Yacht Brokerage Sales Increased in June

SoldBoats Report for June 2015 shows the best June sales volume in 8 years. Brokerage sales volume increased to 3,649 boats in June, a 3% gain over sales in the previous June, according to sales reports by YachtWorld member brokerages in SoldBoats.com.

The number of boats sold was more than in any other June since 2007 and was just 12 boats shy of the best sales month, May 2014, since the Recession.

Unit sales of both power and sailboats were up 3% during the month, with 3,084 powerboats and 565 sailboats sold. Total value of sales was lower among both types of boats, with power declining 16%, from $442 to $372 million; sailboat sales values were down 5%, from $43 to $41 million.

The key to the volume increase in June was a 12% gain in sales among boats 26′ to 35′, with a total of 1,472 boats sold. The largest boats sold well, too, especially boats 56′ to 79′, which experienced a 40% increase, with 102 boats reported sold.

Other segments of the market were level or declined in sales, especially boats under 26′, with 1,171 boats sold, down from 1,219 in June 2014. On a percentage basis, sales slipped most among boats 46′ to 55′, with 169 boats sold, a 15% decrease.

The total value of the boats sold in June was $413 million, a decline of 15% from $485 million a year earlier. This decline was due mainly to the sale of lower priced superyachts. In June, a year earlier, 18 boats were sold that were 80′ and up for a total of $185 million. In 2015, 20 boats were sold, but collectively netted only $54 million. This value loss in the market was somewhat made up for by gains in other segments, notably among boats 56′ to 79′, increasing by $37 million to $84 million total, and boats 46′ to 55′, up $14 million, despite fewer sales as noted earlier.

Sales for the year to date were down 2%, with 15,917 boats sold in the first half of 2014 and 15,582 sold in the same period in 2015.

Source: John Burnham, YachtWorld