About us

Stefan Varadinov is the team leader and captain of Yasido.com. He is a certified RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore for both sail and motor yachts up to 200GT, as well as a qualified GMDSS radio operator with no restrictions.

Stefan has been recognized with numerous awards for his contributions to the development of sailing and is an active participant in offshore and inshore races such as the Rolex Middle Sea Race, Aegean 600, Aegean Regatta and numerous local competitions.

Additionally, he is certified to be a skipper of vessels up to 300 GT and holds a certificate for yachts up to 24 meters. Stefan possesses extensive experience and knowledge in the chartering and hiring of yachts, both crewed and bareboat. He is currently working on a book about check-in procedures for bareboat charters and has a keen interest in navigation, celestial navigation, meteorology, and Greek language and culture. He also has over a decade of experience in e-commerce and web application development.

Certificates:
RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore (Sail/Motor)
Skipper of pleasure craft up to 300GT (Sail/Motor/Unlimited area)
GMDSS General Operators Certificate (GOC)
Skipper of Sailing Boats up to 25 meters / 78 Feet
Skipper of seagoing vessels up to 40GT
International Certificate for Operators of Pleasure Craft
STCW Basic Safety Training
Marine Environmental Awareness IMO Model Course 1.38
Training for Seafarers with Designated Security Duties
Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) General Operator

Maxim Krizhanovski is the technical guru and driving force behind the project, playing the role of a chief mechanic with exceptional mastery. He graduated from the prestigious National High School of Mathematics and Science and started his professional career in 2004. Maxim has extensive experience in IT security, authoring security bulletins for IDG Bulgaria and numerous articles for leading computer publications such as “Bug” Newspaper and “download” magazine. In the world of development, Maxim has navigated through various languages and technologies—from PHP to Elixir—leaving his mark as a Technical Lead at SiteKreator, Engineering Manager at Tradeo, and Team Lead at TopTal. His passion is evident in his efforts to improve the developer experience and his continuous search for innovations in automated testing and system observability. As a core contributor to rubocop-rspec, Maxim significantly contributes to the world of Ruby development. From 2012 to 2013, he shared his experience and knowledge as a lecturer in "Web Programming with PHP" at Sofia University. It is truly inspiring how more than two decades ago, Maxim and Stefan laid the groundwork for their collaboration on an IT portal, creating something lasting and significant over time.

Stefan Kalaydzhiyski is the grounding force of the team. He ensures the safe navigation of Yasido through any storm. With a solid background in corporate finance, Stefan is responsible for financial and strategic management, ensuring strict cash flow management and sound decision-making. He holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Accounting from Imperial College London (UK) – consistently in the world's top ten; a BASc in Applied Economics and Management from IAE Lyon (France) – one of the leading management schools in France; and a Finance specialization from the Carlson School of Management (USA). Stefan has extensive experience, mainly in Corporate Banking, Investment Management, and Financial Advisory. Stefan developed a passion for boats and sailing back in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2019, when he and Stefan V. met at sea by chance on a trip organized by their friend, that they realized the yacht chartering market needed the expertise of their partnership. Recently, he became a licensed skipper for seagoing vessels up to 40 GT and is eagerly looking forward to participating in regattas.

Boris has been a software engineer at Yasido from the very beginning. He plays a key role in the development of our technological platform, ensuring that all systems operate flawlessly and efficiently. Boris’s love for sailing began during company teambuilding events. Inspired by the beauty of the sea and the freedom of open sailing, he decided to dedicate himself to this sport. Boris quickly mastered the necessary skills and now actively participates in yacht chartering and regattas, applying the same dedication and precision he demonstrates in his work as a software engineer. With his technical expertise and passion for sailing, Boris is an indispensable member of the Yasido team, contributing to our successes both on land and at sea.

Dobrin Stefanov is the artist in our team. He takes on the task of illustrating the landscape of Yasido to meet the latest UX/UI standards and trends. Enthusiastic about sailing and fishing on smaller boats, Dobrin fell in love with yachting through the project. With his creative vision and attention to detail, he contributes to the visual identity and unique style of Yasido, creating an aesthetically pleasing and functional design for users.

Athanasios Raptis was born in Serres, Greece, in 1963. Raised in Athens, he completed his studies in electrical engineering in Greece and architecture in Italy. With over 30 years of sailing experience, including the last 15 years as a professional skipper, he has skippered various types of monohull yachts, catamarans, and motor ships for daily and weekly cruises, as well as flotillas. His extensive sailing background includes navigating most of the Greek islands and the Adriatic Sea, along with participating in numerous races.

His diverse skills extend beyond sailing; he is proficient in snorkeling, fishing, diving, cooking, and night navigation. Additionally, he is adept at solving technical and engineering problems that may arise on a boat and excels in communicating effectively with people from all walks of life. He speaks English, Italian, Greek, and Ancient Greek. During the winter, he resides on a farm in the Serres region, where he engages in agriculture and produces the traditional Greek drink tsipouro. He is married and a proud father of four daughters.