Deckhand Jobs: 5 Sectors Hiring and How to Get Started
What deckhand jobs are there?
Deckhand jobs fall into five main sectors: superyachts, tugs and towboats, commercial fishing, ferries, and offshore supply vessels. In every one of them you handle lines, keep the deck clean and safe, and do whatever the mate or skipper needs. In the words of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics: "sailors, or deckhands, make up the deck crew that operates and maintains the vessel and deck equipment."
The sectors differ on paperwork, pay and how long you're away. If you're American, an entry-level Coast Guard credential opens tug, ferry and offshore work. If you're in the UK or elsewhere, or you want to travel, yachts start with STCW Basic Training and an ENG1 medical. A summer of Alaska fishing needs the least paperwork, though it's some of the hardest work on this list.
Deckhand jobs by sector
| Sector | The work | To get started | Typical pay | Schedule | Where jobs are posted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superyacht | Wash-downs, lines, tenders, water toys, guest service | STCW Basic Training + ENG1 medical | Junior deckhand €2,800–€3,200/month base, plus food and a bunk (YPI Crew, March 2026) | Seasonal, living aboard; rotation on larger yachts | Crew agencies, dockwalking, Radius |
| Tug / towboat | Making up barge tows, ship assist, lines, maintenance | US: TWIC, MMC with an entry rating, drug test, USCG medical | $65,660/yr, BLS median for all water transport jobs in inland water | Live aboard for hitches that last weeks | Company careers pages (e.g. Kirby) |
| Commercial fishing | Setting and hauling gear, sorting and icing catch | Alaska: state crewmember fishing licence; your own boots and raingear | A crew share of the catch, so it varies with the season | Seasonal, very long days | The docks, AlaskaJobs, direct to the boat |
| Ferry / passenger | Lines, ramps, loading vehicles, passenger safety, drills | US: TWIC + MMC; Washington State Ferries asks for an OS or AB endorsement | $51,520/yr, BLS median for all US sailors and marine oilers | Shifts, home most nights | State and city government job sites |
| Offshore supply | Cargo and deck operations for oil and gas platforms | US: TWIC + MMC, plus employer training | BLS doesn't publish a separate offshore figure | Hitches of weeks on, weeks off | Gulf Coast operators around Port Fourchon, LA |
BLS figures are May 2025 annual medians (page updated August 2026). The $65,660 figure covers every water transportation job in the inland water industry, captains and engineers included, so deckhands alone earn less. Divide by 12 for a rough month: about $4,290 for all sailors and $5,470 across inland water. These are medians, not starting wages.
The US paperwork: TWIC, MMC and a drug test
Do deckhands need a licence? For most entry-level deckhand jobs in the US outside fishing, you need two credentials:
- A TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) from the TSA. A new card costs $127 and is valid for five years (TSA, checked 26 October 2026).
- A Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) from the US Coast Guard with an entry-level rating: Ordinary Seafarer (formerly Ordinary Seaman) for deck, Wiper for engine, or Steward's Department (Food Handler). These ratings are issued without a professional exam (46 CFR 12.703), and the National Maritime Center's application checklist lists no sea service requirement for them.
Your original MMC application also needs proof that you've passed a drug test and that you hold or have applied for a TWIC (46 CFR 10.225). The NMC checklist sets the minimum age at 16, with parental consent under 18.
One tip: Washington State Ferries asks deckhands for the long-form Coast Guard medical (CG-719K) with an unrestricted colour vision pass. If you're applying for your MMC anyway, do the full medical so it doesn't limit you later.
Outside the US, start with STCW Basic Training and an ENG1 medical. That's the starting kit for yacht deck jobs worldwide.
Yacht deckhand jobs
Yachts are where most non-American deckhands start, and a green deckhand can see the Med and the Caribbean in their first year. You'll need STCW and an ENG1, and you'll need to be in a hub during hiring season. The work is cleaning, line handling, driving tenders and looking after guests. From there you can work up to lead deckhand, bosun, mate and captain.
How to get a junior deckhand job on a yacht covers the tickets, costs and your first season. Deckhand salary covers pay by rank, tips and rotation. For every other role on board, see the yacht jobs hub.
Tugboat and towboat deckhand jobs
Tug deckhands make up barge tows, handle heavy lines during ship assist and keep the boat maintained between jobs. It's physical, it runs around the clock, and you live aboard. BLS notes that crews on barges "may spend weeks or months away from home" and "work on board for long periods 7 days a week."
