The Smartest Wave Yet: How Yacht Crew Investing Is Rewriting Financial Freedom

A New Mindset for Modern Yacht Crew Investing

For too long, yacht crew investing has been overlooked in an industry known for luxury, travel, and short bursts of high income. But former yachtie Josh Swart—guest on Rich AF with Charl Minnaar (The Yachting Investor)—believes it’s time for a cultural shift.

At just twenty-two, Swart has already lived through the cycle that traps many: good money, world travel, then the shock of starting over when the contract ends. His wake-up call? Realizing that even a deckhand’s salary can build real wealth with a strategy rooted in patience and yacht crew investing discipline.

“When I came home from my last season, I realized the money runs out fast if you don’t have a plan. That’s when I got serious about understanding how to make it work for me.”

Compound Interest: The Heart of Yacht Crew Investing

During the interview, Josh simplifies what most find intimidating—compound interest. In the world of yacht crew investing, he calls it “the eighth wonder.”Earn 10 percent once, and it’s progress. Earn 10 percent again—on your new, larger total—and you’ve started the snowball that quietly creates millionaires.

It’s not glamorous, he admits. It’s not crypto or flipping stocks. But time and steady growth are what give yacht crew investing its real power.

“It’s the time in the market that wins every time. You don’t need to trade. You just need to stay invested.”

Building Knowledge: Books Behind Yacht Crew Investing

Swart’s reading list is refreshingly practical. Titles like High Performance by Jake Humphrey and The Stoic Path to Wealth reflect his philosophy: slow growth, smart discipline, and mindset before money.

These ideas align perfectly with yacht crew investing because they emphasize behavior over luck. For crew constantly on the move, this mindset means turning downtime between charters into learning time—and turning income into opportunity.

ETFs: The Simpler Side of Yacht Crew Investing

When explaining the difference between trading and investing, Josh prefers to keep it simple. Yacht crew investing, he says, doesn’t require a finance degree.

He compares an ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund) to buying a slice of 500 apartments instead of one. If one burns down, the others stand strong. That analogy captures the safety and scalability that make ETFs perfect for yacht crew investing—especially for crew who don’t have the hours or appetite for daily market watching.

Redefining Success Through Yacht Crew Investing

Financial freedom, in Josh’s view, isn’t measured by watches, cars, or cocktails in Monaco. It’s the freedom to walk away from a toxic boat, to take a break, to choose peace over pressure.

Through yacht crew investing, he believes every seafarer—no matter their rank—can build that freedom by treating money as a crewmate, not a fleeting guest.

“When you can say no to something that doesn’t serve you, that’s financial freedom.”

Educating the Industry: The Future of Yacht Crew Investing

Josh Swart isn’t stopping at theory. He’s founded the Yacht Crew Wealth Circle, a WhatsApp community dedicated to practical education and weekly “money drops.” For him, yacht crew investing isn’t just about personal success—it’s about raising the entire industry’s financial literacy.

He envisions training programs where crew learn budgeting, compounding, and global investing alongside safety drills. Because financial wellbeing, he insists, is just as vital to longevity in yachting as mental or physical health.

A Takeaway for Every Seafarer

Yacht crew investing is more than a buzzword; it’s a lifeline for those willing to plan ahead. Josh Swart’s journey proves that success in yachting doesn’t end when the contract does.

By saving early, investing steadily, and staying curious, today’s crew can chart a course toward genuine independence—one compound step at a time.