All roles/Deck and Bridge/Deckhand / Divemaster
Deck and Bridge
Deckhand / Divemaster
A deckhand who also runs the yacht's dive programme, guiding certified guests underwater, maintaining dive kit and the compressor, and pulling a full shift on deck the rest of the time.
- Department
- Deck and Bridge
- Reports to
- Bosun / Boatswain
- Yacht size
- 40m to 100m+
- Contract
- Seasonal or permanent
- Starting pay
- €3,000 per month
What the job is
A Deckhand / Divemaster is a full member of the deck team who also runs the yacht's dive programme. Most days you are washing down, handling lines, driving tenders and launching water toys like any other deckhand. When guests want to dive, you choose the site, brief them, check the kit and lead them underwater. Owners and charter guests increasingly expect diving on board, so a yacht with a qualified divemaster can offer reef dives and guided snorkels without calling a shore operator.
Under the PADI system a Divemaster can guide certified divers and assist an instructor, but cannot teach courses or certify anyone. That matters on board. If guests want to learn, the yacht needs an instructor. Your job is safety first: checking certification cards and logbooks, judging current and visibility, keeping groups together, and running the compressor, air quality tests and cylinder log. On some yachts you will also look after a nitrox membrane system, scooters and the emergency oxygen kit.
The role suits yachts from around 40m upwards, especially those cruising the Caribbean, Bahamas, Maldives, Red Sea, Indonesia and the South Pacific. In the Mediterranean you will spend more time on deck than in the water. Expect to be first up to check conditions and last to finish rinsing kit. Captains hire this role because one cabin covers two jobs, so you must be a strong deckhand in your own right. Good diving will not make up for weak line handling or sloppy varnish work.
What makes a good one
- Calm, clear dive briefings
- Compressor and cylinder maintenance
- Reading current, swell and visibility
- Tender driving and line handling
- Exterior cleaning and varnish care
A day in the life
- 06:30Wash down the exterior with the deck team and chamois the windows before guests wake. Check the wind and swell forecast for the planned dive site.
- 08:00Run the compressor to fill cylinders, log the fills and check the gauges on each. Lay out BCDs, regulators and wetsuits by guest size.
- 09:15Drop the tender and help launch the water toys. Set up the swim platform with the slide, paddleboards and a tidy dive station.
- 10:00Check guest certification cards and recent dive history, then give a site briefing covering depth, current, hand signals and the plan for the safety stop.
- 10:30Run the dive tender out to the reef with a deckhand driving. Lead two certified guests on a 45 minute dive while the driver keeps lookout and follows the bubbles.
- 12:30Rinse and hang the kit, log the dive and refill cylinders for the afternoon. Back on deck to help with lunch set up on the sundeck awnings.
- 14:30Guide a snorkel trip for the children in the shallows, then return to deck duties: polishing stainless and drying off toys after guest use.
- 17:30Recover the toys and tenders before sunset, flush engines with fresh water and secure everything for the evening.
- 19:30Take an anchor watch, then help run the tender to shore for a guest dinner. Finish by checking the oxygen kit and dive bag are ready for tomorrow.
Pay by country
Monthly salary for a Deckhand / Divemaster on a 40m to 80m yacht, usually paid in EUR or USD whatever the flag. Charter yachts add tips, often €1,500 – 4,000 per busy charter. A dive instructor ticket adds around €300 – 500 per month.
- France and Monaco
- €3,000 – 4,000
- Spain
- €3,000 – 4,000
- Italy
- €3,000 – 4,000
- United Kingdom
- £2,600 – 3,500
- USA (Florida)
- US$3,300 – 4,400
- Caribbean
- US$3,300 – 4,400
- UAE
- AED 12,000 – 16,000
- Australia
- A$5,000 – 6,800
- New Zealand
- NZ$5,500 – 7,400
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- PADI Divemaster
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- PADI Emergency First Response
Recommended
- PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor
- PADI Enriched Air Diver
- PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider
- RYA PWC
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
- Efficient Deck Hand (EDH)
Visas
- Schengen
- US B1/B2
- C1/D
- Australian MCV
Where it leads
Deckhand / Divemaster jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need yacht experience or is my Divemaster ticket enough?
Most captains want at least one season as a deckhand, because you will spend more hours on deck than underwater. A dive centre background helps, but pair it with STCW, a powerboat ticket and some daywork to get hired.
Can I teach guests to dive as a Divemaster?
No. A Divemaster can guide certified divers and assist an instructor, but cannot run courses or issue certifications. If the owner wants guests trained, you will need to upgrade to instructor level.
How many dives will I actually do?
It depends on the cruising ground and the guests. A Caribbean or Maldives charter can mean two dives a day, while a Mediterranean season might bring only a handful a month.