Deckhand Salary 2026: €2,800–€6,000 a Month, Junior to Bosun
How much does a deckhand make?
A junior yacht deckhand earns €2,800–€3,200 a month in base salary. An experienced deckhand earns €3,200–€4,000, and a bosun running the deck earns €3,500–€6,000 (YPI Crew, 2026). Food and a bunk come on top, and charter tips come on top of that.
On US commercial boats (tugs, barges, ferries, ships), the median wage for sailors and deckhands was $51,520 a year in May 2025 (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Updated October 2026. All yacht figures are gross monthly base pay, before tips, unless stated. Each one is credited to the guide it came from, with that guide's date.
This page covers deck pay only. For every department, see the yacht crew salary hub. For how to get hired, start with yacht jobs and our junior deckhand guide.
Deckhand wages by rank
Yacht deckhand wages follow a short ladder, whether the ad says "deckhand", "deck hand" or "deckie". Each step up comes from sea time, trust and a skill the captain can use.
| Rank | What sets it apart | Monthly base (YPI 2026) | Annual (×12) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior deckhand | 0–1 seasons. Washdowns, lines, fenders, toys | €2,800–€3,200 | €33,600–€38,400 |
| Experienced deckhand | 1+ seasons. Varnish, tender driving, watches | €3,200–€4,000 | €38,400–€48,000 |
| Specialised deckhand | Also a tender driver, diver, watersports instructor, carpenter or photo/video specialist | €3,250–€4,000 | €39,000–€48,000 |
| Lead deckhand | Senior deckhand, the bosun's right hand | No published figure | — |
| Bosun | Runs the deck team day to day | €3,500–€6,000 | €42,000–€72,000 |
Source: YPI Crew, Superyacht Deck & Bosun Salary Guide 2026 (March 2026). Annual figures are the monthly base ×12, with no tips or bonuses.
The flybridge deck of Christina O. Keeping teak, stainless and cushions like these guest-ready every day is the core of a deckhand's job. Photo: Postproduction, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Lead deckhand is a real title on bigger boats, but none of the 2026 guides we checked prices it. Expect an offer between the experienced deckhand and bosun bands, and ask the agent what they're placing at.
Other guides land in the same place. Lighthouse Careers gives a range of €2,000 to €4,500+ a month and a €3,500 median across 24 of its own deckhand placements, base only (Lighthouse Careers, 2026, updated September 2026). The UKSA superyacht salary guide (January 2025) puts deckhands at €2,800–€3,500 up to 70m and €3,000+ above that.
Guides disagree on bosun pay. UKSA lists bosun/2nd mate at €3,200–€4,000 on a 45–50m yacht. YPI's 2026 figure for a bosun on 40–50m is €3,750–€4,500. UKSA's numbers are a year older, so treat them as the floor.
Yacht deckhand salary by yacht size
At junior level, bigger is not better: base pay is slightly lower on 60m+ yachts. For everyone above junior, pay climbs with length.
| Yacht length | Junior deckhand | Experienced deckhand | Specialised deckhand | Bosun | Typical leave |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30m | €3,000 | €3,200–€3,500 | not listed | not listed | 45 days |
| 30–40m | €3,000–€3,200 | €3,200–€3,500 | €3,250 | €3,500–€4,500 | 45–50 days |
| 40–50m | €3,000–€3,200 | €3,300–€3,500 | €3,800–€4,000 | €3,750–€4,500 | 50–60 days |
| 50–60m | €3,000–€3,200 | €3,500–€3,750 | €3,800–€4,000 | €4,000–€5,000 | 60–90 days |
| 60–80m | €2,800–€3,000 | €3,750–€4,000 | €3,800–€4,000 | €4,500–€5,500 | 90 days or 3:1 |
| 80–100m | €2,800–€3,000 | €3,750–€4,000 | €3,800–€4,000 | €4,500–€5,500 | 3:1 rotation |
| 100m+ | €2,800–€3,000 | €3,750–€4,000 | €3,800–€4,000 | €5,000–€6,000 | 3:1 or equal rotation |
Source: YPI Crew, Superyacht Deck & Bosun Salary Guide 2026 (March 2026). € per month, base pay. Leave is for deckhands; bosuns on 50–60m and 100m+ may also get equal rotation.
Three things stand out:
- Big yachts pay juniors less but give more time off. On 60m+, a junior earns €2,800–€3,000, against €3,000–€3,200 on 30–60m. In return you get 3:1 rotation: three months on, one month off. A bigger deck team also means set shifts rather than "do everything".
- Small yachts pay juniors well but stretch you. With a small deck team, you'll be driving tenders, cleaning, standing watches and helping the interior. It's the fastest way to learn, and a strong first line on your CV.
- Specialist tickets pay most on mid-size boats. On 40–60m, a specialised deckhand earns up to about €500 a month more than an experienced one. From 60m up, both sit around €3,750–€4,000.
Al Raya in Port Vauban, Antibes. On 60m+ yachts a junior deckhand's base pay is slightly lower, but rotation (three months on, one off) is the norm. Photo: Spike, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Yacht deckhand pay in US dollars
Every current salary guide we found quotes euros. US-based boats and Caribbean winter jobs are often advertised in dollars, but we found no 2025 or 2026 survey that publishes US-dollar yacht deckhand pay by yacht size.
The latest dollar figures we could read are from Dockwalk's 2020 salary survey, whose figures are averages of ranges from 12 crew agencies. Deckhands came in at $2,250–$3,000 a month on the smallest yachts (40–59 ft), rising to $3,000–$5,500 on the largest yachts (Dockwalk, Salary Survey 2020). Those numbers are six years old, so treat them as a floor, not today's rate. If you're offered dollars, check the offer against the euro bands above at the current exchange rate.
