By Georgia Tindale  As we get our skates on and think ahead towards 2022, we can look back fondly on our trip to Antigua for the Antigua Charter Yacht Show, and, more specifically, at the Yotspot After Show Mingle which we were proud to host alongside Antigua Charter Yacht Meeting.The event took place on 8th December 2021 in aid of Yacht Crew Help, a free 24/7 multilingual helpline for those working in the superyacht industry. With hundreds of industry professionals in attendance and filling the venue at Nelson's Dockyard, the event brought major positive vibes to the island thanks to its swinging 60s theme. The industry certainly did not disappoint in its commitment to dressing up (as we knew it wouldn't), with attendees truly going the extra mile with ...

Alongside rising uncertainty, countless cancelled plans and more time spent staring at the four walls of your house than you'd care to remember, the last two years of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have also given the jobs market a proverbial kick-in-the-backside, with many companies required to shift the parameters of their roles to fit the ever-shifting safety requirements.   With all this extra COVID-induced time on people's hands, many employees have taken the opportunity to reflect upon their current roles and ask themselves key questions, such as: 'Does this job make me happy and fulfil my ambitions?', 'Where will this job take me in five years' time?' and, perhaps most importantly, 'Am I doing this job because I want to, or be...

After returning from an incredible trip to Antigua, it evoked many memories for many reasons. Our Yotspot end of show 'Mingle' with Antigua Charter Yacht Meeting was to not only raise money for Yacht Crew Help but also a celebration of finally being together again after such difficult times I spent 10 years on Superyachts, lucky enough to of circumnavigated on both motor & sail, completed 8 Atlantic crossings – seeing my first flying fish blew my mind! I have seen the world through the eyes of the rich & famous onboard yachts & their private jets, I sailed down the Amazon river over the Christmas period, to make the boss laugh I sat on an inflatable banana in a Santa hat with Piranhas below me , I've been shipwrecked in Madagascar, jumped off the mas...

Come and join Yotspot at the ACYM After Show Mingle! Kicking off at a brand new venue for 2021, Nelson's Dockyard, and taking place on 8th December, the Antigua Charter Yacht Meeting (ACYM) is hosting this highly popular industry event sponsored by Yotspot in aid of Yacht Crew Help (YCH), a free 24/7 multilingual helpline for those working in the superyacht industry.  The last two years have been extremely challenging for both yacht crew and the industry as a whole. With so many jobs and livelihoods lost or under threat as a result of Covid-19 and its associated travel restrictions, the impact on Antigua and the surrounding area has been particularly harsh, as a result of the severely reduced tourism in the area which has hurt the local economy. The ACYM After Show Mingle of...

Anchoring off  As the end of 2021 approaches, and the yachting industry takes a breath after an exhilarating and hectic show season, now is the perfect time to stop and reflect.  With many industry professionals finding their jobs radically transformed by the pressures and travel restrictions of the pandemic, employees across the board are asking the vital question: what is it that makes me truly happy, and how do I find this in my work?  Here at Yotspot, we think we've got the answer. As the industry's number one jobs board for both crew and shore-based roles, Yotspot currently has 81,587 yachting professionals on our books, with over 2,500 active vacancies and more than 6,000 training courses listed on our site. However, if you are looking to make a caree...

  We at West Nautical greatly appreciate Yotspot as a powerful recruitment platform. Being able to post jobs and filter candidates enables us to receive a high number of qualified applicants for each role quickly and effectively. This, along with having the ability to search through the database for crew with certain qualifications or client requested criteria, puts us in the favourable position to headhunt when required. Having the function of knowing when a candidate has last logged into their portal or updated their profiles also give us a realistic assumption of their readiness to apply for a new role, meaning we do not have to waste time chasing dead ends.  Geoff Moore  

When I joined my previous vessel, I quickly learnt that we were not using recruitment agencies for new employment and that we had another online platform in place. After trialling this other platform for a period of 6 months, I realising we were not having much joy from the product. I looked into the costing/ budget for this service. I then contacted the team at Yotspot, explaining my size of vessel and drew up a cost calculation between the current platform & Yotspot's. I presented this to my management company with explanations justifying the change. In my 5 years within the industry, I have both personally and professionally used Yotspot to source candidates for employment. The site is easy to navigate, to upload/update your personal information and documents. You can set up e...

Technology is improving boat operations in many ways. One of the most important areas where technology has significantly impacted boat operations is safety and navigation. The ability to communicate with other vessels and transmit location information using satellite-based systems, such as GPS, has been one of the biggest boons for marine safety since it was first implemented over twenty years ago. This article explores six more ways that technology improves our boat operations.1. Alerts To HazardsTechnology can help to identify potential hazards, such as shallow water or other vessels that may be in our path. By providing alerts about these dangers ahead of time, it is possible to avoid a collision before it occurs and prevents a potentially hazardous situation from occurring at all. I...

Ship to Shore: How to land a shore-based role in yachting  By Georgia Tindale    If you're reading this article, chances are, you are interested in working within yachting. From landing a job as a stewardess, chef, AV/IT officer or even a superyacht captain, there is a wealth of opportunities available for those willing to launch themselves into this hugely exciting industry.  However, for a current crew who are feeling ready to move across into a shore-based role, how easy is it to make this shift? For those who have worked on board for many years, the idea of securing a role on dry land can be daunting. Thankfully, help is at hand! We hear from Volga Diaugo, Owner's Representative and co-owner at The Doc Yacht Services, who previously worked as a st...

Everything you ever wanted to ask a superyacht captain  By Georgia Tindale When it comes to jobs that are bound to pass the 'dinner party test' – jobs which people are genuinely interested to hear more about over a glass of pinot grigio – it is obvious that 'superyacht captain' would rank pretty highly on that list.  A hugely responsible role in which every day is different, for many outside the industry, it may seem like one of those vocations that would be impossible to get into unless you knew all the right people. Never fear! We picked the brain of David Burke, captain of the 41.8-metre Baglietto superyacht Clicia, covering the best and worst bits of the role and his top tips for getting your foot on the ladder and landing your dream ...