A Moran tug in New York Harbor. Harbor tugs like this one work ship-assist and barge jobs, and the deck crew handle the lines. Photo: Thomas Good, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Big inland operators such as Kirby hire entry-level deckhands directly through their careers sites, and their postings ask for your TWIC to be in hand before you apply. If you'd rather train first, the Seafarers International Union runs an Unlicensed Apprentice Program at the Paul Hall Center in Piney Point, Maryland, covering the deck, engine and steward departments.
Commercial fishing deckhand jobs
Alaska's salmon season is the classic first fishing job. It needs the least paperwork of any sector here. The trade-off is the hardest conditions and the least predictable pay: long hours, heavy gear, and cold, wet, remote work alongside the same few people for weeks.
Loading a net onto a fishing boat in Petersburg, Alaska (July 2023). Getting the boat ready before the season opens is often how new deckhands get taken on. Photo: David Brossard, CC BY-SA 2.0.
You're usually paid a crew share of the catch, not a wage. A bad season pays badly, and some boats take food and fuel out of your share. Read the crew contract and get your percentage in writing before you sign.
Each boat does its own hiring. The state's Seafood Employment Office tells job seekers to apply directly to the boat or company. Some post on AlaskaJobs, but a lot of hiring still happens by walking the docks and talking to skippers. You'll also need an Alaska crewmember fishing licence from the Department of Fish and Game.
Ferry and passenger vessel deckhand jobs
Ferries are the most "normal job" version of deck hand work: you work shifts and go home most nights. You handle lines and ramps, load vehicles, look after passengers and run safety drills.
MV Puyallup leaving Seattle. Washington State Ferries runs the largest ferry system in the US, and new deckhands start on call. Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0.
Know what you're signing up for. Washington State Ferries hires deckhands on call: you may work 32–40 hours a week, but nothing is guaranteed, and you must be able to work mornings, evenings, weekends and holidays. Applicants need a TWIC, an MMC with OS or AB, the long-form medical, basic firefighting and personal survival training, and the ability to tread water for 60 seconds. There's a drug screen after a conditional offer.
Offshore supply vessel deckhand jobs
Offshore supply vessels carry cargo, fuel and equipment out to oil and gas platforms, which in the US mostly means the Gulf. Deck work means securing and discharging cargo in open water: heavy, exposed and dangerous if you stop paying attention. Expect hitches of weeks at a time.
The industry centres on Port Fourchon, Louisiana, which says it services over 95% of the Gulf's deepwater energy production. Requirements start with a TWIC and an MMC, and each operator adds its own training on top.
Deckhand jobs near me: the hub ports
"Near me" only helps if you live near the water. Otherwise, go where the boats hire.
| Hub | Sector | Why go there |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | Yachts | The main US yacht crew hub; see crew agencies in Fort Lauderdale |
| Antibes, France | Yachts | A Med crew hub with agencies and crew houses; see yacht jobs in Antibes |
| Palma de Mallorca, Spain | Yachts | Refit yards and early-season hiring; see daywork hubs |
| Houston area, TX | Inland tugs/towboats | Kirby posts entry-level inland deckhand jobs around Channelview |
| Port Fourchon, LA | Offshore supply | Shore base for Gulf deepwater operations |
| Seattle / Puget Sound, WA | Ferries | Washington State Ferries, 21 ferries |
| Alaska (via Anchorage) | Fishing | State Seafood Employment Office at the Anchorage Midtown Job Center |
| New York Harbor | Tugs | Harbor tug companies such as Moran |
Quick answers
How do I get entry-level deckhand jobs with no experience? In the US, get your TWIC and an entry-level MMC, then apply to tug, ferry or offshore companies that hire trainees. For yachts, do STCW and an ENG1, then go to a hub and dockwalk.
Do deckhands need a licence? Not a captain's licence, but most US jobs need a TWIC and an MMC with an entry rating, and yachts need STCW Basic Training and an ENG1. Alaska fishing needs a state crewmember licence.
How much do deckhands make? Junior yacht deckhands make €2,800–€3,200 a month with food and a bunk on top. US sailors earn a BLS median of $51,520 a year. Full breakdown: deckhand salary.
What is the easiest deckhand job to get? For Americans, Alaska summer fishing has the lowest paperwork barrier. Inland towboat trainee jobs come next, since they hire people without sea time.
Are jobs as a deckhand hard? Yes. Every sector means long days, heavy lines, weather and time away from home. The people who last are reliable, fit and easy to live with in a small space.
Your next step
Pick your sector before you chase deckhand jobs. For US commercial work, the first step is applying for your TWIC. For yachts, it's booking STCW and an ENG1. If yachts are your route, sign up free as crew on Radius. Check in at your port with your ENG1, STCW and CV verified, and captains looking for deckhands can find you on the map.