Captain and skipper
From charter skipper in the Mediterranean to captain of an 80-metre yacht: anyone in command needs licences, proven sea service and experience with crew and guests.
Open positionsCertificates and recognition
- Time to first job
- 1–3 years
- Cost to first job
- €2,500 – €5,000
- Salary per month
- €2,300 – €23,000
- Season
- Mediterranean May–Oct, Caribbean Nov–Apr
Entry route: Yachtmaster after sea service on board · Last updated: 15/10/2026. No liability is accepted; the linked sources are authoritative.
Duties
- Responsibility for the yacht, crew and guests under the flag state’s rules
- Passage planning, navigation, weather and contact with port authorities
- Hiring, leading and training crew; watch schedules and safety drills
- Budget, yard periods and coordination with the owner, management and charter broker
Career path
- Start as a deckhand or on smaller charter yachts
- Yachtmaster Offshore, collect sea service and have it verified
- Officer of the Watch (Yachts < 3000 GT)
- Chief Officer, then Master < 500 GT
- Master < 3000 GT or the new Master (Yachts Unlimited)
Certificates and recognition
On yachts of 24 m and over, British MCA licences are the norm in practice; leisure licences from Germany, Austria and Switzerland mainly count in charter. You can collect sea service on yachts of any flag.
Leisure skipper licence and ICC
For charter and smaller yachts, your national licence together with the International Certificate of Competence (ICC) under UNECE Resolution 40 is what counts. According to its list of 21 May 2026, Croatia now accepts the German SBF See and SKS only for yachts up to 18 m, always together with a radio certificate, and only for private use and bareboat charter, not automatically for paid work as a skipper. Clarify this in advance with the charter company or the harbour authority. Duration and cost depend on the licence.
- Valid for
- unlimited
- Germany
- The SBF See is for private use only. Paid work as a skipper or instructor requires the SKS (12 nm), SSS (30 nm) or SHS (worldwide). Issued by the DMYV and DSV on behalf of the federal government; the licence card is also the ICC.
- Austria
- A licence is not mandatory in Austria; the rules of the coastal states apply. The FB1 to FB4 licences are examined by recognised examination associations; the ICC is issued by viadonau, only to Austrian citizens or people whose main residence is in Austria.
- Switzerland
- The Swiss offshore licence (Hochseeausweis) under the ordinance of the Swiss Maritime Navigation Office (SSA) is issued by recognised examination bodies and has no expiry date. Under the Swiss flag, the German SSS and SHS and the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore and Ocean are also recognised.
Radio certificate (SRC, LRC, GMDSS)
SRC covers VHF marine radio, LRC adds HF and satellite communications. MCA licences require GMDSS: the GOC for officers, chief mates and masters, the ROC for example for Master Code Vessels II/3. SRC and LRC have no expiry date. An SRC course including fees costs about €280 to €530; a GOC course takes 8 to 10 days and costs about €2,000 (guide value).
- Duration
- 2–4 days
- Cost
- €280 – €530
- Valid for
- unlimited
- Germany
- Examined by DMYV and DSV examination committees; official fee €127.88 for the SRC and €187.48 for the LRC. The GOC and ROC are issued by the BSH; the endorsement is valid for 5 years.
- Austria
- Examined by the Telecommunications Authority (Fernmeldebehörde) in Vienna: €122.74 per category plus €21 for the certificate. Courses are run by approved training companies. Here the SRC is called UKW-Betriebszeugnis II and the LRC Allgemeines Betriebszeugnis II.
- Switzerland
- OFCOM (BAKOM) holds the SRC and LRC exams itself; you register through the DETEC eGovernment portal. Whether a foreign flag state recognises the certificate is up to that state.
RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore and Ocean
Yachtmaster Offshore qualifies you to skipper up to 150 nm from a harbour. Requirements: age 18, within the last 10 years 50 days at sea, 5 of them as skipper, 2,500 nm and an SRC. Ocean additionally requires a 600 nm ocean passage with astro navigation and, according to the RYA, is valid worldwide for vessels up to 200 GT. For paid work you also need the Commercial Endorsement (ENG1, sea survival, first aid; £49, valid 5 years). A preparation week plus the exam costs from about €1,200 under sail to about €3,500 under power, including the RYA exam fee of £266 (2026).
