Today I’m speaking with South African Hannes van Niekerk who’s been in Mallorca a couple of months seeking his first full time deckhand job. The beautiful beaches and crystal-clear waters were the initial draw. The vibrant local culture, friendly community, and opportunities for adventure—from snorkelling to hiking—sealed the deal.
It’s a perfect blend of natural beauty and serene living that I couldn’t find anywhere else. Did my apprenticeship as electrician for 3 years and after qualifying as worked in the industry for a year. In high school my friend told me his brother was traveling the world working on yachts so I started to research, learning that it’s possible to live the dream.
So, I graduated and started saving up my money to do my training and finally I managed to start my Yachting career in February 2024. I would still be working as an electrician. But working on a yacht as a deckhand is my dream job! STCW’10, RYA Powerboat Level 2, RYA Tender Operations, RYA Personal Water Craft, SYSA Deckhand Course, RYW VHF, and RYA Radar.
My biggest achievement so far has been gaining my electrical trade certificate. As I qualified during the Covid pandemic it was challenging, but the hard work, dedication and persistency I put in paid off. Being part of a team, and being able to learn from your superiors to gain the knowledge to always improve in yourself.
Definitely driving the tenders and getting the opportunity to play with the water toys, but also getting t.