The Captain’s Classroom: How do I get Started in the Yachting Industry ⁉️ This is a little bit of a long one… But, it’s packed with great info for someone looking to get started in this industry 🫣 So, make sure you grab your pen or pencil and take some notes 🗒️ One of the first things you must do is get your Basic Safety Training out of the way - most if not all boats are going to want you to have this completed 👷‍♀️ Check out @mpt1915 here in Fort Lauderdale or if you’re in Europe check out BluewaterCrew for your in person training needs Next is your related skills or experiences that you can apply to the yachting industry! For example, were you ever a bartender or house keeper? 🧹 🍸 For those in the commercial boating space, you already have a great amount of experience… What can you do to make yourself stand out 💯 One of the ways to stand out is your CV 📝 Put some time and effort into your CV! Make it colorful, fix your grammar errors, and for the love of God put a picture of yourself on there ⏱️ 💪 So, now you have done all of that. . . What’s next you may ask 🤷‍♀️ Reach out to the Crew Agencies blow ⬇️⬇️ @meridian.yachtcrew @jmsyachtingandcareers @yotspot_crew @ypicrew If you live near a yachting hub then perfect! Get your butt to the docks and ask for work, visit the crew agencies in person, and network with other people you may know that are already in the industry 🛥️ If you DO NOT live near a yachting hub then please do not fret 😱 If you can, RELOCATE!!! Get a temporary job at Target or Walmart, and during your time off you must day work, day work, day work ‼️‼️‼️ The yachting industry is UNIQUE 💫 Once you break into it, you’ll never look back 👩‍✈️ #yachtjobs #yachtingindustry #yachting #yacht #yachtlife #yachtlifestyle #yachtcrew #yachtdeckhand #yachtstewardess #yachtchef #yachtengineer #yachtgreenie #greenies #crewtraining #crewagency #yachtcrewjobs #yachtcrewagency #superyachts #superyachting #superyachtcrew #superyachtcaptain #belowdeck #belowdeckmed #captainsclassroom #thecaptainsclassroom #4marichou🌊

EYS | Engineered Yacht Solutions go above and beyond. They sets a gold standard in work quality, timeliness, and customer service – a model for all marine vendors. They engineered a mount for the Starlink Antennas. #engineering #engineeredsolutions #engineeredyachtsolutions #recommended #eys #eyswelding #yacht #yachting #yachtlife #yachtvendors #yachtyard #yachtengineering #yachtcrew

The Captain’s Classroom: Is Yachting like Below Deck? 🛥️ Trust me! I used to be one of those people who said yachting is NOTHING like what you see on a reality television show 🙈 But, the truth of the matter is, it is like Below Deck 🤷‍♀️ Now, like I have a few CRUCIAL points to make here 🤓 1️⃣ It is a reality TV show! What you see is dramatized a bit. Don’t forget, TV has to have wow big bang like moments! 2️⃣ Do drugs and alcohol exist in yachting like on Below Deck? You bet ya! But, that gets me to my next and most important point! 3️⃣ Ask yourself, what are you willing to tolerate? I DO NOT put up with drug and alcohol abuse in my program, if you can’t go out for a drink or two and control yourself, then you’re gone. If you do drugs, you’re gone. It’s pretty simple. I have a standard for myself and the people I let around me! 😎 Bullying and Harassment is another example of what I will NOT tolerate. If I sniff it out on my program, that person is GONE! 👊 The drama!? Guess what, we are working and living in close quarters while pretty much spending 24/7 with our crew mates… there’s bound to be some drama! 🤪 Like any industry or career, yachting is what you make out of it and what you’re willing to put into it 😚 💪 #yacht #yachting #yachtlife #yachtlifestyle #yachtcrew #yachtcrewlife #yachtcaptain #superyacht #superyachts #superyachtlife #superyachtlifestyle #superyachtcrew #superyachtcaptain #captainkellyjgordon #captainkellygordon #captainkelly #belowdeck #belowdeckcrew #belowdeckmed #captainsclassroom #thecaptainsclassroom #4marichou🌊

