Well my yachting carrear certainly has been a roller coaster ride. As well as having been on the good the bad and the ugly. My first piece of advice to any commercial engineer or deck officer young or old is you have to be very open minded about how things are done on yachts not only that leave any conceptions of I'm an officer attitude behind at home. As always respect and reputation is earned and even more so in the yachting industry. Having said that the yachting industry is having to recognise the commercial industry side of shipping especially now that most yachts have to comply in some shape or form to ISM, MCA, Flag state, ISPS requirements etc. The yachting industry can learn a lot from us commercial seafarers but us commercial seafarers can also learn a lot from the yachties. But remember this all said and done at the end of the day a yacht is no different to a ferry or cruise ship they all do the same just yachts have a higher end of silver service. Just because they look pretty does not mean they are any better than any cruise ship, cargo ship, research ship, or ferry that I have worked on. And where am I now well on what was considered to be the biggest yacht in the world only surpassed now by the latest addition to the Abramovich fleet. I have been on 60meter yacht , 70meter yacht, 100meter yacht and now 162meters of yacht. I've been on smaller cruise ships and ferries than this yacht!
One thing I can say when all is said and done at the end of the day and your in some exclusive port in the Mediterranean where the rich and famous hang out, you take a step back and look at what you have achieved and it is a great buzz!
"I started out in the yachting industry in 2003 when female engineers were almost unheard of. Since then i have been fortunate to work on several great boats as chief or 2nd Engineer and gained my class 2 commercial ticket along the way.
The past 6 years have not always been easy and many owners and captains are still wary of employing a female engineer despite the increasing number of females working hard and gaining engineering certifications.
However i hope with time this attitude changes and in doing so encourage more females to become engineers, in these modern times engineering is no longer a man’s job.
I would say to any female out there thinking about doing engineering if your not afraid to get your hands dirty and muck in then go for it. With hard work and dedication any female can do this fun rewarding job."
Regards
Melanie Furniss
Since moving from commercial ships and into yachting 12 months ago I’ve crossed the Atlantic twice, been at the Monaco grand prix, completed a busy Med charter season, and spent Christmas in Florida. I’ve seen more places since starting yachting than I would ever hope to on commercial ships.
Apart from visiting nice places the people involved in yachting are excellent, I have met so many people from all over the world, it’s one big community.
Engineering on yachts can involve working long hours sometimes, especially when guests are on board, but the work is varied and interesting and with a fun crew there is never a dull moment.
I am currently studying for my Y2 engineers ticket so that I can hopefully move up to a chief engineers position, when one becomes available.
My advice to anyone wanting to make the move into yacht engineering is to at least have your STCW basic courses, previous engineering experience will definitely help and be prepared to work up through the ranks…It’s definitely worth it.
Mike Sara
I started at the bottom of the ladder as an engineer (30 feet sail boats) and worked on 5 vessels since ranging from 30 meter sail boats to a 95 meter motor yacht. Of the boats I worked on, Joe has placed me on most of them including Montkaj (78M Motor yacht), Maltese Falcon (88M Sail yacht) and now a 95M new build.
The industry is different to 7 years ago when I started. This is mostly due to the size of yachts and the demand of qualifications (including commercial). I made a good progression with my career due to constantly training and trying to do at least 1 year on every yacht. Having a good CV is crucial and your yacht history is part of that.
The other thing I have done is plan ahead and evolve, this is partly as I am now an Electrical Technical Officer (ETO) and also partly as I am limited on the vessels I can work due to my Y2 qualification. If you want to be the chief on a 100+M yacht you will need to have the right tickets.
I however enjoy working with electronics and have focused on my strengths. I have also trainied in ETO specific areas (crestron, Seatel,
Kaleidescape...).
You have to make your self employable and stand out above the stack of other CV's on the Chief/captains desk. Good luck
All the best
Tim Geering
I first heard about yachting while working as a volunteer on a small clapped out Research Vessel in the South Pacific. My Kiwi friend and I, worked or buts off for experience and food, and during some of the tougher times ( like fishing around in half a foot of oily water looking for a bolt, in a smoky unlit engine room, on the most rolly catamaran in the ocean) he used to say to me, Super yachts bro!, Super yachts, its not like this on Super yachts.
