Used Yacht Market Report 2026: Brokerage Trends
Pre-owned boats are 78.3% of US sales. Boats Group tracks 139-day used DOM. 24m+ brokerage rose 19.9% in 2025. What buyers and sellers should know.
By GlobalYachtGuide Editorial · Updated June 8, 2026 · 14 min read
Used Yacht Market Report 2026: Brokerage Trends
Quick answer: Pre-owned vessels dominate recreational boating — 78.3% of US transactions in 2024 were used (NMMA: 858,798 pre-owned vs. 238,117 new). Boats Group platform data shows North American used boats averaging 139 days on market versus 279 for new in 2025. At yacht scale, 470 brokerage sales of 24m+ hulls in 2025 rose 19.9% from 392 in 2024 (BOATPro / Denison) — while SuperYacht Times counted 305 used vs. 195 new sales over 30m in 2024.
How Large Is the Pre-Owned Share of the Market?
Volume share and value share tell different stories — but on unit count, pre-owned dominates at almost every LOA band below full-custom new build.
NMMA (United States, all recreational boats): 858,798 pre-owned sales and 238,117 new powerboat sales in 2024. Pre-owned = 78.3% of transactions. Total US recreational marine spending was $55.6 billion (down 2.6% YoY) — spending includes new boats, used boats, engines, accessories, and usage, so dollars do not map 1:1 to the 78% unit share.
SuperYacht Times (global, 30m+): 305 brokerage sales vs. 195 new-build sales in 2024 — 61% of 30m+ transactions on the brokerage side by count. The superyacht market is not immune to new-build glamour; resale still clears more hulls annually above 30 metres.
Boats Group (platform sold data, all boats on network): 2025 Market Index shows global unit sales down 9% and value from $10.42 billion to $9.97 billion — a modest value contraction alongside volume softening. Platform data captures a large brokerage slice but not every private sale.
| Market layer | Pre-owned share / trend | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US all recreational boats (units) | 78.3% pre-owned | NMMA 2024 |
| Global 30m+ (transaction count) | 305 used / 500 total (61%) | SuperYacht Times 2024 |
| 24m+ brokerage sales YoY | +19.9% (392 → 470) | BOATPro / Denison 2025 |
| Platform sold value YoY | $10.42B → $9.97B | Boats Group 2025 |
Insider tip: Sellers who quote “only 10% below new” on a five-year-old production yacht often omit engine-hour rebuild reserves, deferred cosmetic refit, and electronics obsolescence. Buyers should translate asking price into post-survey all-in cost before comparing to a new-build quote with warranty.
Start with our Used Yacht Buying Guide for the full due-diligence sequence.
What Are Days-on-Market Trends Telling Buyers?
Days on market (DOM) is the clearest real-time friction gauge on listing platforms — though it excludes private sales and some dealer channels.
Boats Group / Denison analysis (North America, 2025):
| Listing type | Average days on market | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| New boats | 279 | MSRP inertia, dealer inventory |
| Used boats | 139 | Faster price discovery |
Used turning in roughly half the calendar time as new on the same platform ecosystem suggests buyers and sellers converge faster when hulls are priced to surveyed condition. It does not mean every used boat sells in four months — trophy listings and problem boats sit longer.
Regional variation matters. Florida, the US Northeast, and Mediterranean brokerage hubs (Monaco, Antibes, Palma) each carry different inventory depth by season. A 55-foot flybridge listed in Fort Lauderdale in November post-FLIBS faces different buyer traffic than the same boat listed in August in a quiet Med port.
Red flag: Extended DOM with repeated price reductions but no sale often signals undisclosed mechanical issue, clouded title, or unrealistic owner reserve — not necessarily a negotiating gift. Request full maintenance logs and run a title and lien search before elevating offer strength on stale listings.
For survey timing and negotiation leverage, see Yacht Survey Checklist.
How Did 24-Metre-Plus Brokerage Perform in 2025?
