I entered the yachting industry in April 2017, securing my first role in mid-May on a 50m motor yacht in Antibes.
Throughout my three and a half years in yachting, I worked on 4 different boats, which always increased in size all the way up to 97m and, therefore, gave me a completely different experience and role each time. Although I rotated through laundry, housekeeping and service equally, I definitely favored housekeeping so much and loved the team-work and fun we had whilst not being as guest-facing as service can be. I think a lot of people are intimidated in service, but I suppose it depends on your personality type as to whether you embrace the challenge or prefer to be able to work in your own space.
I had gone into the yachting world after University in London expecting to just do it for a year or so to have some fun, but ended up loving it so much that I continued on and, in May 2019, decided to take the scary leap back onto land and try and get back to building a 'normal' life. This was purely because I felt my time had come, I wasn't enjoying the crazy party lifestyle and long stints away from home anymore.. I wanted to grow up and settle a bit. I took the rest of the summer off, enjoying doing exactly what I wanted (travelling, seeing friends, family, events, hiking.. you name it) and living off my yachting savings.
Eventually, I picked up a Waitressing role in a lovely local cafe whilst I tried to figure out what on earth I could do with my tedious transferable skills of dust-vaccing and detailing.
When Covid hit, I was put on furlough by the cafe and a Chief-Stew friend of mine asked if I'd be interested in giving yachting another go on his boat to cover somebody in SoF and I thought 'why not?! I have nothing else to do here in lockdown', so I did that for 3 months before feeling ready to come home as I had well and truly got my last-hurrah of yachting out my system. It can be so hard to leave yachting without rose-tinted glasses as it's such a unique world and you have the time of your life travelling to the most gorgeous places with the coolest people, but you have to be strong and stick to your guns and not go back once you've left.
The main struggles I faced leaving yachting were as follows:
- Feeling lost and without a clear career path
- Feeling a loss of purpose (which is arguably the worst)
- Having to rewire my brain to make sense of finances in land-based roles compared to incredible yachting salaries.
- Having to push my ego aside and start from the bottom of a new industry.
- Missing my friends that I'd just lived onboard with and who, most likely, live on the other side of the world.
- Having to integrate myself back into my social groups after years away.
- Moving back in with my parents was so tough after the independence.
Since returning from the temporary role in August 2020, I have worked in another cafe in London, in Private Households Recruitment as a Consultant (highly recommended this one as a segue into office life whilst still using your knowledge), as an EA to an UHNWI and, most recently, working for myself running multiple AirBnB's in my area. Personally, I think that by the age of 29 I've had enough of demanding HNW Clients and am more than ready to stand on my own two feet and make a business on my own terms, with the amazing knowledge and experience that I now have.
Although I left yachting, there has always been a sprinkling of that world in my latter jobs. I had initially felt as though nobody would hire me because I had no applicable experience, but there are a lot of companies that are fascinated by the wonderful hidden world of yachting and understand the meticulous standards and crazy work hours you have to do, whilst upholding arguably the most formal Client relationships you could possibly imagine and are therefore willing to take a chance on you.
My advice to anybody looking to leave the yachting industry would be to know 1000% that you are ready and will not go back. To take a chance on yourself and know that it will be hard, but if you do go back, you are only prolonging the inevitability of having to make that hard leap again so you might as well just completely go for it.
I would also say to put your ego to one side and just surrender and accept the fact that you will have to start from the bottom in a new career, but that is totally ok!
Lastly, give multiple different roles a go and don't commit to one... take on a part-time role in a cafe, help a friend out with some admin elsewhere, do some temp work in offices through an agency, take a course in something you're passionate about.. figure out what suits you best with no strings attached.
I would also highly recommend speaking to Amelia for guidance during this uncertain time. I wish I had had somebody like her to help me understand my options, give me confidence when I needed it and be an understanding ear when nobody in your hometown can relate whatsoever to the yachting experience you've just had. It is so do-able to make the transition, but using your resources is the single most helpful and pro-active thing you can do during this time.
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