PYA Launch Digital Service Record Book (D-SRB)  The world has seen a rapid acceleration towards the use of online and digital systems across multiple industries, with yachting being no exception. Due to the international nature of the yachting industry and the constant movement of crew across multiple locations worldwide, the PYA recognised early on the need to move more and more of its services online to increase the ease and efficiency of how our members can access them.   On 22 February 2021, the PYA launched its PYA Digital Service Record Book (D-SRB) now available to all members and yacht crew who need to get their sea service time verified. The MCA has agreed to a permanent switch over to this PYA D-SRB, which will result in a huge increas...

A big thank you to all my friends and colleagues for your nomination, its means the world to me.   I cant believe it has nearly been 14-years since I once started as a complete "greenie'' in the yachting industry.   I have worked my way up from Junior Stewardess to 2nd Stewardess, Chief Stewardess, then onto HOH on 100+, Interior Manager, Purser and my most recent role as a New Build Operations Manager.   I really hope I can take this nomination a step further, by supporting the young and up coming yacht administrators and Interior HOD's.   Feel free to contact me for any questions or challenges you are facing in your career progression, I can always give some guidance from my own challenges.   ***Voting Starts: 17 May 2021*** ...

I had the experience with a couple of companies trying to perform some works on board. "We can take the oil sample from the oil pan with the stopped engine." We (Engineers) need to understand that we won't know how the real condition is on our machinery if we do not have the proper analysis result. It is our responsibility. Oil analysis is a condition monitoring tool designed to evaluate: 1-The properties of the lubricant 2-Lubricant contamination 3-Machinery Wear However, the analysis of a sample depends mainly on the quality of the sample itself. A high-quality sample must be data-rich and interference-free. From my perspective, this is the list of what is due and shouldn't be done for oil sampling: Samples should be taken with the machines operating. Do not take samples ...

Calling all UK residents.  Did you know that even though you might be working overseas, if you're a registered UK resident you're still required to file a self-assessment tax return? As a UK resident you'll need to make sure you register for Self Assessment and complete a tax return giving income details for the tax year you're claiming any deductions for.  You can either register as: Self-employed Not self-employed Registering a partner or partnership But if you're employed by a yacht and working at sea - outside the UK - you might be eligible for the Seafarers' Earnings Deduction (SED) - a type of tax relief - which could reduce your tax bill.  Whether you're a captain, engineer, stewardess or deckhand on a supery...

In conjunction with International Women's Day this month She of the Sea's co-founders Jenny Matthews and Natasha Ambrose published their annual report findings into diversity and inclusion data across the yachting industry. The big question.  Is the yachting industry diverse and inclusive? With only 33% of She of the Sea Pledge Signatories currently collecting D&I data, She of the Sea have made it their mandate to champion diversity and to use up to the minute data to affect change – if and where it's needed. In an industry committed to high performance and innovative thinking, the real value for all stakeholders is to be irrefutably diverse and inclusive.  But to find out what the landscape really looks like, Jenny and Natasha needed to collect ...

What's a deckhand? Deckhand is your typical entry-level job for almost any professional crew position on a superyacht. Responsible for conducting a whole range of duties, the deckhand is mainly in charge of maintaining the yacht's exterior, keeping the surfaces shining, the teak immaculate and everything looking pristine at all times. When you go for a deckhand interview, find out how big the yacht is and how many other deckhands on board?  Depending on the size, you could either be the only one or part of a team.   What does a deckhand do? So, you'll have a whole list of duties to perform each day, some requiring more experience and skill than others – but each one gives you a great opportunity to learn all about the general operations of a super...

The realities of deckhand working hours vary hugely, depending on the owner, yacht size, Captain and crew - oh and whether it's chartered or privately owned!   We talked to a few deckhands and here are a few real answers: KS – "off charter, I work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week and some Fridays I might get a half day. On charter I have been known to work up to 15 hours a day. So it can vary massively." PB – "could be 8 or 18, basically as long as it takes to get the job done. It's the same whether there are guests onboard or charter." CS – "we could work up to 16-18 hours on average, but there should be down-time or a break built-in too if possible. Legally we're obliged to have 77 hours rest in any one 7-day period, but the daily time sc...

  As an online superyacht crew recruitment platform, we often get asked if tattoos are a barrier to getting work onboard a luxury vessel?  Like most walks of life, superyacht owners come from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life themselves. So I strongly believe there will always be a yacht for every type of yachtie. Owners who like tattoos, owners who don't and those who are completely indifferent either way! What I would say though, is that visible tattoos can reduce the number of roles you might be successful in applying for, due to the fact that some boats have a no visible tattoo policy. The superyacht industry is renowned for being particular, to say the least.  It's a popular career choice, so there's lots of competition for...

Ok, so we're the other side of Brexit. UK is no longer part of the EU. And UK crew working on superyachts and shoreside around the world have questions.  We hope the following helps answer a few of them: An overview from 1st Jan 2021: Unless you hold a VISA or residency for a specific EU country, UK citizens can only stay in the EU for tourist purposes or work for 90 days in a 180-day period. UK citizens must (from the 1st January 2021) have their passport stamped in and out of each EU country, when visiting member EU countries. UK citizens must hold a passport valid for up to 10 years, with at least 6 months before it expires. If I entered the EU before 31st December, I didn't get stamped in. How do I stamp out? As a UK national, from outside the EU, you can ...

Owning a luxury yacht is a lifestyle choice. Spending time with family and friends on board your yacht, enjoying the scenery, basking in the sunshine, a glass of Krug in hand is precious time you've earned. But how can you be sure owning a luxury yacht a sound financial investment? Did you know that the ongoing upkeep and maintenance costs of your yacht will probably equate to about 10% of the price you paid for it? The good news is that you shouldn't be subjected to the same level of depreciation you'd expect from buying cars and more traditional boats.  Luxury yachts, if well maintained, do tend to hold their value.  But well maintained is the key phrase here!  As with anything, certain models, yacht designers, marine architects, boat builders and manufac...