Blue Ocean Yachting

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Mon02062012

Last update10:05:33 PM

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Boat 2

Luxury Yachts, Super Yachts, Mega Yachts, Giga Yachts are all names used to describe an industry that encompasses luxury passenger vessels (motor or sail) that generally sleep up to 12 guests. Over the last 15 years the industry has grown & so have the yachts. Lavishly decorated, amazing designs, state of the art entertainment and all the water toys you could imagine.

Now here comes the reality of being crew on some of the most prestigious yachts in the world!

When you have guests onboard, you will work on average of 14 hours per day. You will sleep in bunk beds & share cabins with fellow crewmembers. You may not get a day off for weeks on end, you will get tired, and you will get grumpy! If you are ready for a unique working experience and to be able to work with some amazing people, then yachting could be for you.
Don’t get me wrong; yachting is great fun and an even more amazing lifestyle. Just realize that it’s not for everyone and adapting to this new way of life might make you think twice once you get onboard.

Now about the positives, if you love the water, love travel, don’t mind hard work & would love an opportunity to make some good money tax free whilst cruising into some of the most prestigious & famous ports in the world, then, I think you may have found your new calling in life.

Welcome to the world of YACHTING!

Crew roles vary, but here are some of the more common positions available: Deck Officers, Deck Crew, Purser, interior Steward/ess, Chefs, and Engineers. Other positions also include (Masseuse, Beautician, Fitness Instructor, Dive/ water sports Instructor, Security).

With such an amazing industry that can take you all over the globe, there are a few things that you need to invest some time and money into, to make you more attractive to your next potential employer.

Also if you'd like to find out more information about what you can do, there is also my blog to help all of those that are New to Yachting!

Offshore Banking & Tax

One of the benefits to yachting is the fact that they operate in a Tax-Free environment. Due to the fact that majority of the worlds luxury yachts are registered in Tax Havens like the Cayman Islands, Isle of Man. When you start out in the yachting industry earning tax free dollars, it’s wise to open up an offshore tax account. There are a few offshore banks but you have to weigh up the pro’s and cons with each. Here are a couple to consider:

Lloyds TSB Offshore   http://www.lloydstsb-offshore.com/
Standard Bank             http://www.sboff.com/
HSBC Offshore            http://www.offshore.hsbc.com/

When it comes to the tax issue, check out our Money & Finance section for a better idea. In short, the offshore tax issue varies for every individual and each country has it’s own tax laws. The information that we offer should only be used as a guideline, as we highly suggest that you speak to a professional that has knowledge of offshore tax relating to your country of residence.

Transferring Money Home?

Sending money overseas can be expensive if you are using the major banks? Blue Ocean Yachting are pleased to partner with foreign exchange specialists OzForex so now you can transfer money faster and for a lot less. Their fee is only AUD15.00 and their exchange rates are much better than banks. Best of all you can organise a transfer anytime you like online or by phone – they are open 24-hours a day, business days!

By using OzForex you will enjoy;
ü No receiving bank fees in most countries
ü Extremely competitive foreign exchange rates across 18 currencies
ü Online access 24/7
ü Access to a dedicated Dealer by phone 24-hours a day, 5 days a week
ü Complete exchange rate transparency
ü No transaction fees for amounts over AUD10,000
ü Risk management tools through Limit Orders and Forward Exchange Contracts
ü Exchange rate alerts via email
ü Access to our highly regarded daily and weekly “Market Commentary”

To speak to one of their accredited dealers about your foreign exchange requirements call 1300 300 424 in Australia (0845 686 1950 in the UK; 1800 680 0750 in Canada or 0800 161 868 in NZ) or r egister online
with us is FREE and you can view our live dealing rates immediately.

As a member of Blue Ocean Yachting you will receive your first two transactions fee FREE, so if you feel like saving some money on wire transfers click here to find out more!

New to the yachting industry - check out our New to Yachting Section -

New to Yachting - Click Here

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Drugs & Alcohol

We all know that Drugs are bad news, so let me explain why Drugs and yachting don’t mix. Firstly for obvious reasons we have the legal issue, if you got caught with drugs you would immediately be fired and both yourself and the drugs would be passed over to the local authorities. Now if the police or coastguard would find drugs on the yacht, well you would have then made a massive mistake. Not only would you be detained and face jail time but you have also implicated the Captain, who will now possibly loose his job, license and worst of all have the yacht seized. You read it right, if the authorities find drugs onboard the yacht they have the rights to seize that vessel so technically you could have cost the yachts owner millions of dollars for your miss doings. To help deter crew from using drugs the use of drug test kits are widely used, they range from urine tests to hair follicle testing. Either way it means you will loose your job and your name will be tarnished in the industry, which inevitably will make it harder to get a job.

Now the next part, Alcohol. Yes it’s fun and yes it’s part of the yachting lifestyle but just like anything, it has it’s downside. We all work with the mantra “work hard, party hard” but with that comes the idea that we are all adults. The unfortunate part is that we all talk about those individuals that take the drinking and partying too far. We all talk about the people that take a good night too far, so it’s a great idea to not end up that person. Especially if you are just starting out in the industry, you don’t want to be known as that guy or girl that parties too hard!

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Crew Appearance

Appearance in yachting is a big deal. The way you look represents the type of person you are, and when it comes to yachting, image is everything!