The Captain’s Classroom: Size Does NOT Matter ‼️ I shit you not, I had this brought up to me last week at the Monaco Yacht Show 🛥️ A Captain had reached back out to me about someone I recommended they interview for an open position - what I heard from this Captain was troubling and just flat out sad 😔 They said, “Cap, this Chief Stew you recommended me is great, she has a great work ethic it seems! 🤩 I reply, “Wonderful! I am so glad it’s going to work out. I wouldn’t of recommended her is she wasn't great!” ☺️ They go, “There’s just one problem…” In the back of my mind, I had a small idea of what this Captain was going to say the problem was, but truly, I was thinking no way they go ‘there’ . . . 😒 They say, “She is a size XL Skort!” I stopped them right in their tracks! Do you think I am a size zero, two, or four ⁉️ Give. Me. A. Break. 🙄 I am going to take this a step further! It doesn’t matter if your male or female or interior team or exterior team! If you can perform the duties then you deserve your shot at the job! 👌 I wanted to go off on this Captain, but I didn’t. I stayed calm 🙃 I just said imagine if your son, daughter, brother or sister were met with the same attitude and resistance, what would you do or say then? 🧐 #yacht #yachting #yachtlife #yachtlifestyle #yachtcrew #yachtcrewlife #yachtcaptain #superyacht #superyachts #superyachtlife #superyachtlifestyle #superyachtcrew #superyachtcaptain #captainkellyjgordon #captainkellygordon #captainkelly #belowdeck #belowdeckcrew #belowdeckmed #captainsclassroom #thecaptainsclassroom #4marichou🌊

The Captain’s Classroom: Save Your Money💰 For the love of God, we are Yacht CREW!!! We are not Yacht Owners 🛥️ The way I see young people and greenies spend their money astonishes me 😱 I get it, believe me, I do! We are immersed in a lifestyle of glitz, glamour and luxury 💫 But, newsflash people, we are NOT the BILLIONAIRES who own these vessels 😤 Do you want to exit this industry and have nothing to show for yourself 🤷‍♀️ Most of us are lucky! We don’t have living expenses, or food expenses, etc. 🙌 So, then, what are you doing with your salary and even your tip money 💵 Some tips and advice that I have: 1️⃣ This is BASIC - Open a Saving Account 2️⃣ Talk to a financial advisor 3️⃣ Look into an IRA or Roth IRA 4️⃣ Invest in the Stocks 5️⃣ My personal favorite, invest in Real Estate Yachting is an amazing industry filled with experiences and luxury 🏝️ 🛥️ Please, please, do me a favor, do not exit this industry BROKE ❌ And, if you do, frankly, that’s on YOU 🫵 #yacht #yachting #yachtlife #yachtlifestyle #yachtcrew #yachtcrewlife #yachtcaptain #superyacht #superyachts #superyachtlife #superyachtlifestyle #superyachtcrew #superyachtcaptain #captainkellyjgordon #captainkellygordon #captainkelly #belowdeck #belowdeckcrew #belowdeckmed #captainsclassroom #thecaptainsclassroom #4marichou🌊

The Captain’s Classroom: Weather Apps 🌧️ ⚡️💨 Y’all know I GEEK out about weather 🤓 As a mariner, weather is a crucial aspect of our careers! Not giving the right attention to the forecast can literally be life or death 💀 So, how do I keep track of the ever changing weather and forecasts out there? Well, I have some weather apps on my phone that I just love and check religiously! 🧐 My all time favorite app is WINDYAPP 🙌 Why? Because of how detailed it is! You can zoom in and get very specific information for the area you are in or to the area you are headed! ➡️➡️➡️ Another one I really like is Windfinder.com because of how I can add my favorite locations like I have in mine up and down the coast 🌬️ But wait! There’s more! Buoyweather.com This is great for a detailed forecasting 16 plus hours out ⏰ If I had any advice, it would be to make sure you have your weather apps organized in a good location on your phone for easy access 📱 #weather #weatherapps #forecasting #yacht #yachting #yachtlife #yachtlifestyle #yachtcrew #yachtcrewlife #yachtcaptain #superyacht #superyachts #superyachtlife #superyachtlifestyle #superyachtcrew #superyachtcaptain #captainkellyjgordon #captainkellygordon #captainkelly #belowdeck #belowdeckcrew #belowdeckmed #captainsclassroom #thecaptainsclassroom #4marichou🌊

