DeckPrep

Superyacht deckhand qualifications explained

What you need before your first job on deck, what gets you hired over other green crew, and the qualifications that move you up from deckhand.

The essentials

STCW Basic Safety Training

The starting point for any yacht job. It's usually taken as one course, made up of four modules:

  • Personal Survival Techniques (PST)
  • Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting (FPFF)
  • Elementary First Aid (EFA)
  • Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities (PSSR)

MCA-coded yachts over 500gt require all crew to hold it, and the vast majority of private yachts expect it too. The PST and FPFF modules need refreshing every five years. EFA and PSSR don't expire, though some management companies ask for recent certificates anyway, so check before you sign on.

ENG1 seafarer medical

A medical examination by an MCA-approved doctor. An ENG1 lasts up to two years for seafarers aged 18 and over (one year if you're under 18), and the doctor can issue it for less. Book it before you spend money on courses: if there's a medical reason you can't work at sea, it's better to know first.

Security training

Many yachts want deck crew to hold Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD), a short course that covers the security awareness syllabus and the duties crew carry out when they have a role in the yacht's security plan.

What gets you hired

  • Powerboat Level 2: deckhands drive the tenders, and many job adverts ask for it.
  • Real sailing or boating experience: line handling, anchoring and boat handling count for a lot when a captain is choosing between green crew.
  • A working knowledge of the rules of the road: on watch you'll be expected to read lights, shapes and marks. Start with navigation lights and day shapes and lateral marks.

Moving up from deckhand

  1. Build and log your sea time from day one. Every later certificate depends on documented days and miles.
  2. Yacht rating qualifications: the MCA Yacht Rating certificate, which builds on STCW basic training and an ENG1, is the recognised step for deck ratings.
  3. Yachtmaster Offshore, commercially endorsed: the first big deck qualification and the starting point for the MCA Officer of the Watch (Yachts) route. Check what you still need with the requirements checker.

Requirements vary with the yacht's size, flag and code, and with what each employer asks for. Confirm the details with your training school or crew agent, and the MCA for UK certificates.

Test yourself, free

Quizzes with every answer explained, and flashcards. No account needed.

Questions

What qualifications do I need to be a superyacht deckhand?

At minimum, STCW Basic Safety Training and a seafarer medical, normally an ENG1. Many yachts also expect security training such as PDSD, and Powerboat Level 2 for tender driving.

How long does an ENG1 last?

Up to two years for seafarers aged 18 or over, and one year for under-18s. It can only be issued by an MCA-approved doctor after a full medical examination, and the doctor can set a shorter period.

Does STCW basic training expire?

The Personal Survival Techniques and Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting modules need refreshing every five years. Elementary First Aid and PSSR don't expire, though some employers ask for recent certificates.

Revise the whole syllabus

Short lessons, spaced repetition and timed mock exams across COLREGS, tides, passage planning, weather and more. Five minutes at a time, on your phone.

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Last checked 4 November 2026. DeckPrep is an independent revision tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the RYA. Always check current requirements with the RYA.