Yacht Sales in the United States Climb 18% in November 2013

Yacht brokerage boat sales in the U.S. rose 18% in November as 1,983 boats were sold, a gain of almost 300 from the same month in 2012.

The value of boats and yachts sold during the month totaled $233.7 million, a 6% increase from 2012. November also was the seventh consecutive month of record sales for the years 2008 to 2013, according to YachtWorld member brokers reporting in SoldBoats.com, their proprietary database.

Brokers selling powerboats reported especially improved sales. The 1,535 boats sold were a 21% improvement from November 2012. The total price paid was up 6% to $195.2 million, reflecting a lower average sale price.

Sailboat brokers had similar results: 448 boats were sold, an increase of 8%, but the total sale value was $38.5 million, a gain of only 5 percent.

The strong volume increase in November can be attributed to gains in the mainstream of the market — boats under 45 feet. Sales of boats 36 to 45 feet were up 20% to 511. The aggregate price paid rose 39 percent to $68.8 million, lifting the average price paid from $116,000 to $135,000.

Among boats 26 to 35 feet, sales were up 10 percent to 739. A smaller increase in the average price was achieved as the total value of sales increased 13 percent to $44 million.

In the smallest size category, boats under 26′, the volume increase was the greatest (29%) with 532 sold. Average prices declined slightly as the aggregate price paid ($11 million and up 25%) did not match the increase in volume. That contrasts with sales values in this category for the year to date: 5% more boats have been sold, a total of 9,697, at an average price that has increased from $20,600 to $21,800.

With 11 months of the year on the books, nearly 30,000 boats have been sold and the number already has exceeded the sales of any year since 2007, when 34,000 changed hands.

Source: John Burnham is the editorial director of YachtWorld