Upstream Marine Acquisitions · US, based out of Florida
I buy and grow established marine businesses whose owners are ready to step back.
My name is Damian Adcock. I spent more than eight years working on yachts, from deckhand to captain. Now, as a principal buyer, I partner with owners, strengthen the business, and buy it over time. Day-to-day leadership stays with your team.
Every conversation is private. Nothing is shared without your say-so.
I'll call you back myself within one business day.
A note from me
You built something that matters to a lot of people.
If you have spent twenty or forty years building a marine business, selling it is not just a transaction. It's your people, your customers, your name on the sign, and your family's future.
I know what it means to be trusted with something that belongs to someone else. As a captain, my job was to look after a vessel, a crew and the people aboard as if they were my own, and to hand everything back in better shape than I found it.
That's how I intend to look after the businesses I buy. Your team keeps leading the day-to-day, and you can stay involved through the transition for as long as you'd like. I'm not a fund and I'm not a broker. I'm the person you'd be dealing with, from the first phone call to the handover and after.
If you're starting to think about what comes next, I'd be glad to listen. No pressure, and no rush.
Damian Adcock
Upstream Marine Acquisitions
What owners tell me they worry about
It's rarely just about the price.
Most owners I speak with have the same questions on their mind. They're the right questions, and I'd rather talk about them early.
Your people
Will the team who helped you build this still have a place? I aim to keep your crew together. They are the business.
Your customers
Some have trusted you for decades. I want them to notice the same service, the same faces, and the same care.
Your name
The name on the sign carries your reputation. In most cases I would expect to keep it.
Your family
Your spouse and children have lived this business too. I'm happy to talk with them, and I've written a short letter for them.
Your timing
You set the pace. Whether you want to step back next year or in five, we can plan around it.
Your privacy
Nobody hears about our conversations unless you say so. Not your staff, not your customers, not your competitors.
How it works
Five calm steps. You set the pace.
There are no surprises and no deadlines you didn't agree to. You can pause or stop at any point.
A conversation
We talk about you, your business and what you want. Nothing more.
A confidentiality agreement
Before you share any numbers, we both sign an NDA.
A fair valuation
I explain how I arrive at a price, in plain English.
A structure that suits you
We agree how and when you're paid, and your role.
A careful handover
We introduce the change to your team and customers together.
What I buy
The businesses that keep boats going.
I buy established, founder-owned businesses across the marine industry: the specialists who supply, service, certify and fabricate what boats rely on, and the marinas and yards that look after them.
I'm looking in Southeast Florida: Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin and Monroe.
- Marinas, service and repair yards
- Regulated and recurring marine services
- Components and consumables
- Raw materials and marine chemistry
- Fabrication: canvas, upholstery, stainless, aluminum
- Customs, FTZ and marine logistics
- Sportfishing supply
Why a captain
I've spent my career looking after someone else's asset.
A captain answers for the vessel, the crew, the budget and the safety of everyone aboard. The owner has to trust you completely. I bring that same sense of responsibility to your business.
- 8+ yearsin the yachting industry
- Deckhand to captainlearned from the deck up
- Nearly 3 yearsas captain of a 62-foot solar-electric catamaran
My acquisitions are backed by capital partners or funded through deal structuring tailored to each business. Read more about me
Not ready yet?
Let's stay in touch.
Many owners I speak with are two, three or five years away from stepping back. That's completely fine. A good handover usually starts with a few relaxed conversations long before anything happens.
Free guide: Preparing to sell your business
A short, plain-English guide for marine business owners. What to get in order, what buyers look at, and how to protect your people along the way.
When you're ready, I'd like to hear about your business.
A first conversation is just that: a conversation. No paperwork, no pressure, and you decide what happens next.
Every conversation is private. Nothing is shared without your say-so.
I'll call you back myself within one business day.