Brokerage Boat Sales Dip in May

U.S. brokerage sales fell in May, but volume for the month was the second-highest for a single month of sales since 2008.

May sales totaled 3,653, down 3 percent from 3,783 in the same month a year earlier, according to YachtWorld member brokers. Powerboat sales declined modestly from May 2013, sailboat sales posted a slight gain and the overall price paid increased 3 percent to $446 million.

May marked the second successive month of improvement in brokerage sales from the previous month after a first-quarter slump.

Compared with last May, sales of powerboats and sailboats in most size categories showed slight to modest declines, especially in the 26- to 35-foot segment, where sales dropped by 6 percent to 1,410 boats from 1,504.

Sales of both types of boats under 26 feet and between 36 and 45 feet declined by 3 percent to 1,206 and 739, respectively. Sales of boats in the 46- to 55-foot segment increased by 2 percent with 181 sold and sales of yachts larger than 80 feet were flat at 21.

By contrast, in the 56- to 79-foot category volume rose 19 percent to 96. Total dollar sales in that size range were up 44 percent to $76 million from $53 million.

The powerboat segment posted a 5 percent decline to 3,023 boats from 3,175 in May 2013. Yet dollar sales increased 3 percent to $396 million. The strongest results were evident in the sales of larger boats; the best-performing powerboat group was the 56- to 79-foot category, where sales rose 21 percent to 88. The aggregate price paid for boats of this size was $72 million, a 43 percent gain from $50 million a year earlier.

Sailboat sales in May rose 4 percent to 630 and the total value of sales rose 7 percent to $50 million. The best-performing sailboat segment was the 26- to 35-foot category, in which sales rose 9 percent to 317 and dollar sales rose 27 percent to $14 million. Only the under-26-foot segment had a decline in volume in May, but it was sizable —19 percent to 46 units from 57 in the same month last year.
Source: TradeOnlyToday