Deck Hand
What the work is
Performs a range of maintenance and lookout tasks and operates deck equipment aboard a marine vessel.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Operates and maintains deck equipment, rigging, and lifesaving and firefighting equipment
- Handles and secures lines and ropes during docking procedures
- Keeps lookout while vessel is at sea
- Assists passengers with enquiries and luggage needs
- Assists with loading and unloading cargo
- Maintains the appearance of deck structures by removing rust, treating and painting as necessary
- Maintains a vessel's kitchens, laundries, cabins and recreation areas
- Assists in maintaining cleanliness and seaworthiness of a vessel
- May serve food and drinks onboard a passenger vessel
- May perform routine mechanical tasks on smaller vessels
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a small coastal boat that runs fishing trips for passengers and hauls its own pots, working out of a harbour at dawn. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- The boat leaves the harbour at sunrise and the water is calm and bright
- A passenger catches their first fish and the whole deck cheers
- A good haul comes aboard and the crew sorts it without a wasted movement
Hard days
- Rough water and cold wind when the work still has to be done
- Heavy gear and wet lines that sting your hands
- A passenger who is sick or scared and needs looking after
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 899231, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.