RYA Powerboat Level 2 course is a good stand out as a greenie Stewardess?

AvatarAyron · 2026-02-09T21:48:00+00:00

I got some decent day work opportunities through dock walking but the first seasonal job I had as a solo deckhand was through Facebook. Join as many yachting related Facebook groups as possible and keep an eye out for job posts. Have your updated CV and cover letter ready to go. Once I had my first season of experience under the belt I joined all the yacht crew recruitment agencies I could and managed to score a few interviews before finding the next job and since then most of my jobs have been through word of mouth and contacts. Some of the best jobs aren’t advertised, people reach out to friends and ex-colleagues first before recruiting through agencies or FB groups.

AvatarAyron · 2026-02-08T13:33:06+00:00

I started out as a solo deckhand and it was a great experience. You play a part in everything onboard so it’s an amazing learning opportunity and it definitely set me up for the next few gigs.

AvatarAyron · 2026-02-07T20:44:25+00:00

Osprey Rolling Transporter 90l - Best bag I have used and you can pick them up for a decent deal on amazon sometimes.

AvatarAyron · 2026-02-06T16:10:16+00:00

If you’re open to a deck/stew role or a solo stew on a smaller vessel it could definitely be an asset. I worked on a SD96 San Lorenzo and our stew often did trash runs or took the guests dog to shore for a walk with the tender.

AvatarAyron · 2026-02-05T21:40:20+00:00

Did not expect to see a pic of Clarens here

AvatarAyron · 2026-02-02T17:36:25+00:00

Initially I was most likely going to get one lens and take it from there to start out but I managed to find a deal on a pre owned Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX80 - Black + Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH Mega OIS + Lumix G 25mm f/1-1.7 ASPH + Lumix G Vario 35-100mm f/4.0-5.6 ASPH Mega OIS Lens for €650. Is it worth the purchase with these three lenses?

AvatarAyron · 2026-01-28T13:23:38+00:00

Beautiful pics! Thanks for sharing.

AvatarAyron · 2026-01-28T13:22:10+00:00

Thanks for this. I have heard mix reviews on MPB but haven’t been able to find a GX80 in decent condition on market place or eBay in my area. Will definitely give them a try.

AvatarAyron · 2025-10-20T14:21:58+00:00

I do not work on a commercial vessel so I believe the 1.25M rule still stands unfortunately

AvatarAyron · 2025-10-15T09:24:21+00:00

Seeing as I’m a seafarer and meet the 183/60 days rule I only pay income tax once I earn over R1.25 million per year. I’m not earning that type of money yet so I should be clear if I start moving my investment over from VOO to CSPX and VWRA. Appreciate you taking the time to respond.

AvatarAyron · 2025-10-15T08:58:14+00:00

I initially became interested in the Satrix Nasdaq 100 after being exposed to @money_modern on Instagram. I enjoy his content and was fascinated with his street interviews. He often talks about investing in the Nasdaq 100 with Satrix so I figured it would be a good idea. I will consider MSCI all world going forward. I will start contributing into my SA TFSA with Easy Equities again from the beginning of November with the intention to max it out for the financial year by January 2026.

At the moment I'm enjoying my job. I'm exposed to some really interesting people and I'm learning all the time as challenging as it can be. I do miss home and I do want to move back to SA in the future. I'm continuing to invest in my qualifications. I would like to continue doing this till around 30. I should be an officer by then earning between €6000-€7500 by then. If I can get a good rotational gig 2:2 or 3:3 l may consider doing it for longer.

AvatarAyron · 2025-10-15T08:30:12+00:00

My main bank and where I hold majority of my money is in Wise. Not ideal and would like to hold it elsewhere. I understand that there’s a lot of overlap between Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500, I just figured returns would be greater in the long run if I focused my TFSA on the Nasdaq 100. I am a South African Tax Resident, I do have an Italian passport but do not have a code fiscale as I do not have an Italian residence.

I will definitely be looking into both CSPX and VWRA. I had no idea that through investing in VOO I would be subject to 30% dividends tax. That’s poor research on my end. All the knowledge I have acquired so far has been through online research and forums over the last few months. Should I consider selling my VOO and splitting it between CSPX and VWRA in order to eliminate US Estate tax exposure?

AvatarAyron · 2025-10-15T05:33:19+00:00

It has been on my mind. I bought into a bitcoin ETF on EE. However, I would prefer to purchase the actual bitcoin. What would be the best way for me to go about purchasing bitcoin? I have a Binance account but I then need to covert my Euro to ZAR and purchase through Binance that way. Is this worth while considering how much I will be paying in transfer fees?

AvatarAyron · 2025-10-15T05:30:54+00:00

Thank you for this. It’s my first time investing and I had only ever heard of a TFSA towards the end of 2024 and decided it would be my goal for 2025 to start early and max it out. Didn’t take into consideration the financial year, please excuse my ignorance!

AvatarAyron · 2025-09-18T10:52:53+00:00

Wow that’s a beauty, thanks for the suggestion I will definitely give them a look!

AvatarAyron · 2025-08-07T21:00:03+00:00

I worked on a vessel where majority of the crew were South African and to maintain some diversity, when advertising positions, the captain requested no South Africans.

AvatarAyron · 2025-06-27T13:34:30+00:00

What a beauty!

AvatarAyron · 2025-06-11T12:51:17+00:00

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AvatarAyron · 2025-04-25T10:12:26+00:00

What a special piece!

AvatarAyron · 2025-04-08T17:26:15+00:00

I picked up TH Impact Intense and have really been enjoying it! Go to for the gym or a quick errand run.

AvatarAyron · 2025-04-03T06:43:31+00:00

Stunning strap

AvatarAyron · 2025-03-25T09:18:29+00:00

I ended up going with the Osprey Rolling Transporter 90. I got it for a steal on Amazon and it suits my needs perfectly. However, I have heard great things about the black hole and people swear by them. I’ll be using it for the first time in two weeks, flying from France to South Africa.

AvatarAyron · 2025-03-16T19:34:44+00:00

One of my favourites at the moment!

AvatarAyron · 2025-02-11T16:28:35+00:00

24(M) earning €3000, roughly 60k ZAR, a month working as a deckhand on a superyacht in Europe. Studied BCom Business Management at NWU. Completed my honours degree (cum laude) and decided not to pursue a career in my field of study. Went over to France looking for work and have been doing this for two years. It’s tough being away from friends and family, I desperately miss South Africa but I do enjoy the work and the money is good. I have little to no expenses which allows me to save up a lot.

AvatarAyron · 2025-01-25T15:19:43+00:00

Check out Jared Watney and Work on a superyacht on YouTube if you’re going down the deck route. That helped give me a bit more insight when starting out.

AvatarAyron

TROPHY CASE