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Yacht deckhand CV.

Your first yacht CV, built the way captains read them. No sea time yet is not the problem. A CV that hides your tickets is.

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Lagoon teal

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A deckhand CV built in SeaPapers. Every field below is a real field.

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Question 1 of 3

Which job are you going for?

A deckhand CV example

Same experience. Clearer entry.

Give your role, vessel size and dates a clear place on the page. Then describe the work you carried out.

Fictional example. Keep your own dates and responsibilities accurate.

Before

I did three days of deckhand daywork in May 2026 on a 42m motor yacht, washing down the exterior and polishing stainless steel.

With a clearer structure

Deckhand · Daywork

42m motor yacht · May 2026 · 3 days

  • Exterior wash-downs and stainless-steel polishing.

WHAT A CAPTAIN LOOKS FOR

  • TICKETS FIRST

    Green crew are hired on paperwork and attitude. STCW and ENG1 with their dates go in the top third, not at the bottom of page two.

  • ONE PAGE, HONESTLY

    No vessel history yet means a one-page CV. A padded two-pager reads as padding. The layout closes up cleanly instead.

  • A PHOTO THAT LOOKS EMPLOYABLE

    Plain polo, plain background, no sunglasses. The photo is the first thing binned and the easiest to fix.

Yacht deckhand CV example

The CV on the sheet above, written out in full. Callum Reece is an example crew member, not a real person.

Callum Reece

Deck

Page one

Nationality
South African
Based in
Cape Town, South Africa
Available
1 Sep 2026
Seeking
Rotational or permanent
Visas
B1/B2 to May 2031; Schengen: Visa required
Languages
English (native), Afrikaans (fluent)
Smoker
Non-smoker
Tattoos
None visible
Phone
+27 82 555 0110
Email
callum.reece@example.com

Profile

Green deckhand, STCW and ENG1 in date, Powerboat Level 2 and PADI Divemaster. Looking for a first season on a busy programme.

Certificates

  • STCW Basic Safety TrainingValid to Feb 2031
  • ENG1 medicalValid to Aug 2027
  • Powerboat Level 2Issued Jan 2026
  • PWCIssued Jan 2026
  • PADI Dive CertificationIssued Nov 2024
  • Proficiency in Designated Security DutiesIssued Feb 2026
  • Yacht Rating CertificateIssued Mar 2026
Show the full example

Page two

Education

  • National Senior Certificate

    Cape Town, Jan 2019 – Dec 2023

Skills and interests

Skills
Line handling, Tender driving, Wash-downs and detailing, Varnish and paint prep, Watersports set-up, Silver service basics
Watersports
Jet ski, Paddleboard, Wakeboard
Tenders
RYA Powerboat Level 2, up to 7m
Interests
Surfing, Spearfishing, Trail running

References

  • Danie Krige, Course director

    +27 21 555 0184 · d.krige@example.com

  • Sam Ellis, Dive instructor

    sam.ellis@example.com

Download this example as a PDF

THE TICKETS THAT MATTER

Picked from the real ladder, dated, and set where agents look.

STCW Basic Safety Training, ENG1, Powerboat Level 2, PWC, tender licences. Dated, so nobody has to ask.

What a deckhand actually needs: the certificates, the sea time and how long each one lasts.

What a captain looks for in a deckhand CV

What does a captain read first on a deckhand CV?

Green crew are hired on paperwork and attitude. STCW and ENG1 with their dates go in the top third, not at the bottom of page two. Both STCW and ENG1 need dates: the fire fighting and sea survival modules revalidate every five years, and an ENG1 runs two years.

Which tickets go on a deckhand CV?

STCW Basic Safety Training, ENG1, Powerboat Level 2, PWC, tender licences. Dated, so nobody has to ask. List STCW Basic Safety Training first, with issue and expiry dates, then your ENG1 with its expiry, then department tickets in order of usefulness to the job you want. What certificates go on a yacht CV.

How long should a deckhand CV be?

No vessel history yet means a one-page CV. A padded two-pager reads as padding. The layout closes up cleanly instead. If you have no sea time, one strong page is better than two with filler. Add the second page when you have vessels and daywork to put on it. The two-page rule for yacht CVs.

Does daywork go on a deckhand CV?

Put daywork on there. Green crew leave it off because they think it does not count, and they are wrong. "42m motor yacht, daywork, six days, exterior detailing and tender support, reference available" is real evidence that you turned up, worked and were asked back.

What photo works on a deckhand CV?

Plain polo, plain background, no sunglasses. The photo is the first thing binned and the easiest to fix. Head and shoulders, plain background or the sea behind you, a plain polo or crew shirt, hair tidy, looking at the camera, smiling like a person and not like a passport.

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