Tips: the deckhand's best deal
Tips are paid on charter yachts only, and on most boats they're split equally across the crew. So a junior deckhand on €2,800 gets the same share as a chief engineer on €12,000. In a busy charter season, that can add a big chunk on top of base pay.
The MYBA guideline is 5–15% of the charter fee, with the Med usually at the low end and US and Caribbean charters nearer the top. Not every captain splits tips equally, so ask how it works on that boat before you sign. Our yacht crew salary hub has a worked example.
Private yachts don't usually pay charter tips. Some owners give a bonus or a cash gift at the end of a trip, but don't count on it.
Not on a contract yet? Daywork pays by the day; see our 2026 yacht crew day rates.
Rotation, leave and benefits
- Leave: 45 days a year under 30m, rising to 60–90 days on 50–60m, and 3:1 rotation from 60m up (YPI 2026).
- Food and accommodation: covered while you're aboard. As a junior you'll share a cabin, often the smallest one on the boat.
- Flights, medical insurance and uniform: these vary by boat, so check each one in every offer.
- Tax: depending on your nationality and where you live, some of your pay may be tax-free. UK and EEA-resident seafarers may qualify for the Seafarers' Earnings Deduction, but the rules are strict. Get proper advice before you count on it.
With rent and food covered, a junior deckhand can save far more of a €3,000 salary than someone earning the same ashore. That's the real appeal of the job.
How pay rises with your tickets
The YPI 2026 guide names the tickets that show you're ready to step up: Tender Operator, RYA PWC and PWC Instructor, PDSD, Yachtmaster Offshore and the MCA Yacht Rating. It doesn't attach a euro amount to any of them. Here's how they line up with the pay bands:
| Step | Ticket that unlocks it | Monthly base |
|---|---|---|
| Junior deckhand | STCW Basic Safety Training + ENG1 medical | €2,800–€3,200 |
| Specialised deckhand | RYA Powerboat Level 2 / Tender Operator, PWC Instructor, dive or watersports tickets | €3,250–€4,000 |
| Bosun | Seasons of experience, Yacht Rating, often Yachtmaster Offshore | €3,500–€6,000 |
| 3rd officer (60m+) | OOW (Yachts <3000GT) | €4,500–€6,500 |
| 2nd officer (50m+) | OOW, plus officer experience | €5,000–€7,500 |
Sources: YPI Crew's 2026 deck and bosun and officer salary guides (March 2026).
The jump that matters is OOW. Going from bosun to a watchkeeping officer moves you into a different pay band, and from there the deck ladder leads to chief officer and captain.
Deck or engine? We found no published figure for a combined deck/engineer role. To compare engine-room pay, see our yacht engineer salary guide.
Yacht deckhand vs US commercial deckhand
Search "deckhand salary" in the US and most results are about commercial boats, not yachts. The BLS says "sailors, or deckhands, make up the deck crew that operates and maintains the vessel and deck equipment." Here's how the two compare.
| Job | Pay | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sailors and marine oilers (US commercial deckhands) | $51,520 a year, median | BLS, May 2025 |
| All water transport jobs, inland water (tugs, towboats, barges) | $65,660 a year, median | BLS, May 2025 |
| All water transport jobs, scenic and sightseeing (tour and excursion boats) | $51,190 a year, median | BLS, May 2025 |
| Captains, mates and pilots | $92,460 a year, median | BLS, May 2025 |
| Junior yacht deckhand | €33,600–€38,400 a year base, plus food, bunk and tips | YPI Crew 2026 (×12) |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Water Transportation Workers (last modified August 2026, May 2025 wage data). The two industry rows are medians for all occupations in that industry, not deckhands alone.
A towboat pushing tank barges on the Ohio River. Inland towing is where many US commercial deckhands work, on long hitches aboard. Photo: William Alden, CC BY-SA 4.0.
On paper, a US commercial deckhand earns more than a junior yacht deckhand. In practice the two jobs are hard to compare. Commercial crews "may spend weeks or months away from home and work on board for long periods 7 days a week," per the BLS. Yacht crew live aboard for long stretches too; what can close the gap is charter tips. Fishing deckhands are different again: they're usually paid a share of the catch, and the BLS's fishing wage data hasn't been updated since 2017.
FAQ
How much do deckhands make on a yacht a year?
Roughly €33,600–€38,400 base as a junior and €38,400–€48,000 with experience (YPI 2026 monthly figures ×12), plus food, a bunk and any charter tips.
Do deckhands get tips?
On charter yachts, yes. Tips are usually split equally, so a junior deckhand gets the same share as senior crew. Private yachts don't usually pay charter tips.
How much does a bosun make?
€3,500–€4,500 a month on 30–40m yachts, rising to €5,000–€6,000 on 100m+ (YPI Crew, 2026).
Do bigger yachts pay deckhands more?
Not at junior level. Juniors earn €2,800–€3,000 on 60m+ against €3,000–€3,200 on 30–60m, but get 3:1 rotation instead (YPI 2026). Experienced deckhands and bosuns do earn more on bigger boats.
Where to go from here
A deckhand salary starts modest, but you're saving most of it, and every ticket and season moves you up a band. To land your first boat, read the junior deckhand guide and a day in the life of a deck dayworker, then register with crew agencies in Antibes or Fort Lauderdale.
Radius is free for crew: create a crew profile, check in at your port, and captains nearby see your verified ENG1, STCW and CV on a live map. Captains and recruiters hiring deck crew for the season can find them on radiusmarine.com.