When David took on his first yacht management contract, it was just him, a laptop, and a mobile phone. A former chief officer with 12 years at sea, he knew his way around MLC regulations, crew logistics, technical troubleshooting, and spreadsheets. His first client — a 32-meter motor yacht based in Palma — had just switched to commercial registration and needed someone who could be hands-on without the red tape of a larger firm.

“I wasn’t trying to build a company,” David explains. “I just wanted to provide proper support. But within a few months, the calls kept coming — referrals from captains, owners, brokers. That’s when I realized I needed systems, not just hustle.”

The Tipping Point

By the time David was juggling three yachts, his old system — shared folders, colour-coded Excel sheets, and WhatsApp updates — started to fray. Tasks slipped through the cracks. Owner reports took too long to compile. Crew compliance updates became a manual nightmare.

“I wasn’t delivering badly, but I wasn’t delivering consistently,” he says. “I had to choose between growing or staying small. And I didn’t want to compromise on quality.”

That’s when he discovered Aquator Marine — first through word-of-mouth, then through a demo arranged by a captain friend.

The Transition

Rather than diving into everything at once, David started with Aquator’s Document Hub and Crew Management module, using one of his smaller yachts as a test case.

“Instantly, things felt clearer,” he says. “Documents were version-controlled, expiry dates were flagged automatically, and I could onboard crew without chasing PDFs over email.”

Encouraged, he added more modules — Planned Maintenance (PMS), ISM/SMS, and Guest Preference Sheets for a charter yacht he had recently added to his portfolio.

But what surprised him most wasn’t just the features — it was the speed at which he could onboard new yachts.

Delivering Like a Team of Ten

With Aquator’s structure in place, David was able to offer services usually associated with larger management firms:

• Real-time PMS tracking that owners could access via dashboards

• ISM audits and safety drills logged directly by the captain or engineer

• Automated alerts for insurance, crew docs, and flag surveys

• Customised guest experience planning sent out as digital forms

• Monthly owner reports auto-generated from logged data

  
  

“What would’ve taken me five spreadsheets and three reminders now happens through the platform,” David says. “Clients thought I’d hired a team.”

Growing the Business, Not the Headcount

By the end of his second year, David was managing six yachts across Spain, Italy, and the Caribbean. But instead of hiring an assistant or offloading work to subcontractors, he continued running lean — using Aquator as the operational backbone.

“It’s not that I’m trying to stay small — it’s that the platform lets me scale smart,” he explains. “I now say yes to bigger projects because I know the foundation is solid.”

In fact, David has recently started offering temporary relief services for shipyards and new builds — setting up maintenance plans, document structures, and crew systems before the yacht goes into operation.

“It’s a new revenue stream I hadn’t even considered,” he says. “But with Aquator, I can deliver it without having to reinvent the wheel each time.”

A Platform That Moves With You

As Aquator Marine continues to develop, David benefits directly — from new modules like refit budgeting and voyage logs to integrations with AIS tracking and accounting tools.

He’s also now part of the company’s early-access client group, offering feedback on features and seeing what’s next before it's publicly launched.

“It’s not just software,” David reflects. “It’s a partnership. They understand what I need as a manager because most of their team has lived this life.”

Advice for Other Independent Yacht Managers

For other managers considering a jump from reactive tools to structured digital operations, David’s advice is simple:

“Start with one yacht. Pick the pain point you deal with the most — maintenance, crew, compliance — and digitise just that. Once you see the impact, scaling becomes the easy part.”

Today, David’s brand has grown from a name on a spreadsheet to a small, respected outfit supporting a fleet of yachts across two continents — all without a bloated headcount, and all thanks to finding the right platform early. We’re excited to simplify Yacht Management for everyone, through our software, education, and community.

Team Aquator