December Yacht Sales Report

The year ended with U.S. yacht brokers in nearly the same place as in 2014.

December sales fell by 23 boats, or 1 percent, to 1,599, and for the year 30,077 boats were sold, which also was 1 percent, or 192 less than in 2014, when 30,269 changed hands.

The collective price of the full year of sales was $3.7 billion, up 2 percent from $3.62 billion the previous year. The average final price increased by 3 percent, from $119,627 to $123,066.

According to YachtWorld member yacht brokerages reporting in SoldBoats, their proprietary database, the boats sold in December were collectively priced at $256.8 million, 5 percent less than the previous December. Excluding sales in the volatile range of boats 80 feet and larger, the sales value fell by less than $1 million.

Sales volume increased incrementally among boats in categories from 26 to 55 feet. Sales in the 46- to 55-foot range were very strong value-wise, drawing $40.8 million, up $7.7 million from December of last year. Remarkably, this increase occurred even though the sales volume rose by only two boats to 128.

Volume increased the most — by 3 percent — among boats from 26 to 35 feet, as 602 boats were sold; total value rose in this category from $36.2 million to $38.3 million. If not for weak sales among boats smaller than 26 feet, a decline from 403 to 360, December sales volume would have surpassed the same month last year.

However, the big-boat end of the market generally had a weaker month. Sales of boats from 56 to 79 feet were down by two as 59 were sold and the total price paid decreased from $53.2 million to $44.6 million. Superyacht sales (80 feet and up) declined from 16 to 11, and the total sales price fell from $77 million to $62.9 million.