Yacht Sales Broker
Sales brokers sell large yachts. You find the buyers, sign the listings, run the viewings and sea trials, and keep a deal together from offer to closing. The pay is mostly commission, so a good year can be very good and a bad one is thin. Many of the best brokers spent years at sea first.
The jobWhat fills the day
The job has two sides. On the listing side you win central agency agreements from owners, price the yacht against recent sales, then market it through photography, specification sheets, MLS listings and the boat show circuit. On the buying side you act for a client, shortlist yachts, arrange viewings, and negotiate. Once there is an offer you run the process: MYBA or similar memorandum of agreement, deposit to escrow, survey, sea trial, acceptance and closing.
Deal size changes the work. A 25m sportfish in Fort Lauderdale might close in six weeks with one surveyor and a single lawyer. A 70m motor yacht can take months, with flag state issues, VAT status questions, class records, lawyers in three jurisdictions and a buyer's team who check everything. Most brokers start at the lower end and move up as their contacts improve. The season runs through Cannes, Monaco and Fort Lauderdale shows, with a slower winter.
Firms hire two types. Former crew, often chief officers, captains or engineers, who know the product and already know owners and captains. And sales people from luxury property, private banking or cars who bring a client book. Languages help a great deal. Firms expect you to be presentable, discreet and comfortable talking about eight-figure sums. Some offices take juniors as sales assistants, handling listings data, viewings and paperwork.
Progress is measured in closed deals. A junior assistant might become a broker within two to three years. A broker who closes several large yachts a year becomes a senior or partner, often with a share of house commission and junior staff. Some move to new build sales, owner's representative work or yacht management. Your reputation with captains matters, because they often decide who gets a viewing and who hears about a quiet sale.
Skills employers look for
- Negotiation and deal closing
- Yacht valuation and pricing
- Client and captain network
- MYBA contract knowledge
- Survey and sea trial management
- Boat show sales
- Discretion with UHNW clients
A working dayWednesday in the Antibes office, with a sea trial off Cannes
Check overnight emails from a buyer's lawyer in London and a US broker co-brokering a 45m listing. Answer the urgent ones before the phones start.
Call the captain of the 45m to confirm crew, fuel and berth for the afternoon sea trial. Ask him to have the engine hours and class records ready for the surveyor.
Sales meeting with the desk. Go through new listings, price changes, and which buyers are active before the Monaco show.
Draft a comparable sales report for an owner in Monaco who is thinking about selling his 38m. Price it honestly so the yacht does not sit for a year.
Lunch near Port Vauban with a captain whose owner is looking to go bigger.
Board in Cannes for the sea trial with the buyer, his captain and the surveyor. Run through the yacht, keep everyone informed and note any defects raised.
Debrief with the buyer's captain on the quayside. Agree a timeline for the survey report and any price adjustment.
Update the deal file, send a summary to both principals and arrange the escrow details for the next stage.
Finish for the day, phone on, since buyers in Miami are just getting back from lunch.
Pay by experienceAnnual salary. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Most income is commission. Sale commission is usually a percentage of the price, split between the listing and selling houses and then shared with the broker, so earnings swing heavily from year to year. Some firms pay a base or a draw against commission for the first year or two. See the Charter & Yacht Brokerage salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Qualifications
Must have
- Right to work in the office's country
- Florida yacht broker or salesperson licence (for Florida-based roles)
- Full driving licence
Gets you hired
- CPYB (Certified Professional Yacht Broker)
- RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or a deck CoC
- MYBA or IYBA membership through the firm
- Second or third language (French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Arabic)
Where it leadsA typical career path
Yacht Sales Broker jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Do I need to have worked at sea to become a sales broker?
No, but it helps a lot. Former crew understand the technical side, can talk to captains and surveyors on equal terms, and often bring contacts with them. Sales people from luxury property or private banking also do well if they have a client book.
How long before I earn properly?
Expect one to three lean years. Large yachts take months to sell and you need a pipeline of listings and buyers before the commission comes through regularly. Firms that pay a base or a draw make that period easier.
Where are most sales brokers based?
Fort Lauderdale, Monaco and Antibes are the main hubs, with offices in Palma, London and Dubai as well. You travel to the shows in Cannes, Monaco and Fort Lauderdale every year, and to wherever the yachts and clients are.
Is sales different from charter broking?
Yes. Charter brokers book weeks aboard and do many smaller transactions each season. Sales brokers handle fewer deals, but each one is much larger and involves surveys, lawyers, flag and tax questions over a longer period.