The Whitsundays is blessed with having 74 Islands and 66 of the islands are still in their natural state, so what better place to learn how to sail and get a taste for a life on the ocean. Do you want to get paid to do a job you love? Do you want to experience the ocean and all its beauty and sailing on luxury yachts over the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsundays in Australia? Well then this is the ultimate Australia gap year programme for you, training you to qualify as a salty sea dog, and be able to work on boats all over the world. After this 23 day internship you will have exceptionally good chances of being paid up to $500 a week too!

• Meet like minded people and make new friends
• Experience life as a true yachty
• Visit awesome places like Airlie Beach
• Become qualified with the NSCV, National Standards for Commercial Vessels
• Set your self up for an amazing career in yacht life.

Itinerary

The course consists of four components. The course is for novices so don’t worry if you have no previous  experience  of sailing.

Starts each Monday, departing Abel Point Marina at 9:00am.

Week 1:

Training takes place on our NSCV (National Standards for Commercial Vessels) registered boat, where you will live aboard for five nights and six days, undergoing theory and practical application, while sailing around the Whitsunday Islands.
Includes: All meals on board, course notes, tuition, snorkelling instruction and equipment, marine and national park fees, training record log books and certificates.

Weeks 2 & 3:

Twelve nights on sailing tours, comprising of six, two day two night, Maxi Sailing tours around the Whitsundays as an extra crew member aboard our charter yachts. Trainees will be rostered on the yachts and get to work with professional crews, reinforcing the theory, plus learning other customer service aspects of working on charter yachts.

Plus

The programme is specifically tailored and managed all the way through from Day 1 to Day 23.
With an additional two weeks of consolidation training specifically to practice the theory/skills learned from the first week, the programme is geared towards getting the participants ready to work on the ultra high specification Maxi yacht favoured in the Whitsundays.

• The first week is undertaken on a smaller yacht, learning the basics in a safe environment before moving to the Maxi yachts.
• Weeks two and three take-ups in all the other aspects of working on the Maxi, including managing guests, snorkelling watches, guided island walks, re-provisioning, turning vessels and refuelling.

On this programme you will receive two full crew uniforms, and six nights accommodation in Airlie Beach. This is a fully managed programme from day one, our team will manage the 23-day schedule for you:   rostering on the yachts, booking in accommodation and dealing with operational aspects for the participants.

Man, that cup of coffee will taste good in the morning as you watch the sunrise over the ocean…

All of the different courses start in Airlie Beach at Abel Point Marina. This is where you will receive a comprehensive orientation and safety briefing prior to heading out into the tropical waters for your training.

This certificate gives you the skills to command your own private vessel. The International Crew Certificate and documents (IYT) requires a local payment of AUD$100, not included in the price.

Note: If you already have sailing certificates, we can adjust the programme for you.

Finding work after the course

We have 80 operational crew working on the fleet of 16 vessels who work with us in the Whitsundays. Approximately  20% of these crew positions are filled by graduates of this programme. Only 4 spaces are available on this course per month.

It is difficult to predict when the crew will be moving to another location or job or switching to other boats in the Whitsundays, but typically staff move on after 3 to 6 months.

This is very important: We DO NOT guarantee work, however, if you are diligent and punctual, attend work neat and tidy, get good results and reports from the Skippers and Crew you work with, the odds of employment improve.

You may have to wait a while for a vacancy as we cannot predict when the crew will move on to create vacancies. You are welcome to seek work with other Whitsunday operators who will be looking for the same skills. We also monitor the number of applicants starting the program and do at times block out spots if we think too many are starting.

During December the crew numbers leaving does tend to increase, creating more vacancies. It is important to note that we encourage the students who have finished the course, that they are welcome to seek work with other companies in Airlie Beach, and our operational managers do speak to the other companies regularly regarding staffing and employment.

What does the job include

The job typically includes most accommodation and food, and you can be paid up to $500 a week. Imagine spending your time cruising one of the worlds most beautiful locations and have no living expenses and getting paid!
Many gap year students end up working for a few months, saving up a boatload of cash and then travelling further.

Who joins?

The sailing course is open to anyone over the age of 18. It is perfect if you are seeking a career in marine tourism (read living on various cool yachts, sailing the around one of the world’s best marine parks in the eternal sunshine of Australia!). You do not need any prior experience if you want to join the full 23 day course.