In the last few years, community has become a key word for crew in the Superyacht industry. Having support from the right people can ensure retention and job satisfaction, but this can be challenging whilst working on a yacht.
Liberty built the platform On Deck because yachting changed her life and she wants to support other crew on the same path.
Understanding how to present yourself and find the right fit can be a challenge for new crew starting out and current crew looking to step up.
We spoke to Bosun Liberty Nogueira, founder of OnDeck, about her move from corporate London to life on the water and creating a platform that focuses on proactive crew development and long-term retention.
The journey to OnDeck
Liberty’s career in the yachting industry started in 2017 when she was searching for a career with purpose beyond the traditional corporate path. Within two years, she was promoted to Bosun, where she started sharing her journey online. First, as a way to document her travels, but also to give insights into life working on a superyacht to her social media followers.
“Like many people, I followed what I thought was the “right” route. I studied Business and Marketing at university, joined the rat race in London and it ticked all the boxes on paper. But I felt stuck. I knew that if I didn’t make a change, that would be my forever. I wanted to travel, see the world, and not be tied to a desk. So in September 2017, I joined the yachting industry.”
While working as a Bosun, building a personal brand through her social media presence unintentionally sparked the creation of OnDeck, exposing how difficult it can be to break into yachting without industry connections and the need for a straightforward, insider-led guidance.
“Alongside my role as Bosun, I was asked to run the yacht’s Instagram, which I loved. It gave me the chance to learn a lot about content creation, from storytelling to video editing and drone piloting, all skills that helped me on my own journey as well. As my social media presence grew, more and more people reached out wanting advice on how to get into the industry. I was always happy to help, but I realised it would be far more valuable to create something in-depth that I could share with them.”
Community and Strategy
Liberty created OnDeck to be a disruptive force, focused entirely on community and coaching. Offering a fresh perspective, moving beyond conventional advice and traditional training models. This philosophy is grounded in her own experience of stepping into yachting “pretty blind.”
From the outside, the superyacht industry is often presented as glamorous (which it can be), but this also obscures the hard work, dedication and time away from family that is required.
As Liberty explained, “OnDeck was born from my own experience of stepping into yachting pretty blind. When I first joined (and even now), there wasn’t a deck-specific platform dedicated to helping crew not only get started but also progress in their careers.”
She recognised the gap in genuine, simple guidance, noting the “noise” online where some sources glamorise yacht life or push new crew towards expensive “zero-to-hero” deckhand packages. “I wanted to build both a community and the kind of resource I wish I’d had, transparent, practical and grounded in real-life experience.”
What makes OnDeck different is its primary focus isn’t about landing a job. Instead, it focuses on empowering aspiring deckhands with the right mindset, knowledge and strategy to build long-term success. The platform’s goal is “to understand the industry, shape a plan that sets aspiring deckhands apart so they step on board as a valuable crew member.”
Beyond the CV
For captains and chief officers, knowing what traits translate into a truly good deckhand is crucial. Liberty confirms the answer lies far beyond certification. When a potential crew member approaches OnDeck, the initial assessment is not a skills test but a lifestyle check designed to establish realistic expectations.
She found that people who have previously worked in hospitality, trades and customer service backgrounds often adjust best to the hard work and attention to detail expected from a deckhand.
“Those foundations [hospitality, trades, and customer services] transfer seamlessly into life onboard. But beyond professional background, the trait I see most often in successful deckhands is humility. The best crew I’ve worked with take pride in every job, no matter how small or menial the task and they’re proactive rather than reactive. They don’t wait to be told what to do; they’re already looking for ways to help and improve. That mindset is what really makes someone stand out and thrive in this industry.”
The essential “soft” skills that Liberty focuses on can be broken down into three categories:
- Attitude and Humility – The willingness to listen, learn, and take direction without ego.
- Teamwork and Communication – The ability to live and work cohesively in close quarters.
- Commitment and Determination – Demonstrating a mindset rooted in hard work, reliability and accountability, sticking with the task even when it’s repetitive or challenging.
“What really makes the difference is graft, mindset, and persistence. Through OnDeck, I want to show that success in this industry comes from preparation, following the right strategy and having the right attitude. That’s what gets you on board and keeps you there.”
The OnDeck Playbook – launching mid-January
For people looking to join the superyachting world, OnDeck will be launching the OnDeck Playbook in mid-January 2026. A clear step-by-step guide that cuts through the noise and confusion to help “greenies” (new crew members) get into the industry.
“The Playbook is everything I wish I’d had starting out… It begins with an industry overview and what you need to book, know and save up for before you even set foot in a yachting hub. It covers the essentials, from understanding who’s who onboard to how to market yourself properly through CV formatting, networking, dockwalking, working with recruiters, and finally how to land that all-important first position.”
The main focus of the Playbook is to help users translate their existing experience into relevant skills, building the knowledge and confidence to recognise what a good boat looks like and what is the right fit for them. Preparing prospective crew for the realities of life on board a superyacht.
“I always say I won’t teach you how to wash a boat, as every vessel has its own way of doing things. But I will give you the roadmap, the strategy and the mindset so that when you do step on deck, you know exactly how to succeed.”
“It’s not just based on my own journey. As a bosun, with a background in recruitment before yachting, I know firsthand what makes a candidate stand out. (I wrote a poem to my last vessel to apply for the position, and it got me a reply and an interview within an hour!).
The Playbook has also been shaped through research, conversations and time spent working alongside captains and officers. The very people who hire and set the standards. Their insight, combined with my own, makes it a resource grounded in real expectations rather than theory.”
Navigating tomorrow
The superyacht industry is evolving rapidly and the demand for more refined talent is ever-increasing. By highlighting the crucial role of community in crew retention, particularly for those starting out, Liberty Nogueira’s OnDeck is an essential component of this evolution.
“I wish I’d had access to a community of deckhands who were in the same position as me. Working in a deck team is great, but you’re limited to the people around you and when you’re new to the industry, it can feel quite isolating. That’s one of my favourite things that OnDeck offers is a community of people at the same stage of their yachting journey.
It means you’ve got others to meet up with if you’re in the same yachting hub, to pick their brains, to vent to, to ask questions and to share the highs and lows. I think just knowing you’re not going through it alone makes a massive difference.”
By proactively coaching mindset and managing expectations, OnDeck is providing the industry with better-prepared, more dedicated and culturally aligned professionals.
