There is a surplus of highly-paid jobs available for people who are able and willing to work on a super yacht

(a motorised boat exceeding 24 metres in length). The demand for crew is so high because of the rapid rate at which these yachts have been built - there are over 5,000 of these boats in the world, many of them owned by the world’s wealthiest individuals. Have a look on Wikipedia at this list of the longest motorised yachts in the world.

It is not only navy graduates who are in demand as deck hands, but also trained skippers, cooks, domestic servants, masseurs, waiters and waitresses.
Does the life of a crew member, living and working on a huge luxury yacht, appeal to you? At starting rates for junior crew of about R240,000 per annum it is a great way to get experience and save up for university or college! The work can be demanding, but there are many opportunities for relaxation too.

A great resource is a book entitled ‘Working on Yachts and Superyachts’ by Jennifer Errico, available for just under R200 on Kalahari.net, or under £10 on Amazon.com.

For training in South Africa have a look at Certified Training and the Atlantic Yachting School for details.

Once you are qualified there are many websites showing the jobs available - here are a few comprehensive ones:

• Yacht Loop showcases jobs all over the world
• Wilson Halligan is a firm specialising in the recruitment of professional officers and crew
• YachtingCrews.com is a very informative and useful site with jobs, courses and advice