Let’s talk about the Yard Period for the Yachting industry We are at @LauderdaleMarineCenterFL for a brief yard period with M/Y Freddy 🛥️ Whenever I go to the yard I call up @steeltowing to help us up the tricky and busy New River in Fort Lauderdale 🌊 Once we get to the yard, I position M/Y Freddy in-between Brutus Safe Harbor LMC Brutus and Crew always amaze me when this work is done 🙌 They put the slings underneath, divers go down to check positioning and so much more 🤿 That gets me to my next point: Why do we haul out every year ⁉️ 1️⃣ To do regular maintenance and any other maintenance we may need to do 2️⃣ Fresh Coat of Bottom Paint 3️⃣ Changing our Zincs 4️⃣ Props scanned 5️⃣ Mic our shafts 6️⃣ This time period is used to address issues that you can’t while the boat is in the water It is crucial, let me say again, crucial to use your Yard Period time to fix issues while the boat is out of the water 🙌 Let me also say, this is a PERFECT time for EYS Welding and Crew to evaluate projects or install projects we have discussed in the past! This team understands scheduling and the urgency to get things done when they need to be done 💪 @Engineered Yacht Solutions Sponsored Video 💫 #yacht #yachting #yachtlife #yachtlifestyle #yachtcrew #yachtcrewlife #yachtcaptain #superyacht #superyachts #superyachtlife #superyachtlifestyle #superyachtcrew #superyachtcaptain #captainkellyjgordon #captainkellygordon #captainkelly #belowdeck #belowdeckcrew #belowdeckmed #captainsclassroom #thecaptainsclassroom #4marichou🌊

The Captain’s Classroom: Crappy Crew Members 😤 This one is for the Captain’s out there! 👩‍✈️ We all hear the stories. . . “My Captain did this to me!” OR “My Captain yelled at me!” And even “My Captain is always in a bad mood!” 😒 Well, I have a few pieces of advice here for ya! Some of it is blunt, but it needs to be said 🤷‍♀️ 1️⃣ Check in with your Captain. Ask them what is making them feel or act so out of character. We are all humans and sometimes we just need a good check-in or little conversation to get stuff off our chest. 2️⃣ Check in with YOURSELF! Ask yourself, “have I done something to piss of my Captain?” “Am I performing my duties to the best of my ability?” Us Yacht Captain’s have A LOT on our plates. From running the boat and crew, to communicating with the owner / manager(s), to planning out maintenance and vendors, accounting, I mean the list goes on and on and on really 😅 So, when you’re giving your Captain unnecessary drama… or when you don’t complete a project correctly just because you were in a rush to go party… there’s going to be consequences 🫢 Are there Captain’s out there that are way out of line on a daily basis? FOR SURE! There are! 😳 But, there’s also a lot of unnecessary bullshit from crew! 🫣 Do me a favor! Look in the mirror! Ask yourself, how can I improve? How can I make my Crew Members lives better? 👍 We are all a team here. So, it’s time ya better start acting like it ☺️ #yacht #yachting #yachtlife #yachtlifestyle #yachtcrew #yachtcrewlife #yachtcaptain #superyacht #superyachts #superyachtlife #superyachtlifestyle #superyachtcrew #superyachtcaptain #captainkellyjgordon #captainkellygordon #captainkelly #belowdeck #belowdeckcrew #belowdeckmed #captainsclassroom #thecaptainsclassroom #4marichou🌊

I will NEVER stop talking about this topic - it’s just way too important‼️ And the amount of crummy CV’s and Interview Outfits I’ve seen over the years proves this needs talked about 👊 First and foremost, clean up your dang CV 📝 What do I mean by this⁉️ 1️⃣ Check for Grammatical and Spelling Errors 2️⃣ Align your Formatting and Spacing 3️⃣ Add a Professional Headshot These three simple things can be the difference in me keeping your CV in the maybe pile compared to me just tossing your CV off to the side 🤓 OKAY 👌 You fixed your CV and you landed THE Interview 🥳 What’s next? 🤷‍♀️ YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION 🫣 Please, please, please! Realize that you’re showing up to an INTERVIEW! You’re not going out to the beach with your friends 🏝️ Your appearance matters so much in this industry - these are just the facts 💯 Three simple tips I have for your Interview 🔽🔽🔽 1️⃣ Put on a polo, wear khaki shorts or pants, always don some boat shoes, and please clean up your hair! 2️⃣ If you’re a male, shave your freakin’ face!!! 3️⃣ Act like you actually want to be there! If you can’t show up to an interview looking well kept and professional then that makes me wonder how much you will care about the vessel 🛥️ Look! I want to see as many people break into this amazing industry that can! But, it’s ultimately up to YOU to put your best face forward - literally 😊 #interview #interviewtips #cvwriting #resume #resumetips #yacht #yachtlife #yachting #yachtcrew #yachtcrewlife #yachtcaptain #superyacht #superyachtlife #superyachtcrew #superyachtcaptain #belowdeck #belowdeckmed #captainsclassroom #thecaptainsclassroom #4marichou🌊

