Blog Posts

Cape Town is a widely popular hub for affordable, high-quality maritime training. The superyacht industry is no exception to this. While the location does not have the same large superyacht fleet as ports such as Antibes or Fort Lauderdale, it offers several...

Cape Town is blessed with a strategic, beautiful coastline. The region has access to the Atlantic Ocean, giving boaters a choice of dramatic coastlines, sheltered waters, busy harbours and open-water routes. In this article, let’s discuss the best places to go...

If you are looking to go international with your seafarer career, looking for an STCW course in Cape Town is often your first real step. This certification opens doors to jobs on yachts, cruise ships, and commercial vessels. Cape Town is a real hub for marine-related...

How long do the STCW certifications last in South Africa? The short answer is: they don’t last forever. The STCW framework requires seafarers to maintain their qualifications through periodic renewal. Let’s break down what exactly expires, when renewals happen, and...

If you’re aiming for a career at sea, you’ve probably wondered whether an RYA Powerboat Certificate to Work on a Superyacht is enough to get your foot in the door. The short answer is yes, but only to a certain extent. Understanding the RYA Powerboat Certification The...

In the debate of SAMSA Skipper vs RYA Powerboat, the real question isn’t which one is better; it’s which one actually works for your situation in South Africa. Both certificates are kind of similar, but they also have their differences in South Africa. Depending on...

Choosing where to complete your STCW training is one of the first major decisions in a maritime career. Many aspiring seafarers in South Africa ask the same question: Should I do STCW in the UK or South Africa? The answer depends on your budget, long-term career...

The RYA Powerboat Advanced Course can give superyacht crew a strong advantage in a competitive industry. Many entry-level crew members in South Africa already have the RYA Powerboat Level 2 course. However, the Advanced qualification can further strengthen your resume...

The question many people ask before entering the yachting industry is simple: How much does a superyacht deckhand earn in 2026? The answer depends on several factors, including experience, yacht size, and whether the yacht operates as a private or charter vessel. What...

If you are planning to charter your boat to the Mediterranean, you may wonder: Do South Africans need an ICC Licence for Europe? The short answer is that many boaters do, especially when chartering yachts or motorboats in popular Mediterranean destinations. The ICC,...

Cape Town has become one of the top training hubs for the superyacht industry. Not to mention, it is quite affordable as well. Every year, aspiring crew members from South Africa begin their yachting careers here before heading off to the Mediterranean or Caribbean...

Finding work in the yachting industry often depends on timing. The best time of the year to look for superyacht jobs usually matches the busiest charter and cruising seasons in popular destinations like the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Yacht owners and captains...

Dockwalking gives you the chance to meet captains, hand out your CV, and build real connections in the yachting industry. For South Africans who want to work on luxury yachts in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean, dockwalking can open doors faster than online...

If you have ever wondered, “What does a Deckhand do on a Superyacht Every Day?”, the answer is simple: a little bit of everything. A deckhand helps keep the yacht clean, safe, organised, and ready for guests at all times. Life on a superyacht moves quickly, so...

Understanding the top 5 mistakes first-time deckhands make can help new crew members settle in faster and build a successful career from day one. The yachting industry moves fast, demanding 120% from every crew member onboard. Many beginners, however, make avoidable...

The RYA First Aid course in South Africa gives boaters the practical skills they need to manage medical emergencies at sea. The Royal Yachting Association created this course specifically for the marine environment. People who regularly boat leisurely in South Africa...

If you hold a RYA Powerboat Level 2 certification, you may be wondering: why do I need an RYA Superyacht Tender Operator qualification? Well, if you are building a career in the superyacht industry, you will realise how important the tender operation certificate is....

South African vessels must comply with SAMSA regulations, and then the RYA compliance comes into the picture. In South Africa, the training vessels follow the ‘SAMSA first, RYA second’ policy to maintain RYA standards. In this article, we explain the RYA training...

Cars are not the only mode of transport experiencing the "electric revolution". Boats are 'diving' into this, too. The demand for cleaner marine propulsion has been on the rise. Furthermore, with increasing fuel prices, more and more boat owners in South Africa are...

If you want to turn your powerboating or sailing experience into a professional qualification, the RYA Instructor and RYA Advanced Instructor courses represent two significant milestones. Each course builds technical competence, instructional skill, and professional...

Boating in South Africa offers freedom, adventure, and stunning coastlines. Now, at a bustling boating like Cape Town, first-time boaters are bound to be abundant. And many of them make simple mistakes that lead to stress, damage, or danger on the water. In this...

Working on a yacht can be an honour for a few, and perhaps a luxury for others. However, one thing that remains common is that the yacht crew work is Brutal with a B. Yes, the pay is generous, and the work environment is luxurious. But are you willing to leave...

If you want to work at sea internationally, whether on a merchant ship or a yacht, you must obtain an ENG1 Medical Certificate. The certificate of medical fitness proves that you are physically and mentally fit to work onboard vessels where immediate medical...

Choosing the right yacht training school as an aspiring sailor is always a difficult choice. You are looking to curb irresponsible spending while finding the right training package. To do so, you should keep certain things in mind. Let’s find out how you can choose...

If you are getting into boating, sailing, or a career at sea, you have heard the acronyms RYA and MCA thrown around, sometimes interchangeably. At first glance, these names look similar. However, they play very different roles in the maritime world. In this article,...

For casual recreational boaters, obtaining a category C skipper’s license in South Africa is like gaining… fins of freedom. With a Skipper Category C license, you can take your boat further away from the shore. In this article, let's see the process for obtaining a...

If you wish to work on a superyacht or any other commercial vessel, you must obtain the STCW certificate. This internationally recognised qualification is an essential step for anyone pursuing a career in the maritime industry. The STCW ensures that every seafarer can...

In the modern world, certifications that back up your proficiency, experience, and skills push you ahead of the competition. Those little pieces of paper are more valuable than ever; and some of them hold more importance than others in the yachting industry. In this...

After the end of each season, plenty of superyacht crews take a rest and look for new opportunities on different vessels. There could be plenty of reasons why people would want to do ‘superyacht crew hopping’. Some of them are practical, some of them are personal....

One of the most important questions this generation has to answer is how to write a CV. And when it comes to writing a yacht crew CV, the pressure just mounts up further. Well, fret not! In this article, we shall see how you can write a dashing yacht crew CV and land...