The Real Cost of Starting a Yacht Career: A Line-by-Line Breakdown for Parents
Every certificate, flight, insurance and living cost required before a first yacht job — with typical price ranges, what is genuinely mandatory, and where money gets wasted.
Parents are usually the ones funding the entry into yachting, and the numbers are rarely presented honestly. This is a full breakdown of what a first-time crew member actually needs to spend, what is legally mandatory, what is optional, and what is a waste of money.
Mandatory: STCW Basic Training
Every commercially operating yacht requires STCW Basic Safety Training (STCW Code A-VI/1). It is a five-day course covering personal survival techniques, fire prevention and firefighting, elementary first aid, and personal safety and social responsibilities. Since the 2010 Manila Amendments, Proficiency in Security Awareness (PSA or PDSD) is also required, usually sold as a half-day add-on.
Typical price range: €900–€1,400 in the Mediterranean (Antibes, Palma), £900–£1,300 in the UK, comparable in South Africa at a lower local rate. The certificate itself is standardised; a more expensive school does not produce a better certificate. Some elements require refresher training every five years. Reference: IMO STCW.
Mandatory: Seafarer medical (ENG1 or equivalent)
Commercial crew need a valid seafarer medical certificate. The UK ENG1, issued by an MCA-approved doctor, is the most widely accepted. Validity is normally two years for adults. Cost is typically £110–£150 in the UK and €120–€200 elsewhere. Approved doctor lists and the medical standards are published by the MCA (gov.uk seafarer medical certification).
Common failure points are uncorrected vision, certain medications, insulin-dependent diabetes and unmanaged mental-health conditions. It is worth checking eligibility before buying a course, not after.
Strongly recommended, not mandatory
- Powerboat Level 2 (RYA) — around £250–£350. Effectively expected of deckhands.
- Food safety / hygiene Level 2 — £30–£90 online. Expected of interior and galley crew.
- Personal Watercraft (jet ski) licence — £150–£250. Useful on charter yachts.
- Silver service or interior training — €400–€900. Optional, but shortens the time to first job for interior candidates with no hospitality background.
Living costs while job hunting
This is the cost parents underestimate most. Crew houses in Antibes or Palma cost roughly €30–€45 per night, so a realistic four to eight week search costs €900–€2,500 in accommodation alone, plus food, local transport and printing. Budget a further €400–€700.
Flights vary; assume €200–€900 return depending on origin.
Insurance and documents
- Travel and medical insurance covering work abroad: €40–€90 per month.
- Passport with at least 18 months' validity and plenty of blank pages.
- Seaman's Book (Seafarer's Identity/Discharge Book) — issued by a flag state; typically £30–£100. Not always required immediately but frequently requested.
- Visas: see the visa guide, but a US B1/B2 is roughly US$185 in fees.
Realistic totals
| Scenario | Range |
|---|---|
| Lean (STCW + ENG1 + 4 weeks searching, budget flights) | €2,400–€3,500 |
| Typical (adds Powerboat 2, hygiene, 6 weeks searching) | €3,500–€5,000 |
| Front-loaded (extra optional courses, 8+ weeks) | €5,500–€7,500 |
Where money is genuinely wasted
- Buying advanced certificates before a first job. Yachts often fund these later.
- Expensive "yacht crew academy" bundles that repackage the same STCW course with a CV template.
- Flying to a marina outside season. Arriving in Antibes in November means paying rent to watch empty docks.
Timing advice
The Mediterranean recruitment window is strongest March to early May. Arriving mid-March with certificates already in hand consistently outperforms arriving in June with a better CV. If funding is tight, the highest-return sequence is: ENG1 first (it is the one that can disqualify), then STCW, then travel timed to the season.