First 24 Hours on a Yacht (Part 4)

(Read the first, second and third part of this article)

Reality Shock into the World of Yachting

Looking back those first 24 hours were a real reality shock into the world of yachting. All the thoughts of what working on a yacht would entail were answered. There were many positives; although my bed was small it was comfy and the physical work certainly meant I slept well. The ensuite, although shared and small, worked really well after we developed a routine between room mates. The food was incredible; lunches, dinners and snacks. Furthermore, the never ending supply of fragrant toiletries and products was a great luxury and I never tired of choosing between them each week. As a crew member I was certainly very well looked after, living in this relatively confined living space with the 16 other people.

Those 24 hours were also a complete eye opener to the nature of the work on board and a far cry from the photos that I had seen on a friend’s Facebook some four months earlier. The work was at times mundane, repetitive and had to be done in a very specific way and to a very high standard. I had to learn to accept being told what to do and to take on board regular feedback from the mistakes made during the learning process.

However as with any new job, those initial weeks where you feel and bit of a spare part and a hindrance and make you question why you left your comfortable existence slowly fade away as you take on more responsibility and things become second nature.

There were times in those initial two weeks where I seriously considered returning home, back to the comfortable surroundings and a world where I was in control and knew my trade. However pride, stubbornness and probably a fear of looking like a failure kept me there and made me work hard. I guess I knew there would be better times ahead once I got the first couple weeks of learning done... and I was right to believe the thoughts of better times would soon arrive.

Never could I have known where these two weeks of learning would lead me. Without a doubt this time on-board was my spring board to launch me into the world of super yachts. It provided me with all the essential skills I needed for my CV and I was so fortunate to be part of a yacht that trained you so well, with such competent crew on-board.

Little did I know that as I stepped off this yacht at the end of my time on-board, in just four weeks’ time I would be stepping onto another yacht that would become my home for over two years and take me to some of the most beautiful and peaceful places on earth.

For more information read Work on a Super Yacht: The Beginners Guide by Ben Proctor