What to look for when hiring boat crew and deckhands

Charter and lodge boat programs live or die on the deck. Screening for the right things saves the whole season.

A good deckhand makes a mediocre captain look great. A bad one makes a great captain look reckless. The difference shows up in the first bad-weather day, not the interview.

Screen for judgement, then skills

• Ask what they did the last time weather turned mid-trip.
• Ask how they handle a seasick, unhappy guest.
• Confirm licences, safety training and any endorsements you rely on.
• Check they can actually do the unglamorous half: cleaning, rigging, fuel, ice.

Be explicit about the season shape

Charter work swings hard: dead weeks, then fourteen straight days. Say so up front, with dates. People who understand the rhythm before they arrive stay through it.

Hire for the day nothing goes to plan. That's the day you'll be glad you screened properly.