Yacht programs don't fail in dramatic ways most of the time. More often, they fail quietly: a missed maintenance interval becomes an unexpected breakdown; a rushed crew handover creates preventable risk; a yard period runs long because documentation and scheduling weren't disciplined early. In a market where owners expect reliability and insurers demand measurable risk controls, operational excellence has shifted from "nice to have" to non-negotiable.

That reality is driving demand for a new kind of support—one that blends captain-level accountability with compliance discipline, repeatable systems, and clear, documented communication across all stakeholders.

Freelance Marine Group LLC is built to meet that moment.

Serving Florida Keys, South Florida, the Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the U.S. East Coast, Freelance Marine Group provides a high-accountability model of yacht program support that spans captain services, training and compliance initiatives, yard period management, marine marketing, and yacht program operations—with a consistent emphasis on documentation-forward execution.

At the center of the company is founder Captain Rex Witkamp, a USCG-licensed Master (200 GRT U.S. Flag / 500 GT foreign flag)                 Merchant Mariner Credential whose work bridges multiple disciplines: yacht operations, emergency response, and owner-facing communication—all backed by systems that make complex programs run smoothly.

A captain-led approach to reliability, safety, and communication

What owners and crew agencies often value most is not simply experience—it's reliability under real constraints: timelines, weather windows, crew transitions, yard schedules, vendor coordination, and the communication gap that can appear between technical work and owner expectations.

Freelance Marine Group's approach is structured around preventing that gap.

Owners, captains, brokers, shipyards, and management teams rely on consistent reporting cadence, transparent task tracking, and operational clarity: what's done, what's next, what's pending, what's at risk, and what decisions are needed—without fluff and without surprises. That discipline becomes especially important when a program spans multiple regions and stakeholders.

"Other brokers were either non responsive, didn't show or didn't take him seriously… Rex… would not only listen, but take the time to answer the many questions we had."

That same client emphasized what yacht programs depend on most: patience, consistency, and follow-through on a real timeline.

"Rex has worked diligently with our time line and continues to send us information on boats that he knows are what we are looking for."

Preventative maintenance that actually stays on schedule

Preventative maintenance is often discussed as a concept, yet the operational problem is execution: keeping a yacht truly "ready" requires more than good intentions. It requires a schedule that owners and captains can manage—and a method for tracking what's been completed, what's overdue, and what's coming due across vessel systems, vendors, and seasons.

Freelance Marine Group's focus is turning maintenance into a system that stays visible and actionable, especially across high-use periods and complex cruising plans.

A cornerstone of this model is a trackable, shareable technology workflow designed to keep maintenance organized, transparent, and on time—reducing friction among captains, vendors, shipyards, and owners. Rather than relying on memory, scattered notes, or isolated spreadsheets, the workflow builds a unified "source of truth" that supports routine checks, scheduling, and accountability for completion.

Yard period management that protects timelines and outcomes

Yard periods are where yacht programs can either gain momentum or lose entire seasons. The margin is often defined by planning detail: scope control, vendor sequencing, documentation, and a disciplined punch-list process that is tracked through completion—not simply started.

Freelance Marine Group supports yard period management as a structured operational process, aligning stakeholders around scope, schedule, and reporting cadence so decisions happen earlier, not later. When owners, captains, and shipyards stay aligned, timelines and quality improve—and warranty and documentation outcomes are stronger.

A training and compliance initiative built for insurer confidence

As insurers and underwriters assess risk in yacht programs, training and documentation increasingly matter—not only that training happened, but that it was structured, relevant, and verifiable.

Freelance Marine Group's training and compliance work is anchored by Captain Witkamp's creation of:

Freelance Marine Academy and MARIAs — the Maritime Annual Risk Insurance Assessment, branded Veritas Navis Revelare™.

MARIAs is designed as a proactive, repeatable annual initiative that helps yacht programs improve readiness, reduce preventable incidents, and elevate documentation standards in a way insurers and auditors can understand.

This isn't "training for training's sake." It's training engineered to produce measurable confidence—internally for the crew, and externally for ownership and insurers.

Multidisciplinary experience where it counts most

Freelance Marine Group's operational foundation is strengthened by Captain Witkamp's multidisciplinary background: Shipboard Firefighting and Emergency Medical Services, along with deep water experience across sportfishing and scuba diving—including professional-level diving credentials.

In the modern superyacht environment, that mix matters. Emergencies don't announce themselves. High-impact outcomes often depend on readiness, calm execution, and command of procedures—supported by documentation and training that holds up under scrutiny.

Just as important: the ability to coordinate multiple parties while keeping owners informed in plain language.

That combination—operational discipline + people skills + documentation-forward systems—is reflected in client outcomes. As another client wrote after a long search and complex transaction:

"We want to thank Rex Witkamp for working tirelessly… After searching the entire East coast, we finally found and closed… Rex and the entire team made the transaction seamless."

The standard yacht programs are moving toward

Yachting is evolving. Owners are expecting more predictability, crews are facing higher complexity, and insurers are looking for proof—not assumptions—when evaluating program maturity and risk.

Freelance Marine Group represents a modern response: captain-led oversight, proactive maintenance systems, documented training and compliance, and the communication discipline that keeps programs moving when timelines and decisions are on the line.

For owners, crew agencies, and management teams seeking a higher standard of execution, the next step is straightforward: