Antibes | Completed 42 day-work shifts across six motor yachts (28m to 55m), building network of four captain references |
Key skills & ATS keywords
Hard skills
Soft skills
ATS keywords
Education & certifications
Certifications come first
In yachting, certifications matter more than formal education. List them in a dedicated section near the top of your CV, in order of importance: STCW Basic Safety Training (the non-negotiable minimum for all crew), PDSD, ENG1 medical certificate (with expiry date), then role-specific certs.
Deck roles: Powerboat Level 2 (essential), Yachtmaster Offshore or Day Skipper (for progression), Advanced Powerboat, PADI Divemaster or Advanced Open Water (if you provide dive support).
Interior roles: Food Hygiene and Safety Level 2 (essential), WSET Level 2 (wine knowledge), any luxury hospitality or service qualifications.
Senior roles: STCW Advanced Fire Fighting, STCW Medical First Aid, Officer of the Watch (OOW) for progression to officer roles.
List only the highest level of each ladder. If you hold Day Skipper, do not list Competent Crew. If you hold Yachtmaster Offshore, do not list Day Skipper.
ENG1 medical certificate
Your ENG1 medical certificate is a legal requirement to work on a commercial yacht. State the expiry date on your CV ("ENG1 valid to Dec 2026"). If your ENG1 is about to expire or has expired, renew it before applying, captains will not consider a candidate without a valid ENG1.
Visas
State your passport nationality and visa status clearly. A US B1/B2 visa is required to join or leave a foreign-flagged yacht in US waters (Florida, USVI, New England) and is effectively mandatory for the Caribbean season. Without it, you can be denied boarding or repatriated. Apply months ahead as embassy slots book out. Schengen residence permits or work visas are valuable for Mediterranean itineraries.
Formal education
List formal education in reverse-chronological order below certifications. Keep it brief, one or two lines per qualification unless it is directly relevant to yachting (e.g. Maritime Business, International Hospitality Management). If you have a degree, include it; if not, list A-Levels, BTECs, or equivalent. Captains care more about certs and experience than academic qualifications.
Common mistakes to avoid
Listing duties instead of impact ("responsible for deck maintenance")
Show outcomes with numbers: "Maintained exterior to charter-ready standard across 180 days, achieving 98% positive guest feedback for deck presentation."
Omitting yacht names and sizes
Bold the yacht name and include vessel size in metres: "M/Y Silver Horizon (45m) | Deckhand | Mediterranean | Apr 2024 – Oct 2024". Captains recognise vessels and understand the scale of your experience.
Leaving out day work or casual yacht experience
Include ALL yacht experience, even day work. It shows work ethic, familiarity with onboard standards, and that you are building a network. List the total shifts, yacht size range, and tasks completed.
Writing "references available on request"
List full references on the CV: name, position, yacht name, email, and phone. Agencies verify references before presenting you, and captains often phone previous captains directly.
Omitting personal details (date of birth, nationality, smoking/tattoo status)
Yachting CVs include details normally omitted on a standard UK CV. State date of birth, nationality, visa status, "non-smoker", "no visible tattoos", ENG1 status, driving licence, and availability.
Submitting a CV without a photo
A professional headshot photo is mandatory. Use a passport-style head-and-shoulders shot with a genuine smile, plain polo or collared shirt, natural light, no sunglasses or filters. A yacht CV without a photo will likely be ignored.
Junior vs senior: what changes
| Aspect | Junior | Senior |
|---|---|---|
| Profile (personal statement) | Leads with STCW and relevant shore-based skills (watersports instruction, hospitality); states the position sought and eagerness to learn. | Leads with years of yacht experience, vessel sizes, leadership responsibilities, and advanced certifications; states career trajectory (e.g. officer of the watch). |
| Yachting experience | Day work and one or two short-term roles; focuses on tasks completed, work ethic, and building network. May include family or holiday sailing. | Multiple permanent roles on named yachts with sizes; focuses on leadership, team management, guest satisfaction scores, and progression (deckhand → lead deckhand → bosun). |
| Certifications | STCW, PDSD, ENG1, Powerboat Level 2, Food Hygiene Level 2 (depending on role). May be working toward Day Skipper or Yachtmaster. | STCW (refreshed), PDSD, ENG1, Yachtmaster Offshore (commercially endorsed), Advanced Powerboat, STCW Advanced Fire Fighting, STCW Medical First Aid, PADI Divemaster. |
| Achievement bullets | Focuses on tasks completed, shifts worked, and positive feedback: "Completed 42 day-work shifts across six yachts, receiving commendation from captain for professionalism." | Focuses on leadership, team outcomes, and scale: "Led a deck team of five on an 80m motor yacht, reducing maintenance downtime by 25% and completing 300+ safe guest transfers with zero incidents." |
| References | One or two references from day-work captains, shore-based managers, or watersports employers. May include a character reference if yacht experience is limited. | Three references from captains of yachts worked on, listed in reverse-chronological order with full contact details. All should be willing to speak to leadership and technical competence. |
| Visa status | UK passport holder, may be working on obtaining US B1/B2 or Schengen permit. | UK passport holder with US B1/B2 (valid to 2030) and Schengen work permit or residence permit. Demonstrates ability to crew across all major yachting regions. |