All roles/Specialist crew/Diving Instructor
Specialist crew
Diving Instructor
The Diving Instructor runs the yacht's dive programme, teaching and guiding guests underwater, maintaining all dive equipment and keeping every dive safe, legal and memorable.
- Department
- Specialist crew
- Reports to
- Chief Officer / First Mate
- Yacht size
- 50m to 150m+
- Contract
- Seasonal or permanent
- Starting pay
- €3,500 per month
What the job is
You are the person who takes guests underwater. On a yacht with a serious dive programme, that means planning dive sites with the captain, briefing guests, teaching courses from Discover Scuba to Advanced, and leading every dive. Owners and charter guests often book a yacht because of where it can take them to dive, so your work directly shapes how the trip is remembered.
Behind the dives sits the kit. You look after the compressor, fill and analyse cylinders, service regulators and BCDs, keep logs and make sure oxygen and first aid equipment are ready. Expedition yachts may carry a recompression plan, rebreathers or a dedicated dive tender, all of which become your responsibility. Paperwork matters too: guest medical forms, certification checks and dive records are expected to be in order.
Most yachts expect you to work as part of the deck team when guests are not diving. That can mean tender driving, washdowns, line handling and helping run the water toys. On larger expedition yachts the role is a dedicated specialist position, while on smaller boats it is often advertised as Deckhand / Dive Instructor. Either way, good guest skills count as much as underwater ability.
What makes a good one
- Calm, clear dive briefings
- Compressor and kit maintenance
- Teaching nervous beginners
- Reading current and conditions
- Tender driving and deck work
A day in the life
- 06:30Check the compressor, fill and analyse nitrox cylinders and log the gas readings. Load the dive tender with kit, oxygen and the first aid bag.
- 07:45Meet the Chief Officer and captain to confirm the morning site, current, tide and tender plan. Agree an alternative site if the channel is running too hard.
- 08:30Brief the guests on the aft deck with a site map, signals and buddy pairs. Check certifications and medical forms for two new divers.
- 09:15Lead a drift dive along the outer reef with a deckhand driving the tender as pickup. Keep the group together and watch air and no stop times.
- 11:00Rinse and hang the kit, refill cylinders and record the dive. Fix a free flowing regulator before the afternoon session.
- 13:30Teach a confined water session in the shallow lagoon for the owner's teenage children on their Open Water course.
- 15:30Join the deck team running water toys and help recover the seabobs and paddleboards.
- 18:00Wash down the dive tender, service kit and update logs. Talk to guests at the bar about tomorrow's night dive.
- 20:00Prepare torches and kit for the next day, then finish with the evening deck watch rota.
Pay by country
Monthly salary for crew on 50m to 100m yachts, usually paid in EUR or USD. Charter tips are shared on top and can add significantly in a busy season. Dedicated expedition roles pay at the top of the range.
- France and Monaco
- €3,500 – 5,000
- Spain
- €3,500 – 5,000
- Italy
- €3,500 – 5,000
- United Kingdom
- £3,000 – 4,300
- USA (Florida)
- US$3,800 – 5,500
- Caribbean
- US$3,800 – 5,500
- UAE
- AED 14,000 – 20,000
- Australia
- A$5,800 – 8,300
- New Zealand
- NZ$6,400 – 9,200
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor or equivalent
- Emergency First Response Instructor
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
Recommended
- PADI Enriched Air Instructor
- PADI Gas Blender
- DAN Oxygen First Aid
- RYA PWC
- PDSD (Proficiency in Designated Security Duties)
- Medical First Aid
Visas
- Schengen visa
- US B1/B2 visa
- C1/D visa
- Australian MCV
Where it leads
Diving Instructor jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need yacht experience to get hired as a Diving Instructor?
Not always, but it helps a lot. Many instructors start as Deckhand / Dive Instructor on a smaller yacht to learn deck work and life on board before moving to a dedicated dive role.
How many dives a day will I do?
It depends on the guests. Some charters dive twice a day plus a night dive, while others dive once a week, so expect plenty of deck work in between.
Is PADI the only agency yachts accept?
No. PADI is the most common, but SSI and BSAC instructor ratings are generally accepted if you can teach and certify guests to an equivalent standard.