[lewisgreen]

I am posting this thread to try and get some advice. I am a 16 year old looking to get into the superyacht world, so to speak. I am now at a relevant part of my life where i want to get out there and fulfil my career wishes.

I have a great passion in boating, particularly superyachts. The only experience i have had is a four day RYA skipper course and have gained a Day Skipper Tidal certificate and an ICC (internationalcertificate of competence). How would i go about getting into the yachting world and take my first steps in aiming to become a captain.

I would be extremely grateful if i could have as much advice as possible.


Thankyou,

Lewis

[JHA]

My advice would be spending as much time as humanly possible out on the water. Learn everything you possibly can, "Chapman's piloting and small boat handling" should be your bible right now. The periodicals are fun (Showboats, etc...) and will give you a background of which boats are which. Dockwalk and The-Triton (both URL's) give a lot of insight into the crew side of yachting.
Use whatever means necessary, and log each and every day spent at sea. When you are 18 you can start applying for a permanent job on large yachts. Until then you can try to get day-work. Keep an open mind, for every task there are ten captains that will each have different ways to do it... Unfortunately your age will work against you, I know it sucks, I went through it, and to some extent I still am. Good luck to you.

[aeronautic1]

When I turned 17 years of age, I enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. At a very young age, I was given huge responsibilties and leadership opportunities. I was also taught to operated vessels from 44 feet to 378 feet in length. But I think the most valuable knowledge that I acquired was while attending the International Motorlifeboat School at Cape Disappointment on the Columbia River Bar (Washington State). Later, I was trained as an engineering officer which now, in the yacht industry, is a very marketable commodoty; engineer qualified captain. And while you may be a foreign national, you are able to enlist in the USCG. Go to www.uscg.mil and look for the enlistment icon.

[TIM]

Get on to any kind of boat you can... experance is very important ...... Also if you any good around engines or fixing things , this will carry alot of weight if you are competing for a job , with someone of equal experance....

Its important to Listen, and Learn.... then use the experance of others to get ahead.

Teh most important this is to be invauable to a crew/skipper or owner ... if the heads blocks ... be the first person to go and sort it out..... do the crap jobs , that no one likes , and you go far in the boating business, but also be clever enough that you arent been used , or not valued!!!!

TG

[CBKHI]

Stay in school , study very hard , go to college. Keep a level head. Put your money in the bank , and someday go out and buy a yacht! That is the best way to get into yachting. I am positive that the other guys will back me up when I say that you better be prepared for lots and lots of hard work, its not the cake job that it appears from the outside looking in. As Aero stated go in the CG, you will gain exposure and experience beyond your years, in a very short time.Did you know that the NYPD has more members than the entire USCG?!!Thats a great advantage!! being short on staff means you dont sit around watching others do things , you get into the thick of it from day one!!