Yacht Roles
A career in yachting includes a variety of roles, with positions tailored to the various sizes of luxurious yachts. While certain roles are common across yachts of all sizes, larger yachts may exclusively feature certain specialised positions such as Safety and Security or Personal Assistance. In most cases, a yacht's crew is divided into the departments.
Below you can explore the typical departments on crewed yachts, with each section providing more information about the diverse array of roles available aboard a yacht.
Deck
The bridge crew are a highly experienced team that commands the bridge. Responsible for navigation, passage planning, safety, and watch leaders, they must have a strong understanding of all international rules and regulations. These include the Captain or Master, the Chief Officer and the First Officer.
The terms Chief Officer and First Officer are typically used for crew on vessels that are near or over 3,000GT or registered as passenger vessels requiring a Chief Mate 3,000GT or Chief Mate unlimited STCW REG II/2 licence.
Chief Officer
The Chief Officer, also known as the First Officer or First Mate, is the captain's second in command and right-hand man. They assist with bridge and navigation systems…