Love this forum and could use some advice

As much as you're not going to want to hear this... I'll share.
Go to school. Stay in school. Earn your degree(s).

As sexy as it sounds to jump aboard a mega yacht and aimlessly wander the world at a millionaires expense, all the while, seeing some great places along the way, it is an incredibly small marketplace. Hiring a 'good looking kid who's energetic' is a 1:1,000,000 outcome, unless you know the millionaires club personally.

You're not the only one with this wish and desire to do so.
Figure out what you want to study, become an expert in it, and sell yourself (with that skill, trade and wealth of knowledge) to the industry in which you desire. (in this case, the yachting world).

Be careful what you wish for. With the attitude that you are exhibiting you are open yourself up to a situation where you could be doing something for basically nothing just for the privilege of being there. Do not forget that this is a job just like any other, it just happens to be on the water. You will still require the proper training and education to make a decent living. Otherwise you run the risk of being a deckhand for a very long time.

"Otherwise you run the risk of being a deckhand for a very long time."
Castlerock forgot to mention that there are very few old deckhands.

Do you want this bad enough to work for it? I mean really work for it. Get into the Navy, have them put you through school. Learn engineering and electronics. Maybe get some security training. In your "spare time" work part-time in one of the marinas or boatyards around Norfolk. No captain wants some wet behind the ears dummy with a dream that they have to watch out for. They want a professional who can be counted on. Those crew members you talked with told you the glamour; the excitement. We all do it. Believe me, there is a whole other side to this business, and like any job this will become a job. Eventually you are going to want or need to be the engineer or captain or..... and you better have the training. Once you have the training and the knowledge then you can start paying your dues and work your way up.
Good luck. It sounds like you've got a good attitude.
P.S. if you want this future don't mess up by getting married or having a child while you're in the Navy. Those bennies are very attractive to the ladies. Keep your eye on the prize.

It sounds to me like your first year of college is going to be a waste of money if you don't have the desire or focus to be there.
That being said, I would say to get your STCW training and head to Ft. Lauderdale. You'll find some work (although you may starve a little at first), but don't rule out the idea of only yachting for 1 year before going to college. Believe it or not, most upper level crew have college education.

It is definately possible for you to get a job as a deckhand on a yacht. Fort Lauderdale would be an easier place to get on a yacht. BUT, get your STCW and walk the docks in Norfolk and see if anyone is hiring. Don't be afraid to talk to dockmasters, captains, and whoever you run into. Check out crewunlimited and crewfinders in fort lauderdale. They both have websites. Be honest with people that you are interviewing with, if a Captain likes you, he may take you on. Buy books, learn how to tie ropes, navigation, anchoring, yacht maintanence and things like that. It is also possible to get a job at a larger marina as a dockhand and then sooner or later you'll run into someone looking for a deckhand as well. It is definately possible, but you will have to work for it and possibly starve a little before you get your foot in the door.

"Buy books, learn how to tie ropes, navigation, anchoring, yacht maintenance and things like that."
tie "ropes"???
An 18 year old with nothing but a H.S. diploma has no future in this world. This is not the 1960's. He's heading into a very competitive world filled with educated young men & women. BTW, before you start pounding any docks know that the only "ropes" on a boat are attached to a bucket or an anchor, and navigation, anchoring, yacht maintenance and things like that aren't learned from a book. They're learned at some very serious schools and from OJT.

love this forum and can use some advice

First can a kid of 13 (me) who knows he wants to be a capt/engineer already be a member of this forum without having to use mom's name.
Read, 'obsession yachts and all things that float' you will know who I am.
Navy has been recommended to me as a career path what about the merchant navy?????
What is better in you guys opinion?????
My Grandad did the merchant navy way at 16.
He wanted to get out of school but that was 1961.
I asked before what do you guys recommend as subject choices at school.
In the UK we do not do H.S certs but O and A level subjects that are related to our training and career choice.
Which is better Navy or some kind of marine/engineering degree (mom would prefer the degree route)
Can I study and deckie at same time????
I want qualifications as well as experience.
IYT, Ft L will be visited at sometime but looking for best qual's possible.
By the way Nycap 123 without meeting girls and having families there would not be future little yachtcrews.......
In this day and age we can have it all with careful planning.
My mom jumps up and down with feminine fury at your comments.
You do not watch she will have my sibling heading yacht captain school whilst encouraging her to have a family and other half at the same time.
It is 2008.
Recommend good junior sail school near Edinburgh, please???????

Dear Toira's Kid,
Or should I say Future Admiral. Obviously it's in your blood. Your mom must have her hands full with you. Welcome. I know of one other kid (just 16) on this Forum and I wish I knew as much as he about yachts. I DK much about schools in the UK, but I'd absolutely rec the marine/engineering degree. That piece of paper will set you apart from all the other wannabe's. Hope that may put me in better sted with your mom. Sure an old chauvanistic seadog pig like me will tick her off again within minutes. Seriously though, you've got plenty of time to deal with the ladies. Can you study and deck at the same time? There are ways, but again, at 13 don't be too much in a hurry to grow up. Enjoy being 13 and all that brings. Best to your mom.

Ken gave you the best advice so far. If you are not motivated to go to college then it will probably be a waste. I went to college for a year, while knowing what I really wanted was a career in yachting and it was a basically a year of my life down the drain. Don't get me wrong a college education is a great thing but you will only get out of it what you put into it. Although there have been a few times at 2 or 3am bashing through rough seas where I wished I had finished school and had another option.

Starting off young the thing you have to remember is in this industry, you will have to pay a lot of dues before the money and exotic travel find you. I got on any boat I could to get my initial expirience. Sometimes I made a little money, sometimes I made no money at all but I always took away as much expirience as I possibley could.

If I were you I would go to Ft. Lauderdale in mid to late September, move into a crew house, get your STCW, do as much daywork on yachts as possible and start networking. The best oppurtunities are generally in the month leading up to the boat show. I would list with all of the crew agencies and also, look at crew4crew.net.

When you impress people with your hard work and determination the jobs will definitely follow. Good luck.

PS Out of curiosity, which crew did you speak with?

I agree

I agree! I'm gonna piggy back off of this reply

I would first suggest reading Julie Perry's book The insiders guide to becoming a yacht stewardess. Though you might have done another job this is a good book to just flip through. This stew went to law school and knew since she was a child that she would be a lawyer. That all changed when she took an interest in the industry. If your long term goal is to become a Captain than this is the industry for you and you can be the next youngest captain. The industry is growing. Go where your heart is. I have a BA and working on my MA. I only went to school because everyone told me to. Its great to get the letters after your name but with out hardcore experience anyone with a degree will still have to work from the bottom when starting almost any job! think hard about this put your resume out there and make a living doing what you love doing the most. That's healthy!

I wouldn't so much suggest the Navy but I would suggest the Coast Guard Reserves! You can get Tuition assistance to pay for school and still get more money via the GI bill and still work on boats part time! Navy is a tough life and can discourage you from the boating industry completely! The Coast Guard! A better choice. I work at the Training Center and process students every few weeks. the school is very good and you will learn all the skills you need to be a Bosun

I would also suggest finding out when the boat races on the east coast are and the Ft. Lauderdale boat show is. The show is a great opportunity to get in and meet several captains and get some daywork.