Yacht-scale brokerage — the segment where formal MOAs, deposits in escrow, and buyer brokers are standard — showed volume growth in 2025 even as broader Boats Group unit sales softened.
BOATPro tracked sales (via Denison Yacht Sales commentary):
- 470 brokerage sales of 24m+ yachts in 2025
- Up 19.9% from 392 in 2024
Geographic split for 79ft+ / 24m+ sales in 2025 (BOATPro / Denison):
| Country / region | 79ft+ sales (2025) |
|---|---|
| United States | 130 |
| France | 51 |
| Italy | 39 |
| Greece | 29 |
| Spain | 26 |
| Bahamas | 20 |
The US lead reflects inventory depth, broker density, and tax/regulatory familiarity for domestic and international buyers — not necessarily higher per-capita ownership growth in every year.
Knight Frank attributed approximately $8.5 billion in superyacht transaction value in 2025, up roughly 70% year-over-year on their measure, with average sold asking near $16.6 million — verify the exact transaction universe (likely superyacht brokerage, not all boats) before citing in offer negotiations.
SuperYacht Times’ 2024 30m+ split (305 used / 195 new) and 2025 BOATPro 24m+ growth are not directly additive — different cut-offs, geographies, and reporting methods. Use them as directional consistency: brokerage activity remained robust while mass-market new-boat sales cooled (NMMA 2025 estimate: new powerboats down 8–10% to 215K–225K units).
What Commission and Process Norms Shape Used Deals?
Used yacht transactions run on brokerage conventions — commonly 10% of gross sale price paid by the seller at closing (YATCO, Windward, industry guides). This is brokerage practice, not a statutory tariff — terms vary by listing agreement, jurisdiction, and vessel value.
Typical structure:
| Element | Common practice | Caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Total commission | ~10% of gross sale | Sliding scales on $10M+ deals |
| Split | 60/40 or 50/50 listing/buyer broker | Contract-specific |
| Buyer broker cost to buyer | Usually $0 incremental | Seller pays full commission |
| Deposit | Often 10% into escrow/trust | MOA-specific |
| Contingencies | Survey, sea trial, financing | Accept / reject / renegotiate |
Contract form varies by region: MYBA MOA common in Mediterranean and Caribbean; IYBA formats common in the Americas — not universal law, but standard templates brokers expect.
Buyers who contact only the listing broker work with the seller’s representative. Independent buyer broker engagement costs nothing extra in the common commission model but changes negotiation dynamics materially. Details in Yacht Broker Commission.
How Should Sellers Price and Position in 2026?
Sellers entering the market in 2026 face more price-sensitive buyers than the 2021–2022 peak — Boats Group sold value easing and longer new DOM are background pressure, even when individual yacht segments remain tight.
Pricing discipline:
- Anchor to sold comps, not active listings — asking prices in a soft market cluster above reality.
- Survey before list on yachts above 45 feet — buyers will survey anyway; surprises kill deals in week four.
- CIM honesty — engine hours, accident history, charter use, and VAT paid status belong in the offering memorandum. Omissions surface in survey and destroy trust.
Our Yacht Valuation Guide covers broker selection, timing around boat shows, and when to accept partial trade exposure.
Seasonality: Mediterranean sellers often list spring for summer buyer traffic; US Atlantic sellers target fall post-FLIBS and spring snowbird exits. Timing affects DOM more than many owners expect — a well-priced boat in the wrong month still sells, but slower.
When Does Used Beat New — and Vice Versa?
Neither choice wins universally — the decision framework depends on timeline, specification appetite, and tolerance for unknown maintenance.
| Factor | Used brokerage | New build |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Immediate to 90 days typical | 18–48 months common |
| Price trajectory | Depreciation largely absorbed | Steepest depreciation years 1–3 |
| Specification | Take or leave + refit | Full custom within yard limits |
| Warranty | Limited / expired typical | Yard warranty |
| Survey risk | Central to price | Factory QC + sea trial |
| Financing | Used rates commonly 8–12% | New commonly 6.5–9% — bank-dependent |
Our New vs Used Yacht comparison walks through break-even horizons and refit budgets on older hulls.
