What Comes After Working on Yachts

Working aboard a yacht can be a career in itself, but for many crew, there eventually comes a point when life ashore starts to look more appealing. Priorities begin to change, and the desire for a home base becomes stronger. Or, you may simply be ready to see where your experience can take you next. 

The good news is that leaving an onboard role does not mean leaving the yachting industry. Former captains, deck crew, engineers, chefs and interior crew can bring valuable experience to a wide range of shore-based careers, from yacht brokerage and management to crew services, operations, shipyards and roles that may not initially seem connected to life at sea. 

Several members of the Northrop & Johnson team spent years working aboard yachts before making that move themselves. Their careers show that there is no single route ashore and that the skills and relationships built onboard can lead in more directions than crew may realize. 

When is it time to move ashore?

There is no set point when crew should leave life onboard. For many of the former crew we spoke with, the decision had less to do with yachting itself and more to do with changing priorities. 

Sales Broker Michael Geraghty spent 15 years as a captain before marriage and children prompted him to consider his next step. Ben Young, now Northrop & Johnson’s Commercial Director Europe, spent 14 years at sea, progressing from deckhand on a square-rigged sailing yacht to captain. “My decision to move ashore came when I wanted to start a family,” says Ben. “I wanted to be present as much as possible.” 

After 13 years as a Chief Stewardess, Sharryn Matte, now a Crew Services Associate, was similarly ready for a home base after getting married. Ivana Novakovic, now a Crew Recruiter, reached that point after 11 years as a Chief Stewardess. “As I got older, my priorities started to change,” says Ivana. “I wanted my own living space and a little more stability and routine in my life.” 

For Amy Wachmann, now a Luxury Charter Broker, the decision was also about professional progression. After five years as a Chief Stewardess, she knew she did not want to pursue the captain, chef or engineer route and felt her opportunities for further progression onboard were limited. 

The reason for moving ashore will be different for everyone. What matters is recognizing when your priorities have changed and beginning to consider what you want from the next stage of your career. 

What shore-based careers are available to yacht crew?

For crew who have spent years immersed in life onboard, it can be easy to see only the most visible shoreside careers. Brokerage, yacht management and crew placement are established routes, but they represent only part of the picture. 

An N&J team member who spent 10 years onboard as a Chief Stewardess points out that opportunities extend into marketing, photography, event planning, editing, technology and social media, where an understanding of yachts, the industry and the lifestyle can be valuable. 

Other potential career paths include charter management, yacht operations, shipyard roles, refit and project management, provisioning and yacht supply, training, marina operations, concierge services, estate management, travel and hospitality. 

“Almost anything connected to the yachting industry can be a natural transition,” says Ivana. “Former crew have an inside perspective: they understand yachts, crew, owners and the realities of operating onboard.” 

After leaving his captain career, Ben started a small yacht management company in 2006, when yacht management was still a relatively small part of the industry. His career later expanded into the commercial side of brokerage and charter. “We have team members in every single department at N&J who have worked onboard yachts,” he says. His advice is to keep an open mind. Even walking around a major yacht show can demonstrate the scale of the industry and the number of businesses supporting yachts, owners and crew. 

Graham Rutherford took another route. After 10 years working aboard yachts, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do next. He knew boats, however, so he initially became a project manager in a shipyard before moving into yacht sales. For crew considering their own options, Graham suggests looking at the vendors and businesses they already encounter onboard. Suppliers, contractors and service providers can reveal career paths that are not always obvious and may even present opportunities to start a business. 

Amy did exactly that. After leaving her full-time onboard career, she started a yacht agency and provisioning business in Alaska, operating it during the summers while continuing to freelance aboard yachts during the winter. Seven years later, she decided she wanted to stay in one place year-round. An industry connection led to a role in charter management in 2008, followed by nine years in charter management, including six at Northrop & Johnson, before she moved into retail charter brokerage in 2016. 

Those routes are a useful reminder that the first job ashore does not have to determine the rest of your career. Experience gained in one area can lead to another, just as an onboard position can open doors that were not obvious while you were still at sea. 

Finding where your onboard experience fits

Moving ashore does not mean discarding the years spent building an onboard career. In many cases, the more useful question is where that experience can be applied next. 

A Chief Stewardess who has hired and managed crew may be well-positioned for recruitment or crew services. A captain’s operational and client experience can translate into management or brokerage. Knowledge of shipyards, maintenance and refits can lead to project management. Crew with a strong interest in hospitality, destinations or guest service may find opportunities in charter, travel or events. 

There is also no requirement to know exactly where you want to end up before making the move. Several of the N&J team members we spoke with changed direction after coming ashore, and some discovered opportunities through contacts and roles they had not originally considered. 

FAQs about careers after working on yachts

What jobs can former yacht crew do ashore? 

Former yacht crew can pursue careers in yacht sales and charter brokerage, yacht and charter management, crew recruitment, operations, shipyards, refit and project management, provisioning, training and other yacht service businesses. Onboard skills can also translate into hospitality, travel, events, marketing, social media and other related fields. 

Do you have to leave the yachting industry when you stop working onboard? 

No. Many former crew remain within yachting in shore-based positions where their knowledge of yachts, owners, guests, crew and operations can be particularly useful. 

Do you need to know exactly what career you want before leaving yachting? 

No. The experiences shared by former crew at N&J show that career paths can evolve after moving ashore. Shipyard work, provisioning, yacht management and support positions have all provided routes into other areas of the industry.