Bosun jobs

A Bosun’s main responsibility is overseeing and providing guidance to the Deckhands, along with organizing and supervising deck operations, deployment and storage of toys and tenders and making sure the exterior is kept in excellent condition. 

They are in charge of deck supplies and have a good knowledge of all the products used to clean and maintain the exterior of the yacht. A Bosun is likely to be the main tender driver, so they are in close contact with guests. They need to have confidence and a positive attitude when engaging with guests, while also demonstrating a passion for the experience on the ocean. A Bosun must be open-minded, fun by nature, and possess a willingness to regularly socialise with all guests.

What does a Bosun do? | Bosun Job Description

Bosuns are the bridge between Deckhands and Officers, so it's up to the Bosun to oversee a team of Deckhands while maintaining the exterior of the yacht. They need to be very familiar with yacht cleaning products, ways to get the teak looking spotless and ways of repairing anything on deck, while also doing additional tasks such as bridge watches and security patrols.

The responsibilities of a Bosun include:

• Planning the daily deck duties and assigning them to the Deckhand team

• Seeing that the work assigned to the crew is realised to the end

• Maintenance of the yacht exterior

• Ensuring that the mooring operations, anchoring or the vessel is carried out efficiently

• Tender driving

• Bridge watches

• Overseeing and assisting guests in water sports

Soft and hard skills required to be a Bosun

Taking the lead in maintaining the exterior of a yacht means a Bosun needs lots of practical knowledge so skills like painting, varnishing, caulking, and filling are a vital part of the job. In addition to that, a very important part of being a Bosun also includes sharing knowledge and growing the skill level of the Deck crew. 

The skills of a successful yacht Bosun include:

• Excellent yacht maintenance skills such as varnishing, painting, carpentry etc.

• Ability to lead and motivate the deck team 

• Good organisational skills and ability to delegate work

• Excellent eye for detail

• Good tender driving skills

• Confidence with water sports activities

• Excellent work ethic

• Positive attitude

• Staying calm under pressure

• Ability to share knowledge and educate the less experienced crew

Mandatory certificates needed to work on board a yacht 

All crew members regardless of position and seniority need to have a valid STCW Basic Safety Training certificate, along with a recognised Seafarers medical certificate, the most popular being the ENG1 which is issued by an MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) professional medic. 

Without these two certificates, it is not possible for crew to work on board a yacht and a Recruiter will not be able to assist you in finding work onboard a yacht. For more information about mandatory certificates please visit our Mandatory Certificates Guide.

Are you ready to secure a Bosun position on board a yacht?

Become a member of YPI CREW and connect with our recruiters so they can guide you through your job search. 

Each of our recruiters is specialised in crew placement for a particular department and they will do their best to get you an interview on board a yacht. They will also advise you on how to best present your experience and skills and prepare for a yacht job interview.