Walking the docks is the one place where people will judge you on your appearance. So many times I’ve seen yacht crew dock walking wearing their flip flops, board shorts, a t-shirt, looking like they’ve just stepped off the beach or for those women that have too much makeup on or long fingernails and you wonder if they’re the right type of person that you’d hire to work on a yacht. However the person that is neat in appearance, collared shirt, smart pair of shorts and a nice pair of walking shoes will always make a great impression.

Tattoo’s are another issue in yachting, as they are seen undesirable. A general rule is if the tattoo can be hidden by clothing then it’s ok. You just have to remember that you’ll be working in short sleeve t-shirts and shorts most of the time, so if the tattoo can’t be seen then it’s ok. Each boat is going to be different and the rules regarding appearance will vary. At the end of the day the smarter you look the easier it will be to find work.

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Crew Houses & Yacht Accommodations

If you are just starting out you’ll be looking for somewhere to stay? We suggest crew houses are your best choice for accommodation. The other part is that they are normally really well located near the marina’s and ports. Crew houses also are great when you start out as they offer you a chance to network with others looking for work and also for getting daywork.

Crew accommodation varies per yacht. General sleeping arrangements will be 2 bunk style beds in each cabin with an ensuite. The Cabins themselves can be quite small but generally the newer the boat or the larger size of boats, the accommodations size will increase to make crew life a little more comfortable. Don’t forget to pack light due to space restrictions but feel free to bring anything that will make life comfortable, the only problem being that if it weighs too much you’ll be paying excess baggage. I would always suggest starting out with one bag, allowing for all your basic clothes and don’t forget something to go out in. If you feel that your cupboard space is a little bare you’ll have more than enough time to go shopping all over the world, literally!

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What sort of Salary Package could I expect?

Salary packages will vary depending on the size of the yacht and to how much the yacht is willing to pay. There is a vague industry standard but as there is no union regulating pay scales, the yachts can pay anything they want. The other aspect to salary packages are the benefits. The benefits on board each yacht will vary, there is no guarantee but they can include: paid vacation 1-2 months a year, Medical Insurance, paid courses for industry training, flights home each year & also yearly performance bonus. I thought i would add the salary guide line for you to reference. As I said it is a guide and should be used as a guide. To be honest most salaries will be based on your skill level and the salary allowance aboard the yacht. At least you'll have an idea of what each position pays going into your interview.

CREW	100'-120ft	120'-140ft	140'-160ft	160'-180ft	180' -200ft	200' & UP
Exterior
CAPTAIN	$9,000 - 10,000	$10,000 - 11,000	$11,000 - 13,000	$13,000 - 15,000	$15,000 - 17,000	$18,000+
CHIEF ENGINEER	N/A	$7,000 - 7,500	$7,500 - 8,000	$8,000 - 9,00	$9,500 - 10,000	$11,000+
2nd Engineer	N/A	N/A	$6,000 - 6,500	6,500 - 7,000	$7,000 - 7,500	$7,500 +
ENGINEER	$5,000 - 5,500	$6,000 - 7,000	$7,000 - 7,500	N/A	N/A	N/A
2nd/ 3rd ENGINEER	N/A	N/A	$4,000 - 4,500	$4,500 - 5,000	$5,000 - 5,500	$5,500 +
1st Officer/Mate	$4,000 - 5,000	$5,000 - 5,500	$6,000 - 6,500	$6,500 - 7,000	$7,000 - 8,000	$9,000 +
2nd MATE (OOW)	N/A	N/A	$4,800 - 5,000	$5,000 - 5,500	$5,500 - 6,000	$6,000 +
BOSUN	N/A	$3,500 - 4,000	$4,000 - 4,300	$4,300 - 4,500	$4,500 - 5,000	$4,500 +
DECKHAND	$2,500 - 3,000	$3,000 - 3,200	$3,200 - 3,400	$3,400 - 3,600	$3,400 - 3,600	$3,400 +
JUNIOR DECKHAND	$2,500 - 2,800	$2,500 - 2,800	$2,500 - 2,800	$2,500 - 2,800	$2,500 - 2,800	$2,500 +
*Interior*
PURSER	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,000 - 7,000	$7,000 - 7,500	$7,000 +
CHEF	$5,000 - 5,500	$5,500 - 6,000	$6,500 - 8,000	$8,000 - 8,500	$8,500 - 9,000	$9,000 +
SOUS CHEF	N/A	N/A	$4,000 - 4,500	$4,500 - 4,800	$5,000 - 5,500	$5,000 +
CREW CHEF	N/A	N/A	$3,500 - 4,000	$4,000 - 4,500	$4,500 - 4,800	$4,800 +
CHIEF STEWARDESS	$4,000 - 4,500	$4,500 - 5,000	$5,500 - 6,000	$6,000 - 6,500	$7,000 - 7,500	$7,500 +
2nd STEWARDESS	$3,000 - 3,300	$3,300 - 3,500	$3,500 - 4,000	$3,800 - 4,000	$4,000 - 4,500	$4,500 +
STEWARDESS	$3,000 - 3,200	$3,000 - 3,200	$3,200 - 3,400	$3,200 - 3,400	$3,200 - 3,400	$3,200 +
JUNIOR STEWARDESS	$2,500 - 2,800	$2,500 - 2,800	$2,500 - 2,800	$2,500 - 2,800	$2,500 - 2,800	$2,500 +