My name is Robert Morera Puertas, born on March 23, 1988. As a child, I spent summers at sailing camps. At 16, my father left a good job to buy 25m. Turkish gulet, planning to use it as a family boat and charter it during summers. This sparked my passion for the industry. We spent two years docked to process the Spanish flag registration, during which I learned boat maintenance basics. At 18, I completed my basic STCW training.
My first job was a two-day charter for the launch of Coca-Cola Zero in Spain, an unforgettable experience in Formentera. From then on, I worked summers as a deckhand/engineer, adapting to various roles on board.
In 2007, inspired by the America’s Cup in Valencia, I studied at the Nautical and Fishing Training School of Catalonia. I spent two years studying mechanics and continued studying while working on the gulet during summers. Without YouTube or Instagram and with fewer crewing agencies, it was challenging to find yacht jobs. A contact told me about Antibes and Bluewater, but my qualifications weren’t recognized, making it difficult to get recruited. I became a commercial diver and worked at a tuna farm, where I was promoted over five years.
David Rico, a captain who worked on my father’s boat, offered me a position on a 33m. yacht in Barcelona. I started as the sole engineer and mate, handling everything on the yacht. After two and a half years, I was offered the captain’s position but declined to avoid taking the job from the person who brought me on. I proposed to another colleague and resigned.
With my wife Diana, I sailed from Barcelona to the Canary Islands on a commercial catamaran. Once there, I took command and stayed for four months, helping set up the boat. Returning, I joined a 40m. yacht in Antibes, M/Y Aladdin, as the Chief Engineer. I stayed for three seasons, improving maintenance systems and developing new practices.
After starting a business with my brothers, I wanted a more relaxed season in 2021 and accepted a position as chase boat captain with Diana as deck/stew. The mother ship M/Y LEL was 50 meters, and I thought it would be a good way to understand larger yachts. At the end of the season, I was offered a permanent chief engineer position. Despite facing challenges with little support, deleted information, and no handover, I learned and adapted.
In February this year, I covered a vacation in Cyprus on the M/Y Sevanna, leading to a recommendation for the M/Y Tatiana. In June 2024, I got my foot on an 80 meter yacht as the 2nd engineer but quickly became the relief Chief Engineer. However, I resigned due to overwhelming responsibilities and maintenance deficiencies. As a professional, I want to do things right. I submitted weekly work reports and a specific one about the maintenance plan, hoping for improvement but feeling punished instead of supported.
Now, I seek my next opportunity, reflecting that it’s not the size of the yacht but the desire to work well that matters. I treat every yacht with care and motivation, inspired by the memory of my father’s boat. My partner, Diana Ruiz, has been my greatest support, following me on this journey, helping and motivating me. Much of my career is thanks to her.
