ABOUT YOA SUPERYACHT TRAINING

Our Story

We know where you’re heading because we have been there ourselves.

YOA Superyacht Training was founded in 2014 and is run by MCA Chief Officer Don McKee, who spent 15 years working on board some of the finest motor and sailing yachts in the business.

Don designed the deckhand course specifically to meet the requirements of today’s employers. He is also the co-owner and director of Your Own Agency, an MLC2006 compliant Crew Agency with locations in Cape Town, New Zealand, the US and France. 

We are the only school in South Africa that is directly affiliated with a crew agency and is involved in placing crew world-wide on a daily basis.

Our focus is to provide first hand and current insight into the yachting industry and help new deckhands and stewardesses acquire the skills and techniques necessary to confidently start careers at sea. 

We are located in Cape Town, South Africa and welcome students from around the globe.

YOA Deckhand training is run by professionals that understand how to give you the best possible start in the industry. YOA Training offers courses from our Cape Town offices on all the functional areas of the yacht. We also operate from the Cape Town harbor to provide practical experience for all deckhand and stewardess training courses.  

We all start somewhere, but not everyone gets off on the right foot, let us help you find a job and keep it.

Courses we can help with:

• 4 day YOA Deckhand course

• STCW basic training (including PDSD)

• RYA Advanced Power boat

• RYA Tender operator

• RYA Power boat level 2 (PB2)

• RYA Personal watercraft (PWC)

• RYA Personal watercraft Instructor

• VHF radio

• Seafarer medical certficate

• Stewardess training

• Food safety

• Diving course

• Kiteboarding course

• Sailing courses

• and many more

You will always receive unbiased guidance about which additional courses will give you the most value for your money.

​We also offer consultations and career advice so you can get all the facts before you commit to booking courses. Consultations can take place online or in-person at our Cape Town offices in Green Point.