The oyster dredging season lasts from the beginning of October until the end of March leaving the summer for other work, such as inshore fishing, and traditionally for regattas and for racing. Racing their dredging boats in the village and town regattas around the Fal Estuary became a sport for skippers, their crews and families and became embedded as an essential part of the lifestyle of the working boat community. Interest has grown over this racing aspect of the working boat and the current fleet of boats that regularly race have evolved from this heritage. Working on yachts can give you an exotic life of adventure, world travel, beautiful beaches, and a glimpse of what luxury living is like… all with a pretty damn good salary. The Heritage Working Boats Group began life under the stewardship of British Waterways at the turn of the millennium. Thanks to a grant from the National Lottery, the corporation was able to restore ten working narrowboats, and while most would remain static in the Waterways museums, a handful were deemed navigable. Generally, Americans visiting Europe get 3 months visa-free travel, while Europeans get 6 months in the U.S. There was no definite design as many came from Porthleven, Mousehole, Looe and Mevagissey areas, and started life with a lug rig (foresail and mizzen)appropriate for their purpose, usually pilchard driving. On moving tothe Falmouth/Truro area, they were normally changed to gaff-rigged cutter to enable them to dredge for oysters. To the trained eye, these boats are easily recognised, with a Porthleven boat usually being full-bodied with a fine run aft, whereas the Looe and Mevagissey boats typically had finer lines and were a little deeper.

The Falmouth Working Boat Association sets the rules for racing and organises the summer racing programme which has the spectacular Falmouth Week in August. The FWBA is managed by an elected General Committee with an AGM held in November each year. Skippers and crews meetings are held at the beginning and end of each season. In 1935 Evelyn was sold and for the next 30 years she had various owners along the coast who used her for fishing and recreational purposes with additions such as the fitting of a marine engine, a coachroof with cooking stove, a single bunk and heads. Dredging is only permitted during the ‘open season’ of October to March from 9am to 3pm on weekdays and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays with no fishing on Sundays. Don’t keep evidence of yacht job hunting with you nor electronically when you fly into America. It doesn’t have to be illegal to get you sent home! But if you can fit the persona of a servant when guests or owners are on board (which is usually only 2-8 weeks per year), and you can clean like a maniac, you will make great income traveling the world on mega yachts. Living The Yachting Life

and watersports. They have an average power of 445 and their sizes can go from 4 metre to 43 metre. These boats are constructed by a wide variety of boat makers with hull types which include catamaran, displacement, semi-displacement If you’re on the exterior, expect the same detail and attention, but with boats you’ll have to dry everything you wash. Chamois chamois chamois! (Pronounced shammy; if you don’t know what it is… you soon will!) Working With Crew Agents Yachting is one of the oldest industries in the world and still runs largely in a social context — the more people you meet, the better your chances.

This doesn’t mean it isn’t worth going to Florida though, there are tons of foreign-flagged vessels to make the job prospects real. And many American owners register their boats offshore, for tax reasons. Informal Networking For Yacht Jobs When the yacht owners are on-board, or other people have chartered (aka rented) out your boat for a holiday, you are “on charter.” When you aren’t on charter, you essentially work a regular 9-5 job, just in some exotic location. The chef cooks a few meals for the crew so you’re taken care of.

Which is perfect because the Mediterranean and New England are wonderful in the summer and host all sorts of mega-yacht races for the sailing elite.