PYT Cape at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2026
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the “Yachting Capital of the World”, will celebrate the 67th year of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Every year, the show exhibits a vast array of the industry’s latest boats and yachts of all sizes, worldwide debuts, plus a medley of marine products and accessories to enhance the nautical lifestyle. From yacht builders and designers to exotic cars and brokerage yachts, this show has something for everyone.
This year PYT Cape will be there too. The show runs from Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 1 November 2026, and you will find us at the show. If you are thinking about getting into yachting, or you are already working and wondering what your next ticket should be, come and find us.
Why stop at the PYT Cape stand
Get a straight answer about your next certificate
The hardest part of building a yachting career is working out the order. Which course comes first, what counts toward sea time, which ticket a captain will actually ask for. It is difficult to work that out from a website. Bring your situation to us at the show and we will map out the route for you in a few minutes, whether you have never set foot on a yacht or you are halfway to an officer ticket.
Lock in your 2027 dates while you are there
Our full 2027 schedule is confirmed, with prices in US dollars. Our 4 Week Superyacht Deckhand Course starts on 4 January 2027 and fills up early every year. The same goes for Master of Yachts 200GT Limited, which runs theory and practical as paired blocks across the year. Talking to us at the show means you can plan flights around a date that is actually available.
Train on real water, not in a simulator room
We run training out of three centres on the Cape coast. Hout Bay is a working harbour on the Atlantic side of the peninsula with open ocean access. Simons Town sits on the warmer, more sheltered False Bay side, which suits practical boat handling and assessments. Knysna is four hours east on the Garden Route, with the Knysna Heads for genuine sea conditions.
Between those three you get everything from flat water to a proper swell, which is exactly what you want when you are learning to handle a boat rather than just passing an exam.
Do the whole path in one place
Our OOW and Master 500GT / 3000GT modules run back to back, so you can book a full run and come away with the lot rather than flying in and out four separate times. For crew who are already working seasons, that is the difference between finishing a qualification this year and stretching it over three.
Ask us the awkward questions
What a season actually pays. What a chief officer looks for in a deckhand. Whether your existing certificates are worth anything. Our instructors have spent real time at sea and would rather give you an honest answer at our stand than have you spend money on a course you did not need.
Further your career with PYT Cape in Cape Town
PYT Cape has been training yacht crew out of the Western Cape for over a decade. Our training is STCW and MCA aligned, and our certificates are recognised by international employers and crew agencies. Classes are small, practical assessments happen on working vessels, and our instructors teach from experience rather than a manual.
We also help with placement support once you are qualified, although we will be straight with you about this: completing a course is not a guarantee of a job. What it does is put you in the running, with the right paperwork and the right skills, at the point in the season when boats are actually hiring.
Come and say hello to us at the show. Bring your questions, we look forward to meeting you!
Cannot make it to Fort Lauderdale?
Browse our introductory courses if you are starting out, or our advanced courses if you are building toward officer level. You can also send us an enquiry and we will come back to you with dates and pricing for the course you are after.
