Well, you’ve got the experience, now it’s time to get paid!

The advanced section of this guide is for people who have more than 360 days of experience on the water. I am so glad that you found this guide and I hope that I can help you to find the job that you deserve! My first word of advice for someone with as much experience as you have would be for you to consider working towards a captain’s license. Having this piece of paper is a lot like having a masters degree; whether you want to be a doctor or not, having that PHD in your name makes you sound important! This credential will skyrocket your chances at getting hired on a yacht whether you want to be a captain or not! At the very least you should start keeping a logbook with all of your sea time TODAY.

USCG Captain’s License

If you are a US Resident and you plan on working in the US or the US territories, the USCG Captain’s License is the cheapest, easiest and often the best option. You start with an OUPV or 6pack license and then upgrade to a Master’s license once you have more than 720 days at sea. For more info on the USCG License click here.

RYA Yachtmaster’s License

If you are from somewhere other than the US, you plan on working outside of the US or you just want to be a real badass, this is the right type of license for you. The benefit of this license is that it’s acceptable all over the world and teaches you a lot when you take the required courses that go along with obtaining the license. The downside is that it’s more expensive, it has higher sea time requirements, it’s a more challenging course and it’s more time consuming. For more info about the RYA training module, click here.

Here are the steps for landing a job on a yacht:

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