June Yacht Brokerage Sales Report

U.S. brokerage yacht sales volume fell 7 percent in June compared with the same month last year.

The number of boats sold slid from 3,522 to 3,262, according to YachtWorld member brokers reporting in SoldBoats, their proprietary database. It was the fourth month in a row YachtWorld has reported lower sales figures, according to Trade Only Today.

However, late reports by brokers on April and May sales reduced the reported declines in those months, and May sales figures ended up being even with last May’s. Sales volume for the quarter was off 3 percent as 9,434 boats were sold, Trade Only reported.

The total value of the boats sold in June was $394.6 million, a decrease of just 1 percent from $398.9 million last year. The average sold price of each vessel increased 7 percent to $120,956.

Most of the sales decline in June was on the power side of the market, where 2,696 boats were sold, 9 percent fewer than the 2,950 that were sold during last June. Sailboat sales were off by six boats, with 566 sold, a 1 percent drop.

Slumping sales of boats less than 35 feet were the main reason for the monthly volume drop. A total of 1,006 boats under 26 feet were sold and 1,256 were sold in the 26- to 35-foot range, each a 9 percent decrease from the previous June.

Big-boat sales decreased, too, especially boats from 46 to 55 feet, which went from from 189 sold to 168. The best-performing segment was 36 to 45 feet, where sales were off only 1 percent as 738 boats were sold.

At the end of June, overall U.S. sales were 1 percent behind 2016 as 15,147 boats had been sold. The total value of sales was $2.17 billion, an increase of 10 percent over 2016.

Average boat prices increased 11 percent, to $143,348, and the average number of days required to sell a boat declined 3 percent — more than a week — to 256 days.