Around the world, large yachts are being built faster than bored people can leave their jobs to become qualified crew.  Since there are more available boats than available crew, the average person with little or even no experience can get a free ride on a yacht, as long as they don’t look like an axe murderer. 

There are many different positions that crew can choose from on boats of all sizes.  At the bottom of the crewing job pile (and the easiest to get) is a position on a cost-sharing boat.  This is where the crew pitches in some money (usually $20 - $70 dollars a day) to help the owner cover food, fuel, and marina costs.  Beware of the boat that advertises “cost-sharing” of $1000 or more for a week. In this case, the boat owner is usually trying to make money and calling it a cost-share instead of a charter.  In a true cost-share arrangement, you are simply paying your own way and the owner makes no profit from you. 
 

The next step up for crew would be a totally free ride, where the owner covers all costs.  In this situation, the captain can sometimes be a professional skipper, or the owner.   This free ride arrangement is frequently available when boats need repositioning or delivery.  In exchange for your help moving his boat, the owner covers food, boat costs, and some will even pay your return airline ticket home. Other skippers require you to deposit money with them to ensure you can get yourself home at the end of the trip. 

A delivery is a great way to gain experience and sea time, without having to pay for it.  Sea time is needed if you wish to pursue any sort of a career on boats, racking up certifications such as the coveted Yachtmaster; which allows you to pilot a commercial vessel.  In addition, after a delivery, you are no longer inexperienced!

With a little bit of luck and some experience, you can be paid to live on someone else’s boat and eat their food.  This is a job, so you will naturally spend a lot of your time working.  On professional yachts this means polishing, sanding, and lots of cleaning; especially on the larger boats where cleanliness is next to godliness.  A paid crew assignment is usually more long term than a delivery, as most boats prefer at least a one-year contract. 

Depending on the boat, the owner is often nowhere to be seen, probably over in the Cayman Islands securing his offshore bank accounts.  When he does come aboard with his guests, then the real work begins.   If you feel ready to take this route, there are many crew placement agencies available in the major ports that can assist you. 

Should you land a paying job, keep in mind that since many boats are registered offshore your wages may be tax-free. Since all your living expenses are covered, you can save almost all your paycheck.  The top paid yacht captains on large private yachts over about 200 feet can make $1,000 per foot, per year, totally tax-free.

If you prefer not to go at it alone, you can take your significant other with you and work as a team.  Usually one person is the cook, the other the professional captain.  This combination is actually preferred on many yachts, and doesn’t necessarily have to be a married couple.  So grab your chef friend, Jim, and go find a boat.