2014 FLIBS: Denison Yacht Sales President Talks Boat Shows

There’s plenty going on in the market now and into the fall and Denison Yacht Sales President Bob Denison, recently sat down with PMY to talk about it. Here’s what he had to say about the upcoming fall boat-show season.

The brokerage market has been pretty solid most of the summer. Our office in Ft. Lauderdale has been a tiny bit slower than the spring season, but the team up in our New York office has been absolutely slammed. Same goes for our office in Seattle.

We’ve been seeing an uptick in brokerage sportfish, and surprisingly catamarans. Our used catamaran sales have actually doubled this Summer, over our 2013 numbers.

Planning for the fall boat-show season really starts about a few weeks after the Palm Beach Show. Sometimes I feel like we’re painting the Golden Gate Bridge, as soon as you’re done with one side, you start on the other, and that glorious loop never seems to end. If you include all of our offices, we’re actually exhibiting in 12 fall boat shows. The amount of coordination, and planning on the marketing side is pretty intense. Luckily, and I really mean this, we have an amazing marketing and events team that helps support this effort. Without them we would have zero boats in any of these shows, and I’d likely have to resort to passing out orange Denison koozies in the parking lot.

The boat shows you’ll find the Denison Crew this fall include, Newport, Rhode Island; Newport Beach, California; Annapolis; Norwalk; Cannes; Monaco; and of course FLIBS. We’ll have a mix of used and new boats at these shows.

A few notable introductions include the MC4 by Beneteau, the MCY86 by Monte Carlo Yachts, and the Fountaine Pajot 47 Power Cat. We’ll also be introducing a new line of Pirelli Yacht tenders, and a few really cool products from Contender in the Convention Center.

On the brokerage side, we’ll be exhibiting two superyachts for the first time at the Cannes Show, TJ Esperanza a 50-meter Amels motoryacht, along with one of the nicest sailing yachts ever built, the incomparable Inmocean a 135-foot Fitzroy.

At Ft. Lauderdale we’ll have a mix of 35 new and brokerage boats, including several sportifsh, motoryachts, tenders, express boats, and trawlers. We’ll also have a few superyachts, including a yacht my father built, News. She’s a 121-foot aluminum motoryacht in amazing condition, ready for sale and/or charter. She was built right here in Ft. Lauderdale at Denison Marine, back when people actually still built big boats here. She’s one of my all-time favorites and will represent an amazing value for someone.

I would advise anyone seriously shopping at a fall boat show, four bits of advice. First, find the right broker. Make sure they know the yacht they’re selling. If you’re looking for a trawler, make sure they eat and breathe trawlers. If you’re looking for a superyacht, make sure you find a broker that has big-boat experience. Too many brokers try to sell whatever boat you’re in the market for, not necessarily the type of boat they specialize in. Ask lots of questions. Its also important to make sure that your broker is licensed and bonded, and is a member of a well-respected association, like the FYBA. I would also recommend working with a broker you personally like. If you find the right broker, you’ll likely be spending a lot of time with them. Make sure you’re spending your time with someone you actually want to have over for dinner.

Second, treat FLIBS like visiting The Louvre. Take your time. Don’t rush any part of your weekend. Plan on visiting as many boats as possible. Take a ton of pictures. Don’t let anyone hurry you off a boat. The show is about you. If you meet a broker that tries to hurry you or pressure you, find someone else to work with.

Third, if you’re seriously looking to buy, bring your checkbook. An offer with a check in hand always weighs more than an offer with a “check in the mail.”

And last, if you’re coming into town for the show, try get a hotel close to the docks and avoid the traffic. Explore the city, walk Las Olas and make the entire experience a fun one. Ft. Lauderdale is a great town that’s become a great place of culture. Lots of great independently owned restaurants, coffee shops, galleries, and hotels. Take the water taxi, charter a boat for a cruise down the New River. As a local kid, I’m a little biased, but I really believe Ft. lauderdale to be the best boating town in the world.