Getting Hired
Dockwalking 101: How to Actually Find Work on the Docks
In short
Dockwalking means visiting marinas in person to hand crew your CV and ask for daywork. Start at dawn, dress smart-casual, be brief and genuine, carry plenty of CVs, and keep going back — most first jobs come from a familiar face.
Dockwalking is exactly what it sounds like: turning up at the marinas where the yachts are, introducing yourself, and handing over your CV in person. In an industry built on trust and timing, being there in the flesh still beats a hundred online applications.
Start early and look the part
Crew are up at dawn washing down, and that's when they have a minute to chat before the day gets busy. Dress smart-casual, clean and tidy — you're auditioning the moment you walk up the passerelle.
Be polite, brief and genuine
Ask if they need any daywork, leave a CV, thank them and move on. Don't loiter, don't oversell. A good attitude and a tidy first impression get remembered when a spot opens up.
Persistence is the whole game
Carry plenty of printed CVs, keep a list of who you've spoken to, and go back. Persistence without being a pest is the whole game. Most first jobs come from a face the crew already half-recognise.
Timing: where the work is, season by season
March to May - the Mediterranean ramp-up. Antibes and Palma fill with boats fitting out for summer. This is the best window of the year for first-timers: crews are hiring day workers for washdowns and detailing, and day work is how first jobs happen.
June to August - mid-season. Boats are out cruising with guests. Fewer permanent openings, but crew injuries and walk-offs create sudden gaps. Stay visible and answer your phone.
September to November - the crossing shuffle. Yachts reposition to the Caribbean and hire delivery crew. Saying yes to a crossing is a classic way in.
December to February - Caribbean season. Antigua, St Maarten and Fort Lauderdale become the dockwalking hubs while the Med sleeps.
What to actually say
Keep it to fifteen seconds. Something like: "Morning - sorry to interrupt. I'm a green deckhand, STCW and ENG1 done, staying locally and available today. Any chance you need day workers this week? Here's my CV." That's it. No life story, no begging. Crew respect people who are polite, brief and ready to work the same day.
If they say no, ask one follow-up: "No worries - anyone else on the dock looking?" Deck crews know which boats are short-handed, and referrals move faster than CVs.
Day work is the real interview
Most first contracts start as a single day of washdowns. Turn up ten minutes early, bring your own sunscreen and water, put your phone away, and do the boring jobs properly. Bosuns compare notes across boats; a good day worker's name travels down the dock faster than any agency submission.
The unwritten rules
Never step on the passerelle uninvited, never dockwalk in jandals, and never hand over a creased CV. Dress like crew: polo, shorts or chinos, clean trainers. And keep a simple log of every boat you speak to - who, when, what they said - so your follow-up a week later feels sharp, not random. Before you fly, make sure the paperwork is done: STCW and ENG1 explained, and here's what the work pays once you land it.
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Nick went from zero experience to working in the superyacht industry, and now coaches young Kiwis through the same journey - honest, one-on-one and industry-backed.