A lot can be said for the attraction of yachting as a career path for greenies. Travel, tax-free salary and seeing remote places other people can only dream of experiencing. But most greenies only get their first dose of reality on their debut job when they see all the effort that goes into maintaining a vessel.
The high-pressure environment with long hours, demanding guests and tight living quarters can lead to high crew turnover and burnout when not addressed properly. Blend this all together with a sprinkle of mismatched personalities and inability to communicate through conflict and you have my experience for the first year of my yachting career.
Luckily though, there’s been a recent shift in the stigma around mental health in the yachting industry for the better. Both captains and management companies are recognizing the ROI that comes with investing in crew well-being. Which has brought about innovative support systems that are being implemented across multiple vessels. Almost as if the new blood flooding the industry is bringing with it a heightened awareness of well-being and the importance of finding balance.
This general rise in awareness of crew well-being has sprouted new opportunities for yachties to support each other. After all, who’s better equipped to help someone in this industry than someone who eats, sleeps and breathes it every day? That’s the beautiful thing about yachting, is that even though we all share similar experiences, we also have unique ways in which we can offer novel value to each other. Recruiting agencies and training companies have been a staple in the industry for a long time but recently there’s been a growth in well-being focused yachtie-lead start-ups.
Fitness companies were amongst the first to be accepted as an important add-on in the industry to keep crew capable of the day-to-day tasks onboard. The novelty recently has been in the growth of mental well-being support start-ups. Captains and management companies are seeing the benefits that come with onboard mental health training, such as; improved performance and guest experience, reduced turnover and recruitment costs as well as attraction of top talent to name a few.
So, when it comes to the future of yachting I see the industry trending towards mandatory well-being programs, much like monthly safety drills are required. Greater transparency within the industry around mental health onboard as well as a cultural shift towards proactive, rather than reactive, care.
After years of working in yachting I saw first-hand the burnout that came from constant stress and performance demands. What was missing wasn’t resilience, yacht crew are some of the toughest people I’ve met, but the right tools to educate and manage our own nervous systems. That’s why I co-founded Haven Mental Health, to shift the culture onboard by equipping crew with practical techniques to regulate their minds and bodies, improve communication and make life at sea more enjoyable and sustainable.
TL;DR
Yachting can seem like a dream career - travel, tax-free pay, and exotic destinations - but the reality often includes long hours, high pressure, and burnout. Thankfully, the industry is shifting: captains and management now recognize the value of crew well-being, leading to mental health support, training, and yachtie-led wellness start-ups. The future looks geared toward mandatory well-being programs and proactive mental health care, making life at sea more sustainable and rewarding.
