DAY IN THE LIFE AS A SUPER-YACHT DECKHAND
There’s no such thing as a “typical” day out here, just a rhythm you learn to build as you go. Between early starts, time on deck, training where you can fit it in, and moments to reset, you figure out what works and stick to it. This is what a day in my life actually looks like as a super-yacht deckhand, off charter. The habits, the structure, the food, the small routines that keep me performing and feeling good even when everything around me is constantly changing.
5:25am - Wake Up
The alarm goes off at 5:25am. Straight to the bathroom: mouth tape off, nose strips off, artificial light on, quick reset. First thing I do is step on the scales. I’m in a building phase right now, so I want to see that number slowly trending up. Nothing drastic, just consistent.
Then it’s straight into a cold shower. Two minutes. No hesitation.
It’s not about comfort, it’s about starting the day with intent. Doing something hard before the day even begins shifts your mindset. You’re awake, alert, and already moving forward before most people have even opened their eyes.
Out, dressed, and head straight to the crew mess.
05:35am - Hydrate
Before anything else… water.
This is something I’ve refined over time, but right now my morning mix is simple:
250ml of coconut water, 250ml of filtered water, a pinch of Celtic sea salt, 5 grams of creatine, and the juice of one lime.
It’s about restoring what sleep takes out of you. Rehydrating properly, replenishing electrolytes, and getting ahead of the day before it starts.
Most people reach straight for coffee. I used to be the same. But delaying caffeine for 60–90 minutes makes a difference. Your body already has a natural cortisol spike to wake you up and if you let that run its course first, you avoid the crash later and get more out of your caffeine when you do have it.
This is less about a “perfect routine” and more about setting a baseline. Energy, clarity, and control from the start.
05:40am - Breath-work
I’ve been experimenting more with breath-work lately, especially after reading Breath. The focus is simple. Nasal breathing, better control, and understanding how breath impacts performance.
Right now, I run through a Wim Hof-style protocol. Three rounds of deep, controlled breaths, finishing with a long exhale hold.
It’s not just about the technique but it’s about the shift. You move from alert to calm, from stimulation to control.
It wakes me up, sharpens focus, and sets a steady baseline before the day really starts.
05:50am - Stretch
Straight into movement.
I’ve been consistent with this for over a year, and the difference is noticeable. I went from barely touching my toes to moving freely, sitting deep in a squat, and feeling far more athletic day to day.
This is dynamic work, not passive stretching.
It’s about priming the body, not relaxing it.
Short, structured, and intentional. Enough to open everything up and get ready to move.
06:00am - Journal
I stay off my phone completely.
No messages, no emails, no scrolling. It’s too easy to give your attention away before you’ve even had a chance to think for yourself.
Instead, I sit down with my SBA journal.
It’s simple but it works. It puts me back in control of my mindset. Reminds me where I’m going, what I’m working towards, and the standard I want to hold myself to.
Call it whatever you want. Habit, routine, even a bit of self-hype. But it works.
It gets me focused, clear, and intentional about how I’m going to show up for the day ahead.
06:15am - Cardio or Creation
This is where the day splits.
Some mornings it’s movement. A run, a HIIT session, something to get the body working.
Other mornings, it’s straight into work.
Content, planning, scripting, the things that actually move my brand forward.
This is my most productive window.
No distractions, clear head, high energy.
Whether it’s training or creating, this time is non-negotiable.
07:00am - BLND Work
Shift focus.
Now it’s business.
45-minute blocks, one task at a time.
Enough to make real progress without drifting.
Supplier conversations, content strategy, planning events, writing etc.
The work behind the brand.
It’s not always exciting, but it’s what builds momentum.
07:45am - Get Ready
By this point, a lot’s already done.
That’s the power of the morning if its structured.
You’ve moved, created, and made progress before most people have started.
Laptop down. Back to the cabin. Get ready for the day job.
Uniform on, skincare, quick reset and if there’s a spare minute, a bit of Spanish on Duolingo.
By 8:00, it’s time to step into deckhand mode.
08:00am - Deck Work
it’s straight into work.
Mornings usually start with the basics.
Walking the boat, resetting from the night before. Wiping down stainless, clearing dew, bringing everything back to standard.
Nothing complicated, just consistency.
We’ve got about 90 minutes before breakfast, so it’s about building momentum early.
Get the small jobs done, set the tone, and prepare for the bigger tasks ahead.
09:30am - Breakfast
We’re lucky onboard that breakfast is sorted.
But I still keep it controlled. This is where I manage my intake properly.
Eggs, yoghurt, berries, avocado. Simple but intentional.
High protein, moderate fats, lower carbs. Enough to stay sharp without feeling heavy.
I’m not trying to be perfect, just consistent.
Here I take 4000mg of fish oil and 4000 IU of vitamin D.
