Bridge Department — Officers

Yacht Mate & First Officer Jobs in Fort Lauderdale

The first officer — or mate on smaller vessels — is the bridge between the crew and the captain. It's the most demanding transition in a deck career: from doing to leading, from watchkeeping to acting command. Fort Lauderdale's active charter fleet places mates and first officers year-round, and qualified candidates with OOW 500 GT are consistently underserved.

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Salary & Compensation

Vessel Size / Role	Annual Salary	Notes
Mate (vessels under 200 GT)	$60,000 – $78,000	Yachtmaster Offshore/Ocean; acting captain
First Officer (200–500 GT)	$72,000 – $90,000	OOW 500 GT; ocean watchkeeping
Chief Mate (500–3,000 GT)	$84,000 – $108,000	Chief Mate 3,000 GT; 50m+ vessels
Relief Captain / Acting Captain	$90,000 – $120,000	Captain qualifications; acting command

Chief mates on 60m+ vessels frequently take on acting captain roles during owner/captain absence — commanding a premium above base salary. Charter tip income typically $6,000–$16,000/year on active boats. Figures sourced from Dockwalk Salary Survey 2024–2025.

Required Certifications

STCW Basic SafetyAll seafarers; 5-year refresh

ENG1 MedicalMCA-approved doctor; 2-year validity

GMDSS GOCGlobal Maritime Distress & Safety System

RYA Yachtmaster OceanOffshore voyages; MCA-endorsed

MCA OOW 500 GTForeign-flag vessels 200–500 GT; core qualification

MCA Chief Mate 3,000 GTVessels above 500 GT; path to Master

STCW Advanced FirefightingOfficers on vessels >500 GT

Medical First Aid (MCA)Officer-level medical response at sea

Career Progression

Able Seaman (AB)12 months sea time. STCW AB. Eligible for OOW watchkeeping study. Common jump-off point.
Mate (smaller yachts, <200 GT)Yachtmaster Offshore or Ocean. Acting captain in port. Anchor watch. Deck supervision.
First Officer (200–500 GT)OOW 500 GT. Ocean passages on watches. Bridge team lead when captain is off watch. 18–36 months typical.
Chief Mate (3,000 GT)On 50m+ vessels. Safety management responsibilities (ISM/MLC). Authority to sign crew documentation.
CaptainFull command. The natural career endpoint for bridge officers. Typically 8–12 years from deckhand entry.

Why Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale's 50m–80m fleet is the largest concentration of vessels requiring OOW-certified officers in the Western Hemisphere
Chapman School of Seamanship (Stuart, FL) — one of the US's leading USCG and MCA licence preparation schools, 45 minutes north
Active watch rotations during Caribbean season (Nov–Apr) generate more sea time per month than most other home ports
Professional network density — captains hire first officers they've seen on the dock or heard of from peers; Fort Lauderdale accelerates this
FLIBS (October) concentrates hiring decisions for the entire winter season — most first officer positions fill during the two weeks around the show

Looking for this role? Or hiring for it?

We place crew across all six departments — permanent positions, daywork, and emergency 24-hour placements.

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Also see:

Yacht Captain Jobs Yacht Chef Jobs Yacht Stewardess Jobs Placement fees Emergency hire