Dave Bennett

The brokerage power yacht market in 2025 proved to be far more resilient and dynamic than many industry observers expected. Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, tariffs on new boats, and lingering inventory challenges, well-positioned brokerage firms continued to see strong demand, particularly for quality, well-maintained yachts in the mid-size power segment (30’-70’ LOA boats).

To better understand what really happened in 2025 and what lies ahead, I spoke with  Ryan Miller and Matt Leduc, co-partners of Latitude Yacht Brokerage in Newport, Rhode Island. Latitude specializes in brokerage power yachts, primarily diesel-powered vessels in the 30- to 70-foot range and a variety of styles. Of course, their brokerage inventory and business includes sailboats as well.  Their insights from a combined 45 years in the yacht brokerage business offer a grounded, real-world look at how buyers and sellers behaved in 2025 and how expectations are evolving as the market moves into 2026. This post focuses on power yachts and summarizes our discussion.

2025: A Growth Year Driven by Brokerage Demand

From Latitude Yacht Brokerage’s perspective, 2025 was clearly a growth year. The firm reported a 16.5 percent increase in brokerage power yacht sales compared to 2024, a notable result given broader economic headwinds last year. This growth was all brokerage boats.

One of the primary drivers for this was the impact of tariffs on new boats. As the cost of importing new vessels rose, many buyers chose to avoid paying a premium and instead focused on boats already imported and available on the brokerage market. For buyers, brokerage yachts represented more immediate availability, fewer unknowns, and often significantly better value.

Brokerage boat inventory: Quality Matters More Than Quantity

The downside of this was increased pressure on brokerage inventory, particularly for clean, well-maintained boats that were realistically priced. Clean, well-maintained boats that are ready to be used tend to sell in almost any market. There are plenty of boats on the market, but unfortunately many require more work than their asking prices justify.

Days on Market and the Reality of Seasonality

One common misconception among sellers is applying real-estate logic to yacht sales. Days on market for yachts, particularly in the Northeast, are heavily influenced by seasonality.

The prime buying window in the Northeast US runs roughly from April through July, and there’s usually a second spike in September-October. Boats listed outside that window may still sell, but the frequency of buyer activity drops significantly. Missing that peak season can dramatically extend days on market, even for well-priced boats.

This seasonality underscores the importance of timing when listing a yacht for sale, especially for sellers hoping to achieve a quick transaction.

That said, Latitude does move boats during the winter months.  December 2025 was their busiest December in recent years, and January looks like it will be super busy as well.

Advice for Sellers of Older Power Yachts

For owners of older boats, preparation is everything. One of the strongest recommendations from Latitude is to invest in a pre-sale survey. (much of this advice is also applicable for newer models as well)

While buyers will always conduct their own surveys, a pre-sale survey allows sellers to identify and address potential issues before they surface during negotiations. This proactive approach can prevent unpleasant surprises late in the deal and help remove obstacles to closing.

Many sellers believe they have maintained their boats exceptionally well, and often they have. However, issues that only appear under survey conditions are frequently missed. Examples include moisture intrusion around deck hardware or cooling system components such as heat exchangers and after-coolers that have exceeded recommended service intervals.

Deferred maintenance is not always obvious during casual operation. Engines that are lightly used may never reach conditions that expose underlying issues, but a surveyor running the boat hard will often uncover problems that buyers cannot ignore.  For example, during sea trial they will run the boat at much higher RPMs than their owners will during cruising, and if there are engine cooling issues they will become obvious here.

Maintenance Records and Transparency

Maintenance records continue to play a critical role in buyer confidence, particularly as yacht values increase. Major engine service intervals, often at 1,000 hours or based on time rather than usage, are increasingly scrutinized by buyers. Boats lacking documentation for these services often face price adjustments or repair requests during negotiations.  We see many potential buyers walk away from boats before even seeing them if there are not good, documented service records available.

Many owners handle routine maintenance themselves, often recording only oil and filter changes (if you do your own maintenance PLEASE document that). This is not necessarily a negative, but transparency is essential. Buyers must weigh the cost savings of owner maintenance against perceived risk.

Advice for Buyers considering Older Brokerage Yachts

For buyers considering yachts from the 2010 era or earlier, realistic expectations are critical. Latitude advises buyers to view multiple boats to understand market norms and variations in condition and value.

