Boating Jobs Key Terms

Learning boating jobs key terms can land you a career on the high seas

By A Antonow

If you want to pursue boating jobs, knowing some key industry terms can help you plan your marine career and select the positions that are best suited to your talents, interests and skills. Familiarity with boating jobs key terms can also help you succeed with interviews and applications. Knowing the various jobs available and understanding some of the basic jargon can prepare you for a successful career aboard a boat or ship.

Crew

A crew is the group of workers on board a ship responsible for running it. A crew includes the deckhands, stewardesses and stewards, chefs, assistant engineers, bo'suns, ship's officers, pursers and others.
Try: YachtingCrews.com offers a detailed description of what crews are and what they do on board a ship.

Boat mechanic

The boat mechanic, also known as a marine mechanic, repairs and builds boat engines as well as other critical boat systems, such as fuel injection systems, steering systems, propellers and plumbing.
Try: The GuideToOnlineSchools.com offers a description of the boat mechanic position, including educational requirements and job details.

Captain

A ship captain is responsible for steering a boat and taking care of most management tasks, such as hiring crew and keeping ship logs. On most boats, the captain is the most senior officer and the ultimate authority on board.
Try: CareerPlanner.com has a useful guide to the ship captain's position, including details about education requirements and a full description of what captains do.

Marine engineer

Marine engineers, or ship engineers, are responsible for ensuring that all the electrical and mechanical systems on a ship are safe and working well.
Try: BrightHub has a description of a marine engineer, written by an actual ship engineer.

Yacht

A yacht is a recreational boat. It can be a racing boat or an expedition boat meant for travel. Boating jobs aboard a yacht usually mean that you will be working for the boat's owner.
Try: The Capital Yacht Club has a detailed description and definition of a yacht.

Cruise staff

Cruise staff works on larger cruise ships, coordinating guest activities and ensuring that guests have a good time while on their cruise.
Try: CruiseLinesJobs describes what cruise staff do and expected salaries. JobMonkey offers a detailed description of cruise staff positions.