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Now more than ever, career change inspiration is a good thing. Last year, HITC introduced you to former City employees who have become ski instructors, travel company bosses, and rock stars. Now it's time to meet the man at the helm. Of the yacht. In the Caribbean.
Peter Firth used to work for a financial practice advising, sourcing and arranging mortgages for City folk. He left in 2005 to pursue a sailing career, and is now an engineer on a private yacht in the Caribbean.
When did you decide you'd had enough of City life?
It was March 2005. I was commuting into London Bridge from the south coast, and it was a clear blue sky and there was a fresh breeze. That's when I decided I should escape the office and get out into the open air. The change of lifestyle and breaking away from routine were the driving force behind my decision.
Was sailing the next step for you, or did you consider anything else for your second career?
Sailing was a natural step for me as I had been sailing dingies and yachts as a hobby for a few years before I left London. I have always felt comfortable on the water, and many of my best friends are from the sport. So after a little research into the opportunities within the yachting industry, retraining and beginning a new career became an easy step. I feel lucky that even when I'm not working on the boat, I still love taking a smaller yacht for a sail with friends.
What kind of background is required to be a yacht engineer and how long did your training take?
To get formal qualifications I first went on an excellent Yachtmaster course with Flying Fish. I spent 12 weeks between the Solent, training and racing in Cowes week, then over to Australia for the Hamilton Island regatta and the 1000 miles down the east coast to Sydney. Once I had gained my commercial Yachtmaster licence I worked for Neilsons in Greece as an Engineer and Trainer. The willingness to be 'hands on' and ability to diagnose and rectify faults on the many types of systems on yachts were important attributes for my move toward the engineering role. After two seasons with Neilson, I found myself on a 125ft luxury yacht as Engineer, spending time in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and East coast USA. My formal training is continuing with MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) to allow me to progress to chief Engineer in the near future.
It's easy to imagine the perks that come with your job. What your favourite?
It may sound dull, but going from a two-hour commute to two seconds is great. Also, living on a luxury yacht, being paid offshore in US dollars, and travelling the world are great perks. It has to be said though, at the end of a hard day (believe it or not it is hard work), sitting on deck with a cold beer watching a Caribbean sunset is an amazing feeling.
You must know the Caribbean pretty well by now. Do you have a favourite island?
I would say the British Virgin Islands are probably my favourite. There are so many stunning bays and beaches to visit, the people are relaxed and friendly, and the whole atmosphere is chilled out and fun. I do spend quite a bit of time in St Martins though which is a little more bustling with a party feel. You get to know plenty of other yacht crews as many of the larger yachts come here between charters.
When did you decide you'd had enough of City life?
It was March 2005. I was commuting into London Bridge from the south coast, and it was a clear blue sky and there was a fresh breeze. That's when I decided I should escape the office and get out into the open air. The change of lifestyle and breaking away from routine were the driving force behind my decision.
Was sailing the next step for you, or did you consider anything else for your second career?
Sailing was a natural step for me as I had been sailing dingies and yachts as a hobby for a few years before I left London. I have always felt comfortable on the water, and many of my best friends are from the sport. So after a little research into the opportunities within the yachting industry, retraining and beginning a new career became an easy step. I feel lucky that even when I'm not working on the boat, I still love taking a smaller yacht for a sail with friends.
What kind of background is required to be a yacht engineer and how long did your training take?
To get formal qualifications I first went on an excellent Yachtmaster course with Flying Fish. I spent 12 weeks between the Solent, training and racing in Cowes week, then over to Australia for the Hamilton Island regatta and the 1000 miles down the east coast to Sydney. Once I had gained my commercial Yachtmaster licence I worked for Neilsons in Greece as an Engineer and Trainer. The willingness to be 'hands on' and ability to diagnose and rectify faults on the many types of systems on yachts were important attributes for my move toward the engineering role. After two seasons with Neilson, I found myself on a 125ft luxury yacht as Engineer, spending time in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and East coast USA. My formal training is continuing with MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) to allow me to progress to chief Engineer in the near future.
It's easy to imagine the perks that come with your job. What your favourite?
It may sound dull, but going from a two-hour commute to two seconds is great. Also, living on a luxury yacht, being paid offshore in US dollars, and travelling the world are great perks. It has to be said though, at the end of a hard day (believe it or not it is hard work), sitting on deck with a cold beer watching a Caribbean sunset is an amazing feeling.
You must know the Caribbean pretty well by now. Do you have a favourite island?
I would say the British Virgin Islands are probably my favourite. There are so many stunning bays and beaches to visit, the people are relaxed and friendly, and the whole atmosphere is chilled out and fun. I do spend quite a bit of time in St Martins though which is a little more bustling with a party feel. You get to know plenty of other yacht crews as many of the larger yachts come here between charters.