For purchases above 24 metres crossing into superyacht crew and flag complexity, cross-read Superyacht Buying Guide after the used-yacht checklist.
What Should Buyers and Sellers Do Next?
Buyers: Treat DOM and macro softness as negotiation context, not a substitute for survey findings. The 78.3% pre-owned US share (NMMA) means your competition is other educated buyers — win on speed, clean offers, and escrow readiness after survey.
Sellers: Price to surveyed condition, disclose proactively, and select a broker with sold comps in your LOA band — not generic marketing reach alone.
Both sides: Boats Group and NMMA trends can diverge from your specific model. A 42-foot center console in Miami behaves differently from a 28-metre motor yacht in Antibes — verify segment data before setting strategy.
Buying or selling a brokerage yacht?
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Buyer scenarios for used market report 2026
Weekend coastal owner (used market report 2026): Plan 40–60 sea days per year within 200 nm of home port. Prioritise simple systems, familiar yards, and insurance in a jurisdiction your lender accepts.
Liveaboard cruiser (used market report 2026): You need passage-making range, comfortable berths, and predictable service networks in the Med or Caribbean. Budget 15–25% of hull value annually for running costs on this use case.
Charter-offset investor (used market report 2026): You accept crew, management, and VAT/flag planning in exchange for limited personal weeks. Treat charter income as uncertain — never as guaranteed yield.
Apply this lens to used yacht market report 2026 before you sign any MOA or build contract.
Additional due diligence (used yacht market report 2026)
When you compare used yacht market report 2026, treat broker brochures as marketing — verify engine hours, generator load tests, and service invoices for the past 36 months.
Dockage quotes should include winterisation, diver hull cleaning, and shore-power tariffs; owners in the Med often budget €800–€2,500 per month for a 50–65 ft berth depending on marina tier.
Insurance underwriters will ask for prior claims, storm plans, and crew licences — gather these before you sign a purchase MOA so closing is not delayed.
Frequently Asked Questions
In the United States, NMMA data shows pre-owned boat sales reached 858,798 units in 2024 versus 238,117 new powerboat sales — pre-owned representing 78.3% of all recreational boat transactions by volume. At superyacht scale, SuperYacht Times recorded 305 brokerage sales versus 195 new-build sales for yachts over 30 metres in 2024.
Boats Group marketplace data for North America in 2025 shows used boats averaging 139 days on market versus 279 days for new listings — platform sold/listing data, not every private transaction. High-demand models in tight supply sell faster; overpriced or problem-history listings can sit well beyond these averages.
BOATPro data cited by Denison Yacht Sales recorded 470 brokerage sales of yachts 24 metres and above in 2025, up 19.9% from 392 in 2024. Knight Frank attributed roughly $8.5 billion in superyacht transaction value in 2025 with average sold asking near $16.6 million — verify the transaction universe before treating that as all-boat market value.
Standard yacht brokerage resale commission is commonly 10% of gross sale price — brokerage practice, not a statutory tariff. The seller typically pays at closing; the listing and buyer brokers often split 60/40 or 50/50 depending on agreement. High-value deals sometimes use sliding scales — verify terms in the listing agreement and MOA.
Use a pre-purchase survey and sea trial contingency in the MOA — findings commonly support 5–20% price adjustment on problem vessels, depending on severity. Compare sold comps, not asking prices. Days-on-market above category average often signals negotiation room, but not always — verify engine hours, service history, and lien status independently.
Professional sellers increasingly rely on sold comp data and platform analytics rather than cost-plus pricing. Boats Group index value trends — global sold value easing from $10.42B to $9.97B in 2025 — suggest buyers are price-sensitive at the margin. Our yacht valuation guide covers CIM preparation, timing, and broker selection.
Used purchases typically win on immediate availability, proven systems, and avoided new-build depreciation in the first 24 months. New build wins on specification control and warranty coverage. See our new vs used comparison and used yacht buying guide for a structured decision framework.
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