- Duration
- 5–7 days
- Cost
- €1,200 – €3,500
- Valid for
- unlimited
- Germany
- RYA-recognised schools exist in Central Europe and around the Mediterranean. Plan for an ENG1; the British ML5 can only be completed by doctors registered in the UK.
- Austria
- Training at RYA-recognised schools. Croatia accepts the Yachtmaster for yachts up to 500 GT.
- Switzerland
- Under the Swiss flag, the SSA recognises Yachtmaster Offshore and Ocean as equivalent to the Swiss offshore licence.
Master (Code Vessels < 200 GT) / OOW (Yachts < 500 GT)
The successor to the former “Master 200 GT”. Voluntary, and mainly useful for recognition by foreign authorities: the II/3 version up to 150 nm from a safe haven with Yachtmaster Offshore, the II/2 version unlimited with Yachtmaster Ocean. You also need 6 months of sea service as a holder, an ENG1, ancillary courses and an oral exam with the MCA.
- Duration
- 6–12 months
- Valid for
- 5 years
- Germany
- A British licence; sea service on yachts of any flag counts. Apply to the MCA.
- Austria
- A British licence; sea service on yachts of any flag counts. Apply to the MCA.
- Switzerland
- A British licence; sea service on yachts of any flag counts. Apply to the MCA.
Officer of the Watch (Yachts < 3000 GT)
The first officer licence on large yachts: from age 19, 36 months on board including at least 365 days of sea service on yachts of 15 m and over, Efficient Deck Hand, Yachtmaster Offshore with theory, MCA exams in navigation and ship knowledge, ECDIS and GMDSS GOC. Have your sea service verified through professional associations such as the PYA. Valid for 5 years.
- Duration
- 3–4 years
- Valid for
- 5 years
- Germany
- A British licence; sea service on yachts of any flag counts. Apply to the MCA.
- Austria
- A British licence; sea service on yachts of any flag counts. Apply to the MCA.
- Switzerland
- A British licence; sea service on yachts of any flag counts. Apply to the MCA.
Master (Yachts) < 500 GT, < 3000 GT and Unlimited
Master licences under MSN 1858 Amendment 2 (in force since 18 May 2026). Master < 500 GT: OOW licence and 12 months as a deck officer with 120 days of watchkeeping, modules, celestial navigation and an oral exam. Master < 3000 GT: 24 months with 240 days of watchkeeping. New are Chief Mate and Master (Yachts Unlimited), with modules at nautical colleges and sea service on yachts of 500 GT and over. Valid for 5 years; courses and fees add up to several thousand to over ten thousand pounds.
- Duration
- 4–6 years
- Valid for
- 5 years
- Germany
- The standard for captains on superyachts. Croatia accepts MCA yacht licences for yachts up to 3000 GT.
- Austria
- A British licence; sea service on yachts of any flag counts. Apply to the MCA.
- Switzerland
- A British licence; sea service on yachts of any flag counts. Apply to the MCA.
Medical First Aid and Medical Care
Medical First Aid (MFA, about 4 days) is mandatory for chief mates, masters and all engineering licences. Medical Care (MC, about 5 days) is needed by masters and by whoever is responsible for medical care on board; on UK ships the certificate must be no older than 5 years. MFA has no refresher requirement.
- Duration
- 4–5 days
- Cost
- €550 – €1,200
- Valid for
- 5 years
- Germany
- Courses at approved maritime training centres or at MCA-approved schools abroad.
- Austria
- Courses at MCA-approved schools abroad, for example in the UK or around the Mediterranean.
- Switzerland
- Courses at MCA-approved schools abroad, for example in the UK or around the Mediterranean.
Where to train
- RYA-recognised sailing and motor cruising schools in the UK, around the Mediterranean and in Central Europe (Yachtmaster, SRC)
- MCA-approved training centres and nautical colleges (officer and master modules, ECDIS, medical)
- DMYV and DSV examination committees (DE), recognised examination associations (AT) and SSA-recognised examination bodies (CH)
We deliberately name no individual schools and receive no commission. Before booking, check that the provider is approved for the certificate you need and for the flag state.
