When Thomas signed the final purchase agreement for his 40-meter displacement motor yacht in Genoa, it was the culmination of a lifelong dream. The yacht was immaculate — steel hull, elegant lines, recent refit, a seasoned captain already in place. It was everything a discerning owner could ask for.

But once the champagne had been poured and the flag was raised, a new reality set in: he had no idea what came next.

“I Thought the Hard Part Was Buying the Yacht”

Thomas had owned smaller boats — a 30-foot express cruiser in Florida and a daysailer in New England — but stepping into ownership of a 40m commercial yacht was a different story.

“I knew there would be responsibilities,” he admits. “But I didn’t realize how much there was to manage — insurance, flag compliance, crew rotations, charter licensing, maintenance scheduling, spare parts tracking… the list just kept growing.”

Even with a capable captain, Thomas found himself fielding dozens of questions daily: Who approves the engineering budget? Where do we keep digital copies of the ISM drills? Do we need a DPA on record? Who’s handling charter tax compliance in France?

“I had no single place to go for answers,” he says. “And no way to see what was being done, what was overdue, or what was about to go wrong.”

Finding a Starting Point

A broker introduced Thomas to Aquator Marine’s team — not as a hard sales push, but as a suggested digital partner for new owners navigating operational complexity.

“I didn’t need a manager to take over,” Thomas recalls. “I wanted a platform that would help me understand what was going on — and give me the tools to stay involved without micromanaging.”

He scheduled a walk-through of Aquator’s platform with his captain, and together they mapped out the first three modules to activate:

• Document Hub to centralize flag state paperwork, manuals, certifications, and warranties

• Planned Maintenance System (PMS) certified by Lloyd’s Register, to track servicing, intervals, and technical responsibilities

• Crew Management to oversee certifications, documents, and hours of work/rest

Building Structure, One Module at a Time

Within two weeks, the captain had uploaded key documents, scheduled preventive maintenance tasks, and created crew profiles — all within the Aquator platform. Thomas received his own login, with a dashboard configured for ownership-level visibility.

“It was the first time I felt like I had control — not over the crew, but over the operation,” Thomas says. “Everything was structured. Everything made sense.”

From there, they added:

• Guest Preference Sheet templates for upcoming family trips

• Charter compliance tracking for the upcoming summer season in the Med

• Budget tracking and expense logging so Thomas could monitor spend by category

Peace of Mind Without Micromanagement

“I didn’t want to become a yacht manager — that’s not my job,” Thomas clarifies. “But I do want to understand what I’m spending, where the risks are, and whether we’re compliant.”

Aquator’s platform gave him exactly that: a clear view of operations, without needing to be copied on every crew message or WhatsApp thread.

He receives a monthly operations summary generated automatically from logged activity, along with a charter performance breakdown and snapshot of overdue tasks.

“I can open the app and know in 10 seconds whether I need to get involved — or whether everything’s under control,” he says. “That’s invaluable.”

A Platform for Learning, Not Just Logging

For Thomas, Aquator has become more than just a digital record-keeping tool — it’s a learning system.

“When you buy a yacht, nobody hands you an owner’s manual on how to operate it,” he explains. “With Aquator, I can see the moving parts of yacht ownership — how the vessel runs, what the crew needs, how costs evolve. That knowledge gives me confidence.”

The platform’s structure also helped standardize communication between him and the captain. Instead of reactive discussions, they now meet monthly to review data — looking at charter revenue vs. OPEX, upcoming maintenance windows, and long-term crew plans.

Chartering with Confidence

In year one of ownership, Thomas chose to charter the vessel selectively. Aquator’s charter templates, guest feedback tools, and digital trip planning modules made it easy to support the crew in delivering a luxury experience.

“We don’t run a high-volume charter program,” he says, “but when we do, I want it to run flawlessly — and now we’ve got the digital structure to support that.”

The Year Ahead

Now entering his second full year of ownership, Thomas is considering expanding the use of Aquator into:

• Refit planning for an interior refresh

• Advanced reporting for insurance, accounting, and winter lay-up

• API integrations with his financial reporting tool

Most importantly, he’s onboarded a new chief stewardess and first mate who were trained directly on the platform — reducing the onboarding time and maintaining continuity.

Final Thoughts

“I started out feeling overwhelmed,” Thomas admits. “Now, I feel informed. I have a great crew, a capable captain, and a platform that connects it all. I’m not on the sidelines — I’m part of the operation, but without the stress.”

Owning a 40m yacht may never be “simple” — but with the right tools and structure, it can be manageable, transparent, and deeply rewarding. We’re excited to simplify Yacht Management for everyone, through our software, education, and community.

Team Aquator