Eat, reset, now its time for a coffee. I enjoy my cortado while using the remaining time to organise content from the day before. Keeping everything structured makes creating easier later.
Back on deck by 10:00am
10:00am - Big Tasks
Now the real work starts.
This is where we get into the heavier jobs.
Repairs, sanding, polishing, painting. The kind of work that takes time and attention.
Lately, I’ve been working through a lot of varnishing.
It’s slow, repetitive, and precise. Prep, sand, tape, coat, repeat.
You don’t rush it. You just chip away.
Before you know it, half the day’s gone.
12:30pm - Lunch
This is where control drops slightly and that’s fine.
I’m not cooking the food, so it’s never going to be exact. Instead of stressing, I follow a simple structure:
200g cooked Protein,
125g of some kind of salad
125g of cooked vegetables.
That’s it. No seconds, no snacking. Intentional eating
Consistency over perfection.
After eating, I step away. Green tea, out on deck, book in hand.
This is one of the only quiet moments in the day. no distractions. Just time to learn, think, and reset before the afternoon picks up again.
13:15pm - Back to It
After lunch, it’s straight back on deck.
Same jobs, different pace.
One thing you learn quickly, your day is never fully yours.
You get pulled in different directions constantly. Engineers need a hand, interior needs support, someone else needs help finishing a job.
You adapt, adjust, and keep moving.
That’s the job.
15:00pm - Reset
Quick break.
For me, this is fuel for my workout, not just a snack.
I keep it simple: high protein, high carbs, low fat.
Enough to top up energy and set up the session later.
Nothing heavy, nothing that slows me down.
Usually something like protein oats or sourdough with tuna.
Eat, reset, back to work.
17:30pm - Gym
Work wraps around 17:00, go get changed, then it’s straight into training.
If we’re in port, I’m in the gym. If not, I make it work onboard.
Right now, the focus is building lean muscle while stay athletic and lean.
5x Day Split: Day 1. Push, Day 2. Legs, Day 3. Pull, Day 5. Push+Pull combo, Day 6. Arms.
Days 4. and 7. Im taking a break from the gym and focussing on conditioning, generally intervals/tempo and a long zone 2 run.
It’s not always ideal. Long days, limited equipment, changing schedules. But that’s part of it.
You don’t wait for perfect conditions. You train anyway.
Recovery matters just as much. If you’re not managing that, the work doesn’t stick.
18:30pm - Dinner
Straight after training, I keep it simple.
Whey isolate protein shake and a banana.
Quick carbs and protein to start recovery.
Then it’s shower, skincare routine, reset, and into dinner.
Same structure as lunch: 200g cooked protein, 125g of some kind of salad and 125g of cooked vegetables. Nothing complicated, just consistent.
This is my last meal of the day, so I keep it clean, nutritional and plenty of time to digest.
Peppermint tea after which helps with digestion and starts the wind-down.
Supplements I take a digestive enzyme and 25g of zinc because I’m deficient in it.
19:00pm - Business
Shift focus again. Blue light blocker glasses on.
First block goes to HGOESHARD
45 minutes of content, planning, refining ideas.
Second block is BLND
45 minutes of strategy, operations, and building with Capre.
This time matters. It’s where ideas turn into execution.
No distractions, just focused work.
20:30pm - Shut Off
At 20:30, everything stops.
Laptop closed, phone on do not disturb, lights dimmed.
This is where I reflect.
What worked, what didn’t, where I can improve from the day.
Its so important to have the self awareness to identify areas that need work or keep doing.
Then I plan the next day. Three priorities for the day I want to achieve.
Focus on them before doing anything else. Simple
If I don’t plan, nothing gets executed.
Afterwards its magnesium, nighttime routine: clean teeth, nose strip, mouth tape and vix to enhance my breathing throughout the night, unlocking a deeper meaningful sleep.
Into bed by 21:00.
21:00pm - Sleep
In bed and its time to kick into parasympathetic state.
I read for a few minutes. Nothing heavy, just enough to slow things down.
Asleep by 21:30. Giving me just under 8 hours, exactly what I need.
Sleep is non-negotiable. Its where the magic happens.
Everything compounds. Recovery, performance, consistency.
If this is off, everything else follows.
There’s nothing perfect about this routine.
It changes. It adapts. Some days it flows, other days it doesn’t. That’s the reality of life working onboard a super-yacht. Shifting schedules, long days, constant movement.
But that’s exactly why it matters.
This isn’t about having a rigid plan. It’s about having a structure you can rely on, something that keeps you grounded when everything else is unpredictable.
The small things like how you start your morning, how you fuel your body, how you manage your time, they compound. They shape how you show up.
For me, this routine isn’t just about performance. It’s about control. Clarity. Staying consistent in an environment that isn’t.
Because out here, you don’t find balance. You build it, every day.