Alfonso grew up in Santander, a city right on the sea in northern Spain. He began sailing and racing at just eight years old, one of many reasons he is such a passionate sailor today. At eighteen he started working for a sailing school and as a freelance deckhand while completing his Nautical degrees at university, developing strong organizational skills and an ease with people of all ages.

In 2014 he took on his first season as a deckhand aboard a 27-meter sailing yacht. He went on to work across several motor and sailing yachts through their cruising seasons, and raced in the Wally Class during the racing season.