Salary
| Position | Per month | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Captain, 30–40 m yacht | €6,000 – €9,000 | Basic salary on board plus food and accommodation (YPI CREW 2026) |
| Captain, 50–60 m yacht | €10,000 – €16,000 | Basic salary on board plus food and accommodation (YPI CREW 2026) |
| Captain, 80–100 m yacht | €16,000 – €23,000 | Basic salary on board plus food and accommodation (YPI CREW 2026) |
| Chief Officer, 40–50 m yacht | €5,500 – €7,000 | Basic salary on board plus food and accommodation (YPI CREW 2026) |
| Captain, 15–27 m sailing yacht | €2,300 – €8,000 | Basic salary on board, sailing yachts (Oyster Crew Survey, 2025 season) |
Basic monthly salary by yacht length according to YPI CREW 2026, plus food and accommodation; on large yachts often with equal rotation. Sailing yachts according to the Oyster Crew Survey. There are no reliably published wages for charter skippers in the Mediterranean (seasonal contract or day rate).
Your next step
Browse the open positions and apply directly to the employer.
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More career fields
Deck and watersportsEngineeringInterior and serviceGalleyCharter, sales and yacht managementShipyard, refit and shore-based tradesMarina, harbour and tourismOffice, marketing and customer care
Sources
Official bodies, certificate issuers, salary guides and statistics. The current version of each source always prevails.
- YPI CREW – Yacht Crew Salary Guide 2026 (retrieved on 15/10/2026)
- Oyster Yachts – Oyster Crew Salary Survey 2026 (PDF) (retrieved on 15/10/2026)
- YPI CREW – What Are The Two Main Yachting Seasons? (retrieved on 15/10/2026)
- ELWIS, Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes – Sportbootführerscheine (retrieved on 14/10/2026)
- BMIMI, Oberste Schifffahrtsbehörde – Internationale Zertifikate für die Führung von Jachten (Infoblatt) (retrieved on 14/10/2026)
- Schweizerisches Seeschifffahrtsamt – Anerkannte Führerausweise unter Schweizer Flagge (08/2025) (retrieved on 14/10/2026)
- Ministarstvo mora, prometa i infrastrukture – Anerkannte ausländische Befähigungsnachweise für Boote und Yachten (Stand 21.05.2026) (retrieved on 14/10/2026)
- Bundesamt für Justiz – Schiffssicherheitsverordnung (SchSV), Anlage 3 (retrieved on 14/10/2026)
- FIM-Portal des Bundes – Short Range Certificate (SRC), Erteilung nach Prüfung (retrieved on 15/10/2026)
- Fernmeldebehörde Österreich – Seefunk und Binnenschifffahrt (retrieved on 15/10/2026)
- Bundesamt für Kommunikation BAKOM – Hochseefunk Prüfungen (retrieved on 14/10/2026)
- Maritime and Coastguard Agency – MSN 1858 (M+F) Amendment 2: Deck Officers on Large Yachts (24 m and over) (retrieved on 14/10/2026)
- Royal Yachting Association – Yachtmaster Offshore exam (retrieved on 15/10/2026)
- Royal Yachting Association – Yachtmaster Ocean exam (retrieved on 15/10/2026)
- Royal Yachting Association – Exam fees (retrieved on 15/10/2026)
- Royal Yachting Association – Commercial endorsements (retrieved on 15/10/2026)
- Maritime and Coastguard Agency – Certification for Deck Officers on Commercial and Private yachts (retrieved on 14/10/2026)
- Professional Yachting Association – Sea Service Verification (retrieved on 14/10/2026)
- Maritime and Coastguard Agency – MSN 1865 (M) Amendment 1: Emergency, Occupational Safety, Security, Medical Care and Survival Functions (retrieved on 14/10/2026)
- Maritime and Coastguard Agency – MSN 1904 (M+F): Engineer Officer Small Vessel Certificate of Competency (retrieved on 14/10/2026)