the world, wandering into a marina to look at the big boats, and finding yourself hired for some daywork, then discovering a new vocation in life and beginning a career on board a superyacht. This romantic tale does not happen anymore. Like it or not, as the industry has striven to become more professional, it has also become financially driven, with schools now cashing in on providing necessary, and sometimes not so necessary courses to new crew. This was a time when you didn’t need to have an STCW, ENG1, FH2, PB2 to daywork or even to do a full season onboard, before deciding if you enjoyed yachting enough to commit to shelling out on just basic courses. Now, you have to spend thousands before you even get to set foot on the docks that everybody is saying you can’t walk on anyway because you’ll get arrested and sent home.
Those who do make it to the yachting hotspots arrive to be told they’re not good enough because they don’t have experience, and to be slammed with “the new generation are not hard workers like we were” from vocal senior crew on Facebook pages.
GIVE THE GREENIES A CHANCE The industry as a whole needs to come together and stop this collective bashing of the new generation. Like it or not, they actually do have it harder than you did. See above. It’s all relative, you had it tough, but so do they, in different ways. Let’s respect that, understand that, have a little empathy, and give people a chance. Why are we not hiring green crew anymore? This demand for “must have at least a year’s experience” must have a limit. Fair enough if you’re looking for a senior crew member but for junior stews/deckhands/chefs etc, we must give green crew the opportunity to prove themselves. It’s ironic when you consider seniors only hire experienced crew to make their lives easier – which means they’re actually the ones being lazy in their duties and responsibilities to the industry’s future by not investing their time and expertise in training the new generation.
Case in point – I asked my networks on social media to give me their thoughts on how we can improve crew retention, and the first email I received was from a captain moaning about how tough he has it. Not what I asked, but ok… then after complaining (at length) about how he should be given rotation with all his experience (despite no longevity, and never progressing his career or qualifications amongst other
red flags), said “new crew are entitled”. No sir, YOU are entitled. Take responsibility, your decisions led you here. These are the captains who forget they were hired by their elders 20 years ago who probably also thought they were entitled brats, and yet instead of refusing them an opportunity, they trained, mentored and moulded them into the experienced crew they are today. So pay it forward.
offer decent packages and invest in crew they stay. It’s 40% more efficient to retain than to re-recruit. He added, “Half my job is holding their hands… problem is that there are still some captains out there with egos giving poor advice… there are some very good ones too!” So clearly those are the ones we need to work with, help and assist to build and retain their teams from the bottom up and the top down.
Toxicity at the top leaks down and taints everything below. If you can’t be that person,
then perhaps it’s time to step aside and let the next person step up. Make a change, or BE the change.
Another captain complained, “I don’t have time to train anyone!” Who trained you? Lucky they didn’t say that isn’t it? They made time to help you and here we are. It certainly seems from crew feedback this year that there are many seniors around who are not the pioneering leaders and managers this industry needs. We get it, it’s a tough job, the crew politics are far harder than running the yacht itself, but you have a responsibility when you’re at the top of the ladder to all your crew. Toxicity at the top leaks down and taints everything below. If you can’t be that person, then perhaps it’s time to step aside and let the next person step up. Make a change, or BE the change.
Engineer J suggested, “Captains and owners could sit down with their crew members to work out what they want to achieve from the industry and provide a plan of action so everyone benefits. Crew will stay if they are supported and can progress with courses etc. More longevity will produce a smoother running vessel. Even if crew members’ tickets eventually supersede what the vessel needs the crew will leave on good terms with a genuine care and diligence for the vessel. Offer a 3-5 year contract with bonuses and courses.”
A director of a management company told me that he advises owners, “if you want to see different people all the time, buy a hotel, if you want your yacht to feel like a home, know your kids are safe, and really enjoy this enourmously expensive asset to it’s full potential, then treat your crew with respect, it’s a two-way street.” Do we think the owner listened?? Most owners understand figures, if they
Offer the juniors good packages and rewards for loyalty, once they’ve completed a year offer assistance with courses, increase time off etc. It’s all obvious stuff but makes a huge difference. Onshore companies offer incentives to their new starters, yachting could easily adopt any of a number of similar models to attract new juniors, and adapt them to retain the seniors.
What about experienced senior crew? Where have they gone? Whilst the pandemic stopped new crew entering the industry in 2020 and 2021 creating that hole, during the international lockdowns experienced crew lost jobs, got stuck somewhere, or stayed home. Throughout this time, many took time to reflect and re-evaluate their lives and careers, deciding that yachting was no longer worth the personal sacrifice.
ARE YOU WORTH YOUR SALT? Salaries haven’t changed much whereas the cost of living has rocketed, plus nothing is “tax free” anymore so relatively speaking, it’s nowhere near as lucrative a career as it once was. Example? Average cost of new car in USA 2007: $23,807 vs 2022 $48,043. More than double. Salaries have absolutely not doubled, not even close. Average house price in UK 2007: £181k vs 2022 £280k. So about 60% increase. Salaries? Nope. Plus now, if you want to progress your career you have to invest in your qualifications, in the old days you could cruise by on an AEC or a Yachtmaster as engineer or captain on any size vessel because “the yacht’s private”. Not anymore!
The cost associated with OOW, Masters tickets, Y/SV tickets is in the tens of thousands and there’s no paid time off
ONBOARD | AUTUMN 2022 | 35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232
