Meet the Winners of the 2025 Crew Creator Awards

For years, crew-launched businesses and charitable endeavors have been highlighted in these pages under taglines like “crew created” and “crew with a cause.” Now we’ve made it official with the first annual Crew Creator Awards.

The caliber of entries for the inaugural awards was outstanding, says Dockwalk editor Erik Petersen, who chaired the judging process. This didn’t come as a big surprise; after all, crew are a pretty remarkable group. The top 0.1 percent don’t hire just anyone to maintain their favorite toys; yachting tends to recruit those with boundless talent and energy, toting more university degrees and specialist skills than one might think necessary to swab the deck. So it’s only natural that crew’s innate vivacity would spill over into business acumen, social-media influence and philanthropy.

The entries were whittled down to nine very worthy finalists in three categories, and from those emerged three exceptional winners. Here are those the judges deemed the best of the best.

Enterprise of the Year

Oceanform was started by two crew who were frustrated with their uniforms, Julie Dahl Joergensen and William Nicholson, who last worked together on a 228-foot motor yacht. Calling their workwear “outdated and uncomfortable,” they also noted that the uniforms took too long to maintain, hence took time away from other duties. The premise was to create a new line of high-quality performance workwear with modern designs that would contribute to an ever-more responsible industry, reflecting superyachting’s evolving environmental values. “Starting a premium clothing company is tough, but starting a premium, responsible workwear company in one of the most demanding industries in the world is even tougher,” they said in their award application.

They rose to the challenge. The business launched in January 2024, and by the fourth quarter, sales were on a steep upward climb. No doubt contributing to this are partnerships with top brands like Musto and Henri-Lloyd and collaborations with influencers like Emery Wallerich (@thatyachtiegirl), who showed her nearly 800,000 followers on TikTok just how stretchy and comfy the kicky Wave Skort and Wave Dress (with integrated shorts!) were as she made beds to Dance Party with Beyoncé.

In addition, the business has committed to “a fully responsible supply chain,” producing the clothing in Europe using locally sourced fabrics made from recycled materials and eco-friendly finishes, all with an energy-efficient production process. And to top it all off, they donate one percent of revenue to ocean conservation initiatives.

Watch this space, Oceanform is only getting started and will likely be making more “waves” in seasons to come.

The winner will receive a dedicated coaching class with judge and entrepreneur Edward Thomas​, Founder and Director, Gym Marine Yachts & Interiors.

Initiative of the Year

This initiative won not only because of what Freedom’s crew did, but also because it’s what every yacht could do, with little strain on the owner. “Everybody can do Dock, Walk and Donate, in any port,” said one judge.

The fact that Freedom’s crew entered this awards competition means donating rather than dumping unwanted goods is not regularly happening around the industry, the judges pointed out. But if the initiative could be rolled out across the industry, the potential to make a difference is enormous, they said, envisioning a future where agents and provisioners include information on donation sites with their welcome packs and deliveries.

For now, Freedom is leading the way: “We now make a point to research pantries or food donation sites we might run into on our trips beforehand, and make sure to drop something at every location that we can,” say the crew.

The winning yacht will receive complimentary yoga equipment from Gym Marine​ Yachts & Interiors.

Content Creator of the Year

Madison Steadman

There are few industries better suited for social-media content than the exclusive world of yachting. This category recognizes current crew members who have harnessed its powers for good, producing engaging and high-quality content that stands out for its creativity and relevance.

With content running the gamut from educational to entertaining, each finalist was exemplary for different reasons: Captain Kelly Gordon for the value she is offering with her platforms; Caitlin Nugent (@superyachtgirl) for engaging content with great metrics and Madison Steadman for her aptitude and professionalism.

Ultimately, Madison slid into the number one slot with the judges in awe of her sheer talent, calling her photography, “fantastic,” “beautiful” and simply “beyond.”

In her previous life, Madison studied communications at university and worked at a media agency, a job she left behind to, as she puts it, “chase my passions: traveling, yachting and sharing this incredible lifestyle.” She worked on two vessels as a stew/photographer before joining the Infinite Fleet (Infinite Jest and Jester) as a stew. Her photos taken during their maiden voyage to Antarctica were featured in the likes of BOAT International and Forbes. Recently she was promoted to fleet media and content creator.

As @maddiesheaaaa, her personal Instagram showcases her stunning photography while her TikTok is full of fun, quirky videos. Both have, as the judges put it, “a well-presented message,” and they call her “an extremely positive influence on the industry.”

“My platforms showcase that a life full of travel and adventure isn’t just possible — it’s immensely fulfilling,” Madison said in her application. “I’m just a regular person who decided to make the world my office and I hope to inspire others to think outside the box and take that leap towards what they love.”

As the Infinite Fleet opens to chartering, Madison may get to share more of her work that was previously private, which will certainly garner her more followers. But for her, it isn’t about the numbers.

“For me, success isn’t about how many likes or followers I get,” she says. “It’s about inspiring others, whether they’re yachting enthusiasts or not, to go after what they love and to do it with respect for our beautiful world.”

The lucky winner will receive a $1500 travel voucher, kindly donated by leading travel management company, Global Marine Travel (GMT). GMT provide value and expertise to the marine sector with their team of professionals available 24/7/365 offering specialized airfares, state-of-the-art technology and years of experience in airline schedules, visa requirements, cost savings and superior levels of service to their valued clients. flygmt.com

Judges’ Special Commendation 

Nominations for the 2026 awards will be open soon. For more information, please contact events@boatinternationalmedia.com.