April 2013 Yacht Brokerage Report: Sales Dip 1% in April

The number of brokerage boats and yachts sold in the United States in April declined by 1%, or 26, to 3,004, compared with the same month a year earlier, and the total price paid for them fell 3% to $300 million.

The average time it took to sell a boat increased by 4% in April, from 275 days to 285, according to YachtWorld.com member yacht brokerage firms reporting in their proprietary database, SoldBoats.com.

As in March 2013, the sailboat segment fared a little bit better than powerboats. Sailboat unit sales increased 1% with 535 sold and powerboat sales declined 1% with 2,469 sold. The value of the sailboats sold rose 7% to $41 million; powerboat prices were down 4% to $259 million.

The weakest sales were at the extremes of the market. Sales of boats under 26 feet declined 7% to 994 and sales of boats 56 to 79 feet fell by the same percentage with 69 boats sold. Sales of boats over 80 feet declined 25%, from 24 to 18.

The middle of the market was comparatively stronger, showing double-digit percentage increases. In the 36- to 45-foot range, sales climbed 10% with 637 boats sold. In the 46- to 55-foot range, sales rose 12 percent with 152 sold.

In the popular 26- to 35-foot range, sales declined by 1 percent with 1,134 boats sold. Notably, the average sales price increased for boats under 26 feet and 26 to 35 feet. Among the smallest boats, the average sales price rose from $20,458 to $22,079. In the 26- to 35-foot range, it climbed from $50,954 to $53,828.

Source: TradeOnlyToday: John Burnham