No used boat is perfect. Buyers should budget an additional amount of capital, (say 5-10% of the purchase price) for post-purchase upgrades and maintenance, even on boats that appear turnkey. These costs are part of bringing a boat onto a new owner’s maintenance schedule and comfort standard. Remember, a boat built in 2010 and used in the Northeast has spent 15+ years in a saltwater environment. Even if well cared for that boat will very likely need some upgrades.

Structural integrity and major systems should always take priority over cosmetic concerns. Dirt, clutter, and outdated soft goods are far easier and cheaper to address than structural or mechanical deficiencies.

All this said, there are some great diamonds out there in the older boat market.  Latitude can help you find them.

Looking Ahead to 2026

The outlook for 2026 is optimistic. Latitude Yacht Brokerage reported an exceptionally strong 2025, fueling confidence in continued demand.

For newer boats but also older boats with recent upgrades, emerging technology trends include greater system integration, gyro-stabilization, increased automation, lithium battery upgrades, solar installations, and even electric propulsion. While many of these technologies originate in new builds, retrofits are becoming increasingly common.

As systems become more complex, the role of specialized surveyors is growing. Buyers considering boats with pods, lithium systems, or advanced electrical setups must ensure their surveyors have the appropriate expertise.

Final Thoughts

The brokerage power yacht market entering 2026 remains strong but will be increasingly nuanced. Buyers and sellers alike must approach transactions with realism, transparency, and informed expectations.  This is where your broker can help.

Please reach out and connect with us if you want to learn more.  We will have brokers at both the   Miami International Boat Show, as well as the Palm Beach Boat Show in the next couple of months and we’ll be walking the show floor as well as looking at brokerage boats in the area.

Good boats still sell. Deferred maintenance still matters. And there is no such thing as a perfect used yacht, only a well-chosen one.

One of the issues with boating in the Northeast is that the season is short. Basically from May to October (believe it or not, there are some yacht owners who launch the boat around Memorial Day and come out around Labor Day!).

This is a tale of a bumpy boat brokerage sales cycle that no doubt we can all learn from in some way.  I would be interested in comments from  super experienced yacht brokers.  The names, locations and boat types have been changed to protect the innocent. In October 2024 I helped "Joe" sell his 40’ sailboat which was kept in Rhode Island.  It was one of the easiest brokerage transactions I’d ever been a part of as a broker. ...

And why the “boomer-dump collapse” thing is only half the story. A video by "Everyday Sailing" showed up on one of my news feeds about the current state of the cruising sailboat market.  It is well done and according to my more experienced yacht broker colleagues, it’s right on the mark.  I thought I would summarize their findings/observations in this post.  I’ll share a link to the video at the end of this post. So, 2025 in my opinion was kind of a weird year for the sailboat buying/selling...

Note that this story was originally published by John Burnham at Rightboat: https://www.rightboat.com/blog/u-s-buyer-purchases-yacht-in-spain-part-ii In Part 1 of this story, we recounted helping a couple search for their next yacht, which led them from the U.S. Northeast to Mallorca, Spain, with broker Charlie Mann’s help. There, they put down a deposit on a Hoek-designed 56-foot sloop in early January, 2025. Boat markets at this time of year were obviously slow in New England. Thankfully,...

Purchasing a yacht in the U.S. is an intricate process, with no two transactions the same, but when you’re ready to buy a yacht overseas,...

Your time is valuable. Do you want to be dealing with this stuff? Let’s talk about why it is worth using a broker to the majority of...

What a FSBO sign might look like Like most yacht brokers, at Latitude  we get a lot of our leads by people calling us or emailing us off...

Sometime ago I listed a 20 year something sailboat that was a major brand, super clean, and immediately the listing started attracting...

Many of my brokerage clients are experienced boaters selling a boat and/or getting into their next boat. They know what they want and we can target our search fairly quickly down to a few manufacturers and models.

However, many clients are new to yachts, or they’re crossing over from sail to power and are not so knowledgeable about the different types of yachts and which ones will meet their requirements.

For this post, we will first focus on power boats and look at sailboats separately in another post.

When beginning your yacht search, we will usually ask our buyers some version of the following questions:

• Where are your cruising grounds?
• Will you be day boating, weekending or extended cruising?
• If cruising, is it coastal or long distance?
• When cruising, do you prefer a slip, mooring, or hanging out on the hook?
• Will the boat live at a dock or a slip?
• Is it just you and your partner or will you have kids/guests often?
• Do you like places aboard to be in the sun or do you want protection from the sun?
• Will you be doing a lot of cooking and living on the boat?
• Is speed/performance important*?

