All roles/Deck and Bridge/Officer of the Watch (OOW)
Deck and Bridge
Officer of the Watch (OOW)
The Officer of the Watch keeps the yacht safe at sea and at anchor, standing bridge watches, navigating, monitoring traffic and weather, and leading the deck team when the Chief Officer is off watch.
- Department
- Deck and Bridge
- Reports to
- Chief Officer / First Mate
- Yacht size
- 45m to 150m+
- Contract
- Permanent or rotation
- Starting pay
- €4,500 per month
What the job is
The Officer of the Watch is the qualified deck officer in charge of the bridge for a set watch. On passage you navigate the yacht, keep a proper lookout, monitor radar, AIS and ECDIS, log positions and weather, and make the first decisions when traffic or conditions change. At anchor you run the anchor watch, check swing and holding, and keep guests and tenders safe around the boat. The captain sets the standing orders. You follow them and call the captain early when in doubt.
Off watch, the job is half officer, half senior deck crew. You correct charts and publications, draft passage plans for the Chief Officer to check, and keep the safety equipment in order: liferafts, fire extinguishers, lifejackets, EPIRBs and pyrotechnics. On many yachts you also run tenders, drive guests ashore and work on deck with the bosun during washdowns and guest set up. On larger yachts the title often sits alongside Third or Second Officer.
Captains hire an OOW for a clean watch, accurate paperwork and good judgement under pressure. Holding the MCA Officer of the Watch (Yacht) 3000gt certificate makes you legal to stand a bridge watch, and the role is where you build the sea time and experience for Chief Mate. Expect a 4 on, 8 off watch pattern on passage, long days in season, and a lot of responsibility for someone often in their mid to late twenties.
What makes a good one
- Collision regulations applied without hesitation
- Radar, AIS and ECDIS navigation
- Clear passage planning and record keeping
- Calm decisions and early escalation
- Tender handling and deck leadership
A day in the life
- 03:50Up to the bridge ten minutes early for handover. Check position, course, traffic, weather and any night orders from the captain before you sign on for the 04:00 to 08:00 watch.
- 05:00Hourly log entry with position, wind, sea state and barometer. Plot a fix against the ECDIS and alter course for a ferry crossing ahead in good time.
- 06:30Deck rounds with the watch deckhand. Check lashings on the tenders and toys, look for chafe on fenders stowed below, and confirm watertight doors are closed.
- 08:00Hand over to the Chief Officer with a clear brief on traffic, weather and anything unusual. Breakfast, then rest.
- 12:30Apply Notices to Mariners corrections and update the ECDIS for the next cruising area. Draft the berth to berth passage plan for the run to Corsica and send it to the Chief Officer.
- 14:00Monthly safety checks: liferaft service dates, fire extinguisher pressures, EEBDs and the medical locker. Record everything in the planned maintenance system.
- 16:00Back on watch for the 16:00 to 20:00. Brief the captain on the approach to the anchorage, the forecast and holding ground.
- 18:30Anchoring stations. The captain has the con while you run comms and the plotter, then you set the anchor alarm, take bearings and start the anchor watch log.
- 20:00Hand over to the next officer, confirm the tender schedule for guests going ashore tomorrow, and get to bed before the next 04:00 call.
Pay by country
Monthly salary for a permanent OOW on 45m to 90m yachts. Larger yachts and rotational posts pay at the top of the range or above. Charter yachts add tips, typically 5 to 15% of the charter fee shared among crew.
- France and Monaco
- €4,500 – 6,000
- Spain
- €4,300 – 5,800
- Italy
- €4,300 – 5,800
- United Kingdom
- £3,800 – 5,100
- USA (Florida)
- US$5,000 – 6,500
- Caribbean
- US$5,000 – 6,500
- UAE
- AED 18,000 – 24,000
- Australia
- A$7,500 – 10,000
- New Zealand
- NZ$8,300 – 11,000
Required
- MCA Officer of the Watch (Yacht) 3000gt
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- GMDSS GOC
- ECDIS
- HELM (Operational)
- Advanced Fire Fighting
- Medical First Aid
- Proficiency in Survival Craft
- PDSD
Recommended
- Ship Security Officer
- Medical Care
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- RYA PWC
- HELM (Management)
- PADI Divemaster
Visas
- Schengen
- US B1/B2
- C1/D
- Australian MCV
Where it leads
- Deckhand
- Lead Deckhand / Senior Deckhand
- Officer of the Watch (OOW)
- Second Officer
- Chief Officer / First Mate
- Yacht Captain
Officer of the Watch (OOW) jobs open now
Questions crew ask
How do I get from deckhand to Officer of the Watch?
You need around three years of qualifying yacht sea time, recorded in your discharge book and Training Record Book, plus the required STCW short courses and the MCA oral exam. Most people do this while working as a deckhand or lead deckhand and take study leave for the courses.
Is the OOW the same as Second or Third Officer?
OOW describes the ticket and the duty of standing a bridge watch. On a mid sized yacht the OOW may be the only junior officer, while on larger yachts the same person might be called Third or Second Officer.
Will I still be doing deck work?
Yes, on most yachts under about 80m you will. Expect tender driving, washdowns and guest set up alongside your watches, with more pure bridge and admin work on larger yachts.