Well he was right. A year and a bit later, I had gone home, and set about doing my STCW and all the other relevant stuff. I contacted all the agencies I could find online. I traveled to all the docks in the South of England, passing my C.V to workers and captains there and also some in Malta and Spain.
I soon realized though, that it might be difficult to get a start in the industry. I soon figured that I would need experience and qualifications to get a good position, however I could not gain the seatime I needed to obtain the qualifications without getting on a yacht, a bit of catch 22 situation. Anon
Over the next year or so I concentrated on courses and paperwork. I completed my AEC, MEOL(Y), Fire Fighting etc., obtained my letter of initial assessment from the MCA, and found that they would count my mechanical engineering qualifications, cutting the amount of seatime I needed, before I could achieve Y4, down from 42 months to just 12 months.
I am currently employed as 2nd engineer on a 50 metre M/Y, i am due to sit my Y4 shortly. Joe Hodgson put me in contact with this yacht and for that I am very grateful. The yacht flew me from Australia to Italy for the position. Since then we have done a Med season and a Caribbean season, and we are looking forward to another promising Med season this year.
To all those people trying to get a break in the industry I would say that you have a very good chance of finding a rewarding position, and there is a lot of room for expanding in the industry. Keep contacting those agencies and checking the websites, a good C.V is key as well and I feel makes a lot of difference.
Since I have started this job my experience has increased ten fold, and will continue to do so as this industry is always pushing forward and employing new technologies.
I didn’t find super yachting by accident. In my 2nd year of technical college I was told about the industry by a friend and was immediately mesmerized by the magical prospects it offered: travel opportunities, new challenges, excellent salaries and the idea of making new friends and experiencing different cultures. Yet I was also aware of the potential difficulty in landing my first break, so I began building contacts. I personally found Dayworking a great platform to network and gain exposure to the industry. A mechanical trade background like mine was also beneficial, although by no means crucial. If you are one of the many who have no previous technical training, but feel you are mechanically minded, there are certainly opportunities out there. It’s just a case of being patient and prepared. Do your homework. There is a world of free information available on marine engineering in our libraries and on the Internet.
In my experience most yacht engineers modestly consider themselves quite lucky to be where they are and to be doing what they’re doing. Having said this, their success was by no means placed in their laps. Hard work, long hours and dedication are all required.
Be aware your progression within your new career will almost entirely be based on your reputation and qualifications. Gaining associated maritime qualifications are a crucial component of your future success, so plan to sit the exams as soon as possible. But remember, they can be difficult and a considerable amount of study is required. If you are unsure where to start, download the MGN 156 from the MCA website and familiarise yourself with it, and then speak with as many engineers as possible. Pick their brains – they’re usually more than happy to help out the future young guns of the industry. Yes, the exams are hard and they are expensive, but they pay for themselves in the form of pay raises and promotions very quickly!
I feel another key is to apply a well-disciplined approach to your work. Aesthetics and presentation form a large aspect of yacht engineering. Remember, ‘actions speak louder than words.’ A good work ethic is always appreciated and encouraged, so get your head down and go for it.
In my relatively short yachting career I have been to over twenty countries, some of which could be considered the most exotic and beautiful places on the planet. I have been able to work on vessels worth in excess of 70 million Euros that have ranged in size from 45-70 metres, one of which was gas turbine powered and reached +65kts. I have met some of the most financially successful people in the world; worked with crew members whom I hope will be friends for life, and have been extraordinarily privileged to have worked alongside hugely knowledgeable chiefs who have being incredibly generous with their knowledge and support.
So GET IN THERE and make a real go of it. I did and after four years I am a 25 Y/O chief engineer of a stunning new 45m Feadship. I know I still have lots to learn and more goals to achieve. So I really feel this is just the beginning.
Matthew Leith