Location: Roo Bay Farm, Homa Bay, Kenya
Are you an experienced, safety-conscious, and professional skipper who takes pride in operating premium boats and delivering exceptional service?
We are seeking a Senior Skipper to join Victory Farms Kenya. You will command MAKO, our new executive boat, ensuring safe, smooth, and reliable crossings for our guests while maintaining high standards of safety, presentation, and discretion.
You will be responsible for maintaining a well-kept boat and well-drilled crew, with the opportunity to progress into the role of Chief Pilot for the wider fleet upon demonstrating strong performance.
This is a hands-on leadership role for a dependable skipper who takes pride in operational excellence, safety, and guest experience.
The Vessels:
• MAKO (your command): a new aluminium monohull executive boat powered by twin COX 300 hp diesel outboards. It has an enclosed, air-conditioned wheelhouse and guest cabin, an onboard toilet, a covered aft deck, radar and stern boarding platforms.
• WAHOO: our second executive boat, used alongside MAKO and as its back-up.
Where the role sits:
The fleet belongs to Lake Logistics. The Lake Logistics Manager heads the department, with a Fleet Supervisor responsible for boats and crews day to day. Under the Fleet Supervisor sit the Chief Pilot, the skippers of each vessel group and the deck hands. Victory Farms groups its vessels as follows (this is an internal grouping, not an official maritime classification):
| Vessel group | Vessels | Use |
| Large vessels (over 5 t) | WALRUS, LOGGERHEAD, Barge 1 | Heavy lake transport. Skipper plus crew |
| Executive vessels (1–5 t) | MAKO, WAHOO | Guest transport and management |
| Operational craft (under 1 t) | Chromises, Oreos, Orcas, Whalies | Daily farm work: cage, net, dive and crew transfers |
PRIORITY 1 — Command of MAKO
- Full command. You hold full command of MAKO (and WAHOO when assigned) and are responsible for the safety of vessel, crew and passengers.
- Before every trip: confirm the passenger list, times and landing points with the Manager on Duty. Check the weather and decide go/no-go. Personally complete the pre-departure checklist: engines, fuel, lights, VHF, safety equipment, stability and loading.
- Boarding: brief guests on safety and confirm lifejackets are worn correctly. Keep an accurate manifest. On safety, your authority is absolute, whoever is on board.
- Guest standard: always punctual, with the boat spotless and the crew in uniform. Be courteous and discreet with guests. Have a back-up plan ready for every trip.
- Handling: dock, moor and anchor precisely at all piers and moorings. Drive the boat smoothly with guest comfort in mind.
- Night passages: never sail single-handed at night. A competent second crew member must be on board and awake throughout.
- Reporting: report every incident, near-miss, contact or defect immediately to MOVCON, the Manager on Duty and the Fleet Supervisor, whatever the hour. Do not sail a damaged vessel until it has been assessed.
- Records & upkeep: keep the logbook, manifests, fuel and engine-hour records up to date. Carry out routine maintenance and basic troubleshooting, and escalate safety defects until they are fixed.
- Relief skippers: train, assess and sign off relief skippers before they operate MAKO or WAHOO unsupervised (about two days per month).
PRIORITY 2 — Progression to Chief Pilot
Once you have shown safe, reliable command of MAKO and are confirmed through performance review, you will be appointed Chief Pilot. You will keep MAKO as your own command and take on the following:
| Training & competency | Train, assess and sign off all skippers and deck hands for each vessel group (manoeuvring, docking/mooring, anchoring, emergencies). Keep a competency register. No one skippers a vessel unsupervised without sign-off. |
| Standards & arrangements | Own the Marine SOPs, pre-departure checklists and vessel-readiness standard: seaworthiness, lights, VHF, fire equipment, mooring and anchor gear. |
| Large-vessel deployment planning | Plan deployments of the large vessels (WALRUS, LOGGERHEAD, Barge 1): assign skipper and crew, confirm vessel readiness, set the voyage plan and weather limits, and brief crews. Coordinate with MOVCON and the Fleet Supervisor, who set operational priorities. |
| Emergency preparedness | Run regular man overboard, collision, fire and water-ingress drills, and check the equipment works. |
| Incident reporting & follow-up | Receive every incident and near-miss report. Investigate, record root cause and corrective action, and follow up until each action is closed. Report trends to management every month. |
Authority:
On safety grounds, and without prior approval, the skipper may delay, cancel, reroute or return; stand down unfit crew; refuse boarding to anyone ignoring safety instructions; and withdraw a vessel from service.
Qualifications and Requirements:
- Certification: a commercial skipper or master licence accepted by the Kenya Maritime Authority (for example RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or Advanced Powerboat, commercially endorsed). Valid STCW Basic Safety Training, VHF radio certificate, first aid and seafarer medical.
- Experience: at least 5 years as skipper of commercial passenger boats of 8–14 m, including twin-outboard handling and documented night navigation.
- Skills: confident with radar, chartplotter, AIS and VHF. Strong seamanship and vessel handling in changing conditions. Practical mechanical ability.
- Leadership: able to manage and train crew. Confident and polished with high-end guests. Writes clear English for logs, checklists and incident reports.
- Advantage: a background in premium guest-facing boat operations, experience training or assessing other skippers, knowledge of diesel outboards, and knowledge of Lake Victoria. Must be eligible to work in Kenya.
What we offer:
A competitive package matched to experience, with shift and on-call arrangements that reflect a 24/7 operation. We provide on-site accommodation and a company mobile phone. The role has a clear path to Chief Pilot inside a high-growth, mission-driven aquaculture company.
How to apply:
Send a 2-page CV and a cover letter to recruit@victoryfarmskenya.com with the subject line “Senior Skipper – MAKO”. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.