"Reputation through excellence" isn't a tagline for Abi McGrath — it's the principle that has driven every venture she's built in the superyacht industry.
The ACREW Story
Abi founded ACREW to solve a problem she saw firsthand: the superyacht industry lacked a professional platform that truly served crew. Over 15 years, she built ACREW into the industry's leading crew platform, connecting over 50,000 captains and crew with more than 1,000 onshore specialists.
ACREW wasn't just a jobs board — it became a community, a professional network, and an advocate for crew standards. The ACREW Awards, which Abi launched to recognise excellence in crew, became one of the industry's most respected recognition programmes.
From ACREW to YATCO
Abi's move to COO of YATCO — the yachting industry's leading technology and marketplace platform — was a natural evolution. At YATCO, she brings her deep understanding of the crew side of the industry into a platform that serves the entire yachting ecosystem: brokers, builders, owners, and now crew.
Her role at YATCO encompasses operations across the platform, with a particular focus on integrating people-first thinking into a technology-driven business. The combination of ACREW's crew expertise with YATCO's data and marketplace infrastructure creates something neither could achieve alone.
Leadership Style
Abi is known for being direct, practical, and deeply committed to raising professional standards in yachting. She's equally comfortable on stage at industry conferences as she is in one-on-one conversations with crew members navigating career challenges.
Her approach has always been rooted in the belief that the yachting industry's greatest asset isn't its vessels — it's its people. Everything she's built reflects that conviction.
Impact
Built ACREW from scratch into the industry's premier crew platform (50,000+ members)
Created the ACREW Awards — now a fixture of the yachting calendar
Elevated crew welfare and professionalism as industry priorities
Brought crew-first perspective to YATCO's C-suite as COO
