How yacht crew agents work

A crew agent (or crew placement agency) matches yacht owners, captains and management companies with crew. They don't work for you directly — their client is the yacht — but a good agent still wants strong candidates on their books, because that's what keeps captains coming back.

Getting the most out of an agent

• It's free to register as a crew member — legitimate agents make their money from the yacht, not from you. Be very wary of anyone asking you to pay for placement.
• Register with more than one agent — most crew do — but keep your CV and availability consistent across all of them.
• Have your STCW and ENG1 sorted before you register. Agents can't put uncertified candidates forward for most roles.
• An agent is one channel, not the whole strategy — most junior crew still land their first job partly through dock-walking and word of mouth in a crew hub.

Established agencies to start with

This isn't an exhaustive directory — it's a short list of long-established agencies as a starting point. Search each name directly to find their current website and registration details.