*Note: This last question is totally different for power boaters than for sailors. I grew up sailing and had a Beneteau 35 for years. But as a weekend warrior, a lot of my favorite destinations were too far away. So I went to power. Now Nantucket is 3 hours away instead of 12.

There are other factors, but this should be a good start.

At Latitude Yacht Brokerage here in the northeast, most powerboat buyers tend to favor yachts that fall into one of 5 categories. There are many variants, but I’ll focus on:

Sedans, Trawlers, Downeast boats, Motor Yachts, Convertibles.

Admittedly, the differences between all these models aren’t always obvious and there are many overlaps. But I’ll try to sort it as best I can and (in general) relate them to different types of boating.

Sedan Boats

Sedan boats, often referred to as sedan cruisers or sedan bridges, are designed with a single main deck that combines the helm and the salon on the same level. There is often (but not always) a 2nd helm and seating on the flybridge. These boats are similar to convertibles as there is a pretty roomy salon separated from the cockpit by a glass door of some type. They are powered by twin engines and can cruise in the range of 18-25 KPH depending on their size and engine type. They usually have a swim platform that can accommodate a dinghy.

Best for: Day or weekend cruising, you can also do long coastal trips as long as you plug in at a slip every couple days so you can recharge everything.

Trawlers

Trawlers are best known for their long-distance cruising capabilities, fuel efficiency, and seaworthiness. They almost always have single engines, and with top cruising speeds in the high single digits or maybe a little faster. As opposed to a planing hull (like a sedan or convertible) their hulls have more displacement, which makes them more stable in snotty weather. Their beams tend to be narrower than other boats. If they have a flybridge, they’ll have more living area, but without them the living area tends to be smaller. The swim platforms tend to be smaller so you need to be creative to accommodate the dinghy Or drag it if the seas aren’t too rough.

Best for: Longer journeys, can go longer on a mooring or on the hook, better for rough weather

Downeast Boats

Very popular in the northeast with their heritage coming from lobster boats or Maine-style fishing boats. They usually have a flared bow which keeps the ride drier and is good for rough water. The helm is usually positioned forward, with a pretty roomy salon with good visibility, great for when you’re at anchor. Galleys tend to be smaller. With the deep hull, what you get for stability might cost you in speed, they cruise in the 15-20 knot range depending on length and age. Dinghies can go on the swim platform.

Best for: Day or weekending. OK at anchor or mooring but if it gets choppy they tend to roll more than others.

Motor Yachts

Our buyers of these boats tend to look at Carvers, Meridians, Silvertons and Sea Rays. They are instantly recognizable as they feature a large rear stateroom and a covered lounge area above it where the cockpit would be on other boats. These boats are for those who want room and comfort down below, especially when they’re docked or on the hook. They are slower than sedans or convertibles, with cruising speeds in the 15KPH range. If you want a large sunning area this design usually only offers a small bow area. If there isn’t an extended swim platform you’ll need to store the dinghy on its side back there.

There’s a style of boat known as “Aft Cabin”, these will be like a MY but with a sundeck over the master instead of a covered area.

Best for: Weekending, coastal cruising. MY skippers tend to like slips more when cruising. If you’re going to have a lot of crew most of the time, IMHO this is the boat for you. Also popular as liveaboards.

Convertible Boats

I have driven a convertible for 17 years. They got their name because the earlier models had a curtain or removable partition between the cockpit and the salon, so you could cruise with the salon open to the stern. Now of course the salon is separated usually by a sliding door. The single helm is up on the flybridge. Many owners (I am not one of them) use these boats for fishing as well. Salon is roomy, usually at least 2 berths, separate shower, etc. Among the faster boats with cruising speeds in the 18-25 KPH range. Ample room for the tender on the swim platform. The larger boats will have a crane at the bow to store the dinghy forward.

Best for: All of the above, though like Sedans if you’re on a long cruise it’s good to plug in every few days.

Understanding the differences between these boat types is important for choosing the vessel that best fits your boating lifestyle and needs. If you’re a buyer and you’re not sure, my advice is:

1. Talk with your broker about the type of boating you want to do.
2. Early in your search, make it a point to get on different types of boats, even if on paper a certain model may not look like what you want at first. I guarantee you this exercise will change your view of what you think is important in the boat you’re looking for.
3. With your broker, narrow it down to 1-2 boat types then focus on them.

Also, check out my earlier blog post about our Walk the Show with a Pro program, a great way for first time buyers to narrow their list down.

Lastly, if you think I left something out or I am incorrect about something, hit the comment button and tell me what you think. After all, talking about boats is part of the fun of being a broker!