Getting Started
STCW & ENG1: The Only Two Certificates You Truly Need to Start
In short
To start in yachting you need just two certificates: STCW Basic Safety Training (about a week; legally required) and an ENG1 seafarer medical. Everything else is optional and role-specific — don't overspend before you start.
There's a whole industry built on selling courses to hopeful crew, and it's easy to spend thousands before you've even reached a dock. The truth is simpler: to start, you need exactly two things.
STCW Basic Safety Training
The STCW is the non-negotiable. It's a five-part course covering sea survival, firefighting, first aid and personal safety — about a week of training, and no boat can legally take you on without it.
The ENG1 medical
The ENG1 is your seafarer medical: a straightforward check of your eyesight, hearing and general fitness, done by an approved doctor. Get it early — occasionally something flags that takes time to resolve, and you don't want that surprise after you've booked flights.
Everything else can wait
Powerboat Level 2, food hygiene, silver service, watersports tickets — all optional and role-specific. Useful later, but not what gets you your first 'yes'. Do the two essentials, then talk to us before spending another cent.
How to actually book them (NZ)
For the STCW Basic Safety Training, look for an MCA-recognised provider - in New Zealand the main options run out of Auckland, and Australia has several more if local dates are booked out. The full package is five modules over about five days: personal survival techniques, fire prevention and firefighting, elementary first aid, personal safety and social responsibilities, and security awareness. Book 4 to 8 weeks ahead in spring - courses fill fast before the Med season.
For the ENG1 medical, you must see an MCA-approved doctor. There are only a handful in NZ (Auckland has approved examiners), the appointment takes about 45 minutes, and you'll usually walk out with the certificate the same day. It covers eyesight, hearing, blood pressure, and general fitness for duty at sea.
What to expect on the day
The STCW is hands-on and genuinely fun: you'll jump into a pool in a survival suit, right a life raft, crawl through a smoke-filled room with a fire hose, and practise CPR. Nobody fails for lack of experience - it's designed for beginners. Wear clothes you don't mind getting wet and bring your passport for ID.
Common mistakes that cost people money
Buying courses you don't need yet. Silver service, interior modules, Powerboat Level 2 - all useful later, none required for your first job. Get hired first, then let the role tell you what to add.
Doing the ENG1 last. If a medical issue turns up, you want to know before you've spent thousands. Book it early.
Letting timing slip. Finishing your STCW in September, after the Med season winds down, means months of waiting. Work backwards from when you want to be dockside - our dockwalking guide covers season timing.
What the two together cost
Expect roughly NZD $1,600 to $2,200 for the STCW and NZD $350 to $450 for the ENG1. That's the entire mandatory spend. Anyone quoting you $8,000 in "essential" training is selling, not advising. Wondering if it pays back? See what crew actually earn.
Thinking about a career on superyachts?
If you want to talk through your options — no pressure, just an honest conversation about what's possible — get in touch.
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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.