Jean-Marie Cabri

Jean-Marie Cabri was our agent who represented us as a buyer in the transaction to purchase our Ocean Alexander yacht. He and Denison Yachting were outstanding.

Our transaction was a challenge because we are first-time boat owners and needed to obtain financing. Jean-Marie’s good temperance and the fact that he truly had our best interest throughout the purchase made this a great experience. 

Jean-Marie listens to the needs of his clients. This is a unique quality in the world of being a broker (as a 10-year residential real estate broker, I know how unique this is). Often, agents may want to sell their listing or what’s available. Jean-Marie has a different approach: he finds the right boat for the client, listens to their needs, negotiates promptly and thoroughly, and then works with them to close the transaction. He was so outstanding in providing us with personalized service. He is patient and he is a genuinely good person–this is special.

Denison Yachting, from a managerial standpoint, also did an excellent job, including the financing department. Edward assisted greatly in finding us the right lender to approve us, which was not easy to do.

Jean-Marie has excellent qualities and extensive experience, which make him a fantastic agent. What makes him unique is his patience and that he is genuine.

Overall, we are very grateful for Jean-Marie and Denison’s service.

Buying a new sailboat can be a daunting project, especially if it is your first one. I am an intermediate sailor and had been looking at Jeanneau, Beneteau, and Dufour sailboats for some time when I first came to Denison Yachting in Marina del Rey, California.

I met Jean-Marie Cabri, a yacht broker with Denison. He spent a great deal of time with me discussing my needs and interests related to the purchase of a boat. We finally settled on a Dufour 43 Grand Large. Jean-Marie stayed with me throughout the process, taking me out on the boat prior to purchasing it a number of times. It is a beautiful vessel with remarkable equipment and technology. After I bought the boat, Jean-Marie continued to spend time teaching me how to manage the boat and the general principles of sailing. It has been a great pleasure to have such a competent sailor share his knowledge with me. He is most attentive to details and has great patience explaining things.

Will Petersen, also a yacht consultant and manager at Denison Yachting, has been most helpful with issues during the "break in” period of the boat. Chris Jahn, the overall boat specialist with expertise in the systems and boat mechanics, is remarkably competent in helping learn and manage all aspects of the boat.

Overall, I feel quite lucky that I found Denison and purchased the Dufour 43 Grand Large sailing yacht. It is a wonderful boat and the staff at Denison Yachts Sales is terrific. 

Our experiences with Jean-Marie Cabri over the last 15 years have been phenomenal. He sold us a new Beneteau 46 in 2008 and brokered the sale of it in the summer of 2022.

He sailed with us to Mexico back when California had the 91-day yacht club legislation. I was blown away by a broker who would spend four days with a buyer to close a deal. His knowledge and sailing experiences on this overnight passage turned into a sailing friendship since. He’s always available to share his life and advice.

Recently he sold the same boat for us. As with any 15-year-old boat, there will be a laundry list of items to fix, even with a diligent owner. Jean-Marie was on top of it all. We were out of the country as Jean-Marie chipped away at the list. We were so relieved to know our boat was in such capable hands.

Jean-Marie turned a business transaction 15 years ago into a lifelong friendship. We know we will see Jean-Marie on the water somewhere.

Additionally, our experiences with Denison Yacht Services and their escrow services with Marlin Szarf were so easy and professional.

My relationship with Jean-Marie Cabri began five years ago, when I decided to buy my first sailing yacht.

For me, as I would assume for most, this decision carried with it high passion - yet careful respect. Passion for the art of sailing and its life promise - yet careful respect for the scope of commitment.

Jean-Marie’s very special character, expertise, and experience transformed my yacht-buying endeavor into a grander and more enduring experience. He is the genuine article, a sage of the seas, and quickly became a mentor and friend.

At the time I considered the experience lucky. As I write this, I reconsider the experience as critical. You begin the relationship with your vessel, as you do with its steward.

Jean-Marie doesn’t just sell boats for a living, he is matchmaker between boats and owners.  He has a gift for being able to listen to the desires of potential owners and through his experience find them a boat with the right degree of leisure, adventure, comfort, challenge and cost.  So many people I know have bought and sold boats over and over with Jean-Marie because he is always listening and finding the right fit for people and families that will get them off the dock and on the water.  He is a yacht broker because he has a passion for the sea and wants to share it successfully with his clients.