Working as a Yacht Master.

[NigelGigg]

Hi all. I am an ageing (very young at heart) 51 and looking for a life change. Have been sailing for fun for years and am a dinghy and believe it or not a Paragliding instructor. I think I have two options.
a) Buy a boat and sail off.
b) Qualify as a commercial yacht master and look for work in the sun.
So the question is, am I likely to realistically be able to find work? Flotilla, crewing or instructing, I really don’t mind, but would like to do something different in the sun for a while.
The problem is that I need some realistic advice as to the reality of employment in these areas.
All help and advice gratefully received.
Many thanks
Nigel

 

[bilbobaggins]

If you want to be paid decent money for your time and labours, think again. You'll be competing on price with lots of bright young things being part-supported by their dads, who will do the job(s) at half the rate you will, just to get the miles/time/experience.

Perhaps better to buy a business/boat/beach bar and employ said bright young things at a lowly rate, while you use your accumulated skills and low cunning to generate profitable business from a comfortable position........

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Poignard]

You are also a sort of servant along with the butler, nanny, chauffeur etc. How could you cope with that?

Better to go for plan a) : "Buy a boat and sail off".

 

[GazzaUK]

[ QUOTE ]
If you want to be paid decent money for your time and labours, think again. You'll be competing on price with lots of bright young things being part-supported by their dads, who will do the job(s) at half the rate you will, just to get the miles/time/experience.

Perhaps better to buy a business/boat/beach bar and employ said bright young things at a lowly rate, while you use your accumulated skills and low cunning to generate profitable business from a comfortable position........

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


I like your style! snigger

 

[NigelGigg]

Thanks for that. Not really worried about making money just subsistence living with a bit of change for beer wine etc. In my ignorance I thought it might be nice to lead a flotilla for a bit. Do fancy a beach bar though. Cold beer scantily clad young maidens and me telling old war stories. Well that’s the dream
Please keep your thoughts coming in.
Best wishes
Nigel

 

[Stevie_T]

If you work as an instructor in the UK or Med for example, or a Flotilla skipper, the work is hard, the pay is crap and eventually the fun of it will go out of it (maybe).
Alternatively if you have a partner who sails who can be a hostess, then you could do worse than try The Moorings or similar they employ couples to run 50' monohulls and cats, the pay is low but the tips (in the caribbean) are said to be good. When there is no charter you are able to use the boat for yourselves.
I was offered such a job, but then 9/11 happened and the tourist trade went and the job with it. But things are back to normal I guess now.

For myself, when I was working on boats I always swore i would never buy a boat, once I stopped I went out and bought one, don't regret it.

The choice is yours, Good Luck and enjoy whatever direction you go in.

 

[Richard10002]

[ QUOTE ]
If you work as an instructor in the UK or Med for example, or a Flotilla skipper, the work is hard, the pay is crap and eventually the fun of it will go out of it (maybe).

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you have any idea how much a freelance Cruiser Instructer could earn if they took a schools boat out for a 5 day Competent Crew/Day Skipper, say in malta or greece, or wherever?

 

[powerskipper]

between 40 and 80 pounds if in UK, but it has to be done though a registered school as a cruising instructor can't give out tickets.

 

[FAITIRA]

I worked for "SUNYACHT" and "STARDUST" in Tortola BVI,s, I enjoyed the work, easy sailing great diving, the pay was good skippering, the guts of $1k per week with tip, keep on board plus the left overs when the clients left, booze etc. Good life ,til I fell out with the Immigration "gentlemen" in Roadtown. Was your age when I was offered the Staff Skippers job. Bill.

 

[Richard10002]

[ QUOTE ]
between 40 and 80 pounds if in UK, but it has to be done though a registered school as a cruising instructor can't give out tickets.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is that per day, or for the whole 5 days?

Understand about the registered school - the idea may be to offer my services to registered schools wherever we may be.

I know of a couple of instances in Lagos where freelancers have been employed, so it must be possible/available, and i wouldnt want it to be a full time job.

Thanks for the info.

 

[powerskipper]

per day normally, some pay more some pay less, your difficulty may be that schools can be funny about employing some one they do not know. letters of recommendation or personal recommendations as well as certificate will help.

 

[NigelGigg]

Thanks all. Any other advice or pointer greatfully recivied.
thanks
Nigel