For those of you to whom the above definition applies, working on a yacht is not about lounging on the sun-deck, sipping a sun-downer, while awaiting your three course  gourmet meal.  If this is your idea of a dream job, be careful - it will soon turn into a nightmare.

The reality of working on a yacht goes something like this: get up at 6am, eat breakfast, clean, wash, iron, clean, cook, clean, serve breakfast, clean, make beds, clean, un-block toilets, clean, serve food, clean, cook, clean, wash tender, clean, polish stainless, service engines, clean, cook gourmet meals, clean, serve cocktails, clean, turn down beds, and finally when everything has been cleaned, around midnight if you are lucky, eat some leftovers and fall into bed. Then get up at 6am and start all over again….possibly for weeks on end.

If you think that you could do this without constant complaining and with a smile on your face, then you may get to travel the world in style, go to glamorous places and meet lots of interesting people, and get paid fairly well to boot.

OK, so what next? Most vessels require their crew-members to have an STCW95 certificate. This five day course consists of Personal Safety and Social Responsibility, Personal Survival Techniques, Basic EMT Training, and Basic Fire Fighting. Most crew training centres will offer this…look them up on the internet.

Depending on what type of vessel you think you would like to work on will determine your next move. Private, Charter, Motor or Sail. Large….over 24m or small< 24m. Also what position you think would best suit your personality and skills?

For an entry level stewardess, any service background is a definite plus, bartending, massage certification, waiting tables, cooking, ironing skills(AAAGH), (do not put pole dancing on your resume). If you take a professional course at a recognised school, it will put you ahead of your immediate competition. The American Yacht Institute offers an in-depth 5-day course which consists of the rules and attitudes to yachting, basic seamanship, silver service, interior detailing, laundry, flowers and bartending. It is valuable information packed into a fun and exciting 5 days. Note: as entry level on larger yachts, you may be confined to laundry and beds and heads, till you prove your worth.

For an entry level deckhand, knowing your pointy end to the blunt end is a bonus. On a smaller boat, an RYA day skipper will help get you on deck. Captains on larger vessels are often happy to take on a 'greenie' and train them. However, until you have perfected the art of ‘wax on wax off', racing around in the tender will be a long sunset away.

On larger yachts, a culinary degree is generally required for a chef, however for smaller yachts cooking skills and a creative flair will normally suffice. Be prepared to do your own provisioning, cooking, change dinner menus at the last moment and clean up.

If you are good at fixing things and trouble-shooting, then the engineering side may appeal to you, this generally needs complicated formal training, though if you show promise as a deckhand, the engineer will appreciate your help and give you a really horrible smelly and dirty job to do.

Aspiring ‘Captain Ron's -.just because you have done your ‘fast track Yacht-master' otherwise known as ‘zero to hero', you are now qualified to become a super-yacht captain.

When looking for a job, either through crew placement agencies, dockwalking, online, or word of mouth, make sure that you have a professionally written, well laid out resume and recent picture. Include written references, either professional or from your school or college. No family! Great aunty saying what a nice boy you are won't cut it. Be concise and to the point, you are not writing an autobiography.

If you are fortunate to secure an interview, body art is not advisable, neither are cut off shorts, flip flops, or spangly low cut tops. Please dress appropriately, look at pictures in the yachting magazines..

Next month, interviewing techniques...and how to land your perfect job..

Further reading: Working on Yachts and Superyachts, by Jennifer Errico
Insiders guide to becoming a yacht stewardess. By Julie Perry
www.americanyachtinstitute.com
www.mptusa.com
www.yachtmaster.com