Built by people who live on the water, for UK boat yards
Fourteen years living aboard, a hand in running a campsite and a marina, and five years supporting dealer management systems in the motor trade. We have been the customer and we have been the office — so this is built for both sides.
Our Story
14 years living aboard • 30 years in IT • 5 years in dealership DMS
PayCamp Yards started on a boat. We have lived aboard for fourteen years, and in that time we have helped run a campsite and a marina — enough to learn what the admin side of a marine business really costs you. We have never run a boat yard ourselves. But we have spent years moored in them, watching the same things go wrong: the job card that got rained on, the refit invoiced six weeks late, the whiteboard only one person could read. So we built boat yard management software designed from the ground up for UK boat yards and marine workshops.
We're part of the Towpath Digital family, a UK software company (Towpath Digital Ltd) dedicated to creating practical tools for outdoor and marine businesses. Our team combines deep industry knowledge with modern software development practices.
We have seen this from both sides, and that is why it is built for both. The yard gets the job card, the schedule and the invoice raised the day the work finishes. The boat owner gets a VAT invoice that itemises labour and parts properly, a record of what was actually done to their boat, and their personal data handled the way the law requires. A clear invoice and lawful handling of customer data are still where most yards come unstuck — and neither is optional.
It is built for small and mid-sized UK yards — the ones running on a whiteboard, a spreadsheet and a card machine that does not talk to the books — with digital work orders, intelligent scheduling, and progressive invoicing that understands how boat yards actually operate.
Meet the Founder
Hamish Lowry-Martin
Founder & Lead Developer
With 30 years in IT and 20 years developing business systems, Hamish has built solutions across multiple industries — including five years supporting Dealer Management Systems in car dealerships, going back to configuring FoxPro-based dealer systems in 1998. A marine DMS is the same problem in different overalls: parts with margins, a service history that has to stand up, and a customer who wants a straight answer about their vehicle.
"I watched yards struggle with paper job cards, spreadsheet chaos, and software that was never designed for marine operations. The frustration was real—and fixable. That's why I built PayCamp Yards."
The processes have not changed. A job comes in, parts and labour go on it, an invoice goes out. What has changed is the technology available to run that, and what the customer now expects while it happens — progress they can see, an itemised invoice they can check, and their data handled lawfully. Most yard software is still built as though only the first half matters.
- 30 years in IT
- Dealership DMS since 1998
- 14 years living aboard
Why We Built Specialist Boat Yard Software
The UK marine industry has unique operational challenges that generic business software simply can't address. Boat yards deal with seasonal demand spikes, multi-week refit projects involving multiple trades, tidal access constraints, and customers who expect photographic progress updates on their vessel. Workshop management tools designed for car garages or construction sites miss these nuances entirely.
We built PayCamp Yards because we saw UK marina operators spending more time fighting their software than running their yards. Spreadsheets for scheduling, paper job cards that got lost or damaged, and accounting systems that couldn't handle progressive invoicing on long projects. The result was lost billable hours, delayed invoicing, and frustrated customers.
Our solution is simple: purpose-built features that match how boat yards actually work. Digital work orders that technicians update from the yard floor on any device. Scheduling that understands crane availability and storage zones. Invoicing that lets you bill progressively as each phase of a refit completes. And a mobile app that works offline in areas with poor signal coverage.
Marine-Specific
Built for boat yards, not adapted from generic tools
Yard-Floor Ready
Mobile-first design for real working conditions
Cash Flow Focused
Progressive invoicing keeps revenue flowing
What We Stand For
Built from both sides
Fourteen years living aboard, a hand in running a campsite and a marina, and five years supporting dealer management systems. We have been the customer and we have been the office.
UK Focused
Designed specifically for the UK marine industry. VAT handling, GDPR compliance, and local support as standard.
Customer First
We succeed when you succeed. Our support team is based in the UK and genuinely cares about your business.
Security & Privacy
Your data is encrypted, backed up, and protected. We're fully GDPR compliant and take data security seriously.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about PayCamp Yards, our team, and how we work with UK boat yards.
Related Pages
Get in Touch
Have questions about boat yard management software? Our UK-based team is here to help. Visit our contact page or email us directly.
Ready to Work with Us?
See how PayCamp Yards can transform your boat yard operations. Book a demo with our UK team.