Yacht Brokerage Sales Report a Small Dip in December 2010

1,575 brokerage superyachts, boats, and sailboats were sold in the United States during December 2011, a 1% decline from December 2010, according to U.S. yacht broker members of YachtWorld.com reporting in Soldboats.com. Those yacht sales brought 2011 sales to a close with 28,669 boats sold, 3% fewer than the 29,485 boats that were sold in 2010. The total value of sales for December was $193 million, $47 million less than 2010 totals. However, for the year, the total value of brokerage sales rose $111 million, to $3.3 billion.

Superyacht sales drove virtually all of the higher sales valuations for 2011. Sales of yachts over 80′ were up 10% for the year, to 161, and the value of those sales was up 54%, by $260 million. Although boats between 46 and 55 feet sold 2% better during the year and sold for a total value that was $3 million higher than in 2010, in all other size categories the number of sales and total value of sales were lower. Among boats 45′ and shorter, 26,225 were sold, a 3% decline from 2010; the value of those sales was $1.56 billion, a 4% decline.

On a percentage basis, powerboat sales held up better against the previous year than sailboat sales for most months during the year, and this was the case again in December 2011, when powerboat sales of 1,222 were about half a percent lower than the previous December. Sailboat sales dropped 2%, with 353 boats sold.

However, the value of powerboat sales declined 23%, to $163 million, while the value of the sailboat sales increased 6%, to $29 million. For the year of 2011, both powerboat and sailboat sales values finished up 3%, at $2.88 billion and $426 million, respectively.

Source: John Burnham, Dominion Marine Media