How to 'make it' in the superyacht industry

Back in 2022, we reviewed Brendan O'Shannassy's memoir Superyacht Captain, which presented highlights from his two decades at the top of the world's most lavish (and expensive) industry.  

As well as anecdotes, the book gave superyacht professionals a few pieces of advice on how to navigate their careers. Now Capt O'Shannassy has returned with a new book that focuses on exactly this kind of guidance.  

There's something for everyone here, from experienced captains to those just beginning their careers and even people who have moved into a management or recruitment role. 

With advice and anecdotes from himself and other successful crew, O'Shannassy guides the reader from their first steps onboard and explains the intricacies of progressing your career, all the way through to advice on how to ensure a good work/life balance once you’ve 'made it'. There's even a potted history of the sector as a whole.  

The author comes up with some fascinating tips on how to interact with the yacht owners, a key part of any role onboard. He also deals with other crucial topics for those setting out on the career, like how to make a life onboard.  

For example, how should you interact with other crew when you're starting out? When does partying stop being an important way to bond with others and begin to undermine professionalism? How long should you try to keep working onboard one yacht, in an industry where longevity is usually measured in months? For experienced yacht crew,  there's plenty on processes, key skills, core competencies, communication and leadership. 

The really important thing to get across here is that this is a very thorough (but extremely readable) book. Whether you've been working in the sector for a long time or are just considering whether to make the jump to superyachts from a different maritime role, there's a good chance that you have unanswered questions – and they're almost certainly covered in here. 

This book is the Nautilus Book of the Month for February 2026, and will be sold at a discount in the Nautilus Bookshop throughout the month

Superyacht Success 
By Brendan O'Shannassy 
Adlard Coles, £25  
978 13994 26497