All roles/Dual roles/Captain / Steward
Dual roles
Captain / Steward
Runs a small yacht as its legal master while also looking after the guests and interior, so an owner gets safe navigation and attentive service from one trusted person.
- Department
- Dual roles
- Reports to
- Owner or Yacht Manager
- Yacht size
- 18m to 35m
- Contract
- Permanent or seasonal
- Starting pay
- €5,000 per month
What the job is
You are the master of the vessel and its host at the same time. On a 24m motor yacht with one or two other crew, or none at all, you plan passages, handle the boat in and out of port, keep the safety paperwork straight and carry legal responsibility for everyone aboard. Then you step off the bridge, make the beds, serve lunch on the aft deck and pour the owner a gin and tonic at sunset.
Most of these jobs are on owner-operated or lightly chartered yachts between 18m and 35m, often in the Mediterranean in summer and the Caribbean or Florida in winter. Owners hire one person for both roles because the boat is too small for a separate interior crew, and because they want someone they trust completely. Discretion, calm and the ability to switch from mooring stern-to in a crosswind to laying a proper table matter more than a long list of titles.
The work does not stop when guests leave. You manage budgets, provisioning, laundry, contractors, berth bookings and routine maintenance, sometimes with a mate or deckhand, sometimes alone. Many captains come to this from a deck background and learn service on the job. Others start as stewards, gain their tickets and move to the helm. Either way, you need high standards in both worlds, because there is nobody else to cover a weak spot.
What makes a good one
- Confident close quarters boat handling
- Polished guest service and table setting
- Calm judgement under pressure
- Budgeting and provisioning
- Discretion with owners and guests
A day in the life
- 06:30Check the weather, anchor position and engine room, then run the generator checks and log readings.
- 07:30Lay breakfast on the aft deck, make fresh coffee and squeeze juice before the owners come up.
- 09:00Clear breakfast, make up cabins and heads, and start a wash load while the guests swim.
- 10:30Brief the deckhand, weigh anchor and run the passage to a quieter cala along the coast, choosing a spot sheltered from the afternoon breeze.
- 13:00Serve a simple lunch prepared earlier, look after drinks and keep the deck tidy and shaded.
- 15:00Drive the tender for a beach drop, then deal with emails, the next berth booking and a provisioning order for tomorrow.
- 18:00Turn down cabins, set the table for dinner and plan the evening anchorage watch.
- 20:00Serve aperitifs and dinner, clear down, then do final rounds of the deck, anchor and alarms before bed.
Pay by country
Monthly salary, usually quoted in EUR or USD, for yachts of 18m to 35m. Charter tips of 5% to 15% of the charter fee are shared on boats that charter. Higher end for Master (Yacht) 500gt holders and larger yachts.
- France and Monaco
- €5,000 – 7,500
- Spain
- €4,800 – 7,000
- Italy
- €4,800 – 7,000
- United Kingdom
- £4,300 – 6,400
- USA (Florida)
- US$5,500 – 8,200
- Caribbean
- US$5,500 – 8,200
- UAE
- AED 20,000 – 30,000
- Australia
- A$8,500 – 12,500
- New Zealand
- NZ$9,000 – 13,500
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- RYA Yachtmaster Offshore with commercial endorsement (under 24m)
- Master (Yacht) 200gt or 500gt (24m and over)
- GMDSS GOC
- PDSD
- Medical First Aid
- Food Safety Level 2
Recommended
- Master (Yacht) 500gt
- Medical Care
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- PYA GUEST interior courses
- WSET Level 2 wine
- AEC 1
Visas
- Schengen
- US B1/B2
- C1/D
- Australian MCV
Where it leads
- Deckhand
- Deckhand / Steward
- Mate / Deckhand
- Skipper
- Captain / Steward
- Yacht Captain
Captain / Steward jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need interior experience to get this job?
It helps a lot. Owners expect proper service, so at least a season as a stewardess or deckhand / steward, or a PYA GUEST course, makes you far more credible.
Which captain's ticket do I need?
Under 24m loadline, a commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmaster Offshore is usually enough. From 24m you need a Master (Yacht) ticket, typically 200gt or 500gt depending on the yacht's tonnage and flag.
Will I be working alone?
Sometimes. Many of these yachts carry one or two other crew, often a mate or deckhand, but some owners run the boat with you as the only professional aboard.