The Captain’s Classroom: Check the Weather ⚡️ 💨 Staying on top of the weather is one of your most important jobs as a mariner 🌊 The last thing you want is to be calling mayday, mayday, mayday, because you decided to be lazy or cocky and not check the weather 💀 So, when do I start to look at weather forecasting before a trip 🧐 One week in advance! 1️⃣ It’s best you start familiarizing yourself with upcoming weather patterns for any area you will be in 🌦️ Yup! You have some homework to do 🤓 Don’t be afraid to call up the local marina you’re headed to and ask them what the weather is like this time of the year! Download some QUALITY weather apps! And no, I am not talking about the weather app that comes standard on your phone! 📱 It does not matter if you’re just going fishing for the day, or if you’re taking on a larger crossing, studying up on the weather can frankly save lives! 🩵 #weather #forecasting #weatherforecast #studyingweather #yacht #yachting #yachtlife #yachtlifestyle #yachtcrew #yachtcrewlife #yachtcaptain #superyacht #superyachts #superyachtlife #superyachtlifestyle #superyachtcrew #superyachtcaptain #captainkellyjgordon #captainkellygordon #captainkelly #belowdeck #belowdeckcrew #belowdeckmed #captainsclassroom #thecaptainsclassroom #4marichou🌊

You’ve heard me go on this tangent before!!! I feel like Dave Ramsey with this money advice here 😅 But seriously, you guys! This industry provides a great opportunity to build a solid nest egg for yourself 🪺 Now, I get it… we all have certain obligations back at home… most of us have some debt we have to pay… but that isn’t what I am talking about here 🧐 What I am talking about here is saving your tip money instead of blowing your tip money like you’re the one who owns the yacht 🛥️ Okay! So, you got past the first step of letting all your money burn a hole in your pocket! What’s next ⁉️ INVEST! INVEST! INVEST! Get a 401k, invest in the stock market, purchase real estate! There’s so many quality investment opportunities out there! 💵 You need to shift your mindset! Instead of just working for money… how can you make your money work for you!!! 🙌 🧑‍✈️ #yacht #yachting #yachtlife #yachtlifestyle #yachtcrew #yachtcrewlife #yachtcaptain #superyacht #superyachts #superyachtlife #superyachtlifestyle #superyachtcrew #superyachtcaptain #captainkellyjgordon #captainkellygordon #captainkelly #belowdeck #belowdeckcrew #belowdeckmed #captainsclassroom #thecaptainsclassroom #4marichou🌊

The Captain’s Classroom: Sea Agreement 📝 Before you step foot on a boat to work you better have a signed contract agreement between you and the owner / management company 🚨 This kind of sounds like a no brainer, but you would be surprised on how many situations I hear where yachties screw themselves by either not fully reading their contract or even worse not having a contract at all‼️ The most recent example was in a young woman trying to get paid for her work. Excuse after excuse from the owner turned into a disaster… she never got paid… she never had a contract… 🤦‍♀️ Yachts operate by a unique set of rules and laws based on its flag state and current location 🛥️ To best protect yourself in ANY situation that could arise, you need to have a SIGNED contract in place 🤓 Don’t take this lightly yachtie friends, this can be the difference in you getting medical care paid for because of an injury onboard… and so so much more! 🤯 #yacht #yachting #yachtlife #yachtlifestyle #yachtcrew #yachtcrewlife #yachtcaptain #superyacht #superyachts #superyachtlife #superyachtlifestyle #superyachtcrew #superyachtcaptain #captainkellyjgordon #captainkellygordon #captainkelly #belowdeck #belowdeckcrew #belowdeckmed #captainsclassroom #thecaptainsclassroom #4marichou🌊