Working On A Boat: What's Your Job Title?

what do you call people who work on a boat

There are many different names for people who work on boats, depending on the type of boat and the nature of their work. For instance, if you work on a cruise ship, you might be called a deck hand. If you're driving a sailboat, you're a sailor. If you're driving a rowboat, you're rowing the boat. If you're the boat owner and are driving the boat, you're the captain.

Characteristics Values
Person driving a sailboat Sailor
Person driving a boat who is not the owner Helmsman
Boat owner who is driving the boat Captain
Other names for boat owner driving the boat Skipper, pilot, sea captain, commander
Person driving a rowboat Rowing the boat
Person driving a cruise ship Deck hand

shunwild

Captain

If you're the owner of a boat, you can be called the captain. However, there are many other names for the person driving a boat, including sailor, skipper, pilot, sea captain, commander, helmsman, and navigator. The term helmsman is technically correct for someone driving the boat who is not the owner. The term conn is used to describe the action of controlling a ship's movements at sea, but not the person doing it.

shunwild

Helmsman

If you're driving a boat, you might be called a sailor, especially if it's a sailboat. If you own the boat, you can be called captain, but other names include skipper, pilot, sea captain, commander, or helmsman. Helmsman is the technically correct term for someone driving a boat who does not own it. The captain typically oversees the helmsman and broader operations on the boat.

The act of driving a boat is most often called piloting the boat, but you might also hear people say "steering the boat" or "navigating the boat". If you're driving a rowboat, you'll be rowing the boat.

shunwild

Sailor

If you work on a sailboat, you're called a sailor. If you're the boat owner and are driving the boat, you could be called the captain, skipper, pilot, sea captain, commander, or helmsman. The helmsman is the technically correct term for someone driving the boat who is not the owner. The captain typically oversees the helmsman and the broader operations on the boat. Other terms for driving a boat include steering, navigating, or conning (controlling a ship's movements at sea, typically used among members of the armed forces). If you work on a cruise ship, you could be called a deck hand.

shunwild

Skipper

The action of driving a boat is most often called piloting the boat, but you may also hear people say 'steering the boat' or 'navigating the boat'. If it's a rowboat, you'll be rowing the boat. If it's a sailboat, you'll be sailing the boat.

There are many career options for working on a boat, including working on a cruise ship or as a deckhand on a private yacht.

shunwild

Deck hand

A deck hand is someone who works on a boat. The term is often used to refer to someone who works on a private yacht, but it can also be used to refer to someone who works on a cruise ship.

Frequently asked questions

There are many names for someone who drives a boat. If you are the owner of the boat, you may be called the captain, skipper, pilot, sea captain, commander, or helmsman. If you are not the owner, the technically correct term is helmsman. Other terms include steering the boat, navigating the boat, and conning the boat (the latter is more commonly used by members of the armed forces). If it's a sailboat, you may be called a sailor.

There are many careers that involve working on a boat, including working on a cruise ship, being a deckhand on a private yacht, or joining the commissioned officer corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA Corps).

This depends on the type of work you want to do. For example, officers in the NOAA Corps must have a college degree.

Some other names for a boat include a vessel, a ship, and a yacht.

Written by
Reviewed by
Share this post
Print
Did this article help you?

Leave a comment