Build a Deckhand Resume That Gets You on the Crew List
Deckhand resume example with sea time, documents, line handling and deck maintenance bullets, keywords and a guide to landing your first hitch.
Example Deckhand summary
Deckhand with four years on harbor tugs and passenger vessels, holding a Merchant Mariner Credential with able seaman limited, a TWIC card and current STCW basic training. Handles wire, soft lines and towing bridles on night ship assists, stands navigation watch, and keeps deck gear on a documented maintenance schedule. Two masters have signed sea service letters covering more than 700 days at sea.
Skills to list on a Deckhand resume
- Line and wire handling
- Mooring and unmooring
- Towing gear make up
- Anchor handling
- Navigation watchstanding
- Deck maintenance and preservation
- Chipping, priming and painting
- Rigging and splicing
- Fire and abandon ship drills
- Survival craft handling
- Small boat operation
- Cargo and stores handling
- Passenger boarding and briefing
- Engine room rounds
What actually gets this resume read
- Put the Merchant Mariner Credential, TWIC card, STCW basic training and medical certificate at the top with expiry dates.
- Count sea days honestly and show them by vessel type, because a mate signs your sea service letter against them.
- Describe the deck work in real terms: line handling, chipping and painting, rigging, sounding tanks, standing watch.
- Name the vessel size, horsepower or passenger capacity for each job so a captain knows the scale you have worked at.
- Show a clean safety record with drills, near miss reports and injury free time, since crews are hired on reliability.
- If you are new, list boating, fishing, rope work or trade skills that transfer, and say you are ready for hitch work.