Deckhand

Henry Budd

With the official whale-watching season set to start this week Obsession Cruises deckhand Tyler Saunders can lay claim to one of the best jobs in town. Saunders is the sole deckhand on the company’s 50-foot charter boat, Obsession. When the catamaran cuts its engine and goes under sail, curious whales sometimes come within metres of the boat.

“You think they are going to hit the boat sometimes, but they are just very playful,” he says. When the boat is booked, Saunders is responsible for meeting and greeting the guests, serving food and drinks, and making sure no one falls overboard.

“The deckhand has to look after all the customers’ welfare and there is a lot of public relations when you are on the boat,” the 18-year-old says.

“I also tie up the boat and organise the fenders when we dock.”

Taking whale-watching tours outside the Heads is the highlight of his year.

“When you take the boat out, it’s a beautiful day and everyone’s really happy – that’s what I love about the job,” he says.

On days when the boat doesn’t go out, Saunders becomes a jack-of-all-trades, fixing problems and cleaning the boat.

“You’re up and down the mast and you are running around the boat,” he says.

“It’s really good because you get to know the boat, so if anything goes wrong you can just get stuck into it.”

It’s not all beer and skittles though.

“Keeping the boat white is the most difficult thing in the history of the world,” he says. “You have to buff it, just like a car. It’s a big boat and to keep it clean you have to get underneath it in a dinghy.”

Saunders completed his Transport and Distribution (Maritime Operations) Certificate I for a deckhand at Northern Beaches TAFE while still at school. This year he completed his coxswain course, with an eye on working on super yachts in Europe.

* How to be a deckhand

Qualifications: One of the easiest ways to become a deckhand is to complete a Certificate I in Transport and Distribution (Maritime Operations) at TAFE.

Course description: According to myfuture.edu.au, a deckhand’s duties may vary depending on the function of the vessel. A fishing vessel may need the use of pots, lines and scuba equipment, whereas a recreational or transportation vessel may require hospitality services such as table preparation, bar services and cabin care for patrons.

The Certificate I is an entry-level course for people looking to commence a career in the maritime industry. During the week-long course students will learn how to work as a general hand on commercial vessels.

Assumed knowledge: There are no formal educational requirements for course entry.

Cost: For the enrolment of one semester or less the fees are $209.

From the inside: Obsession cruises deckhand Tyler Saunders says there are not a lot of spare deckhands in the industry.

“I’d like to encourage people to become a deckhand, so I can have a few days off,” Saunders says.

Working on a charter boat as a deckhand is similar to working in hospitality, he says.

“It’s like being a waiter in that there is a lot of customer service involved but there is a whole other element to it and it hardly seems like work at all.”

*More information: tafensw.edu.au