May Yacht Brokerage Sales The Highest In 5 Years

May Brokerage Sales Highest in Five Years
 
 U.S. brokers sold more boats in May than in any single month since 2007. Sales had improved in March and April, compared to 2012, but in May they climbed significantly, with 3,730 boats reported. This was well above the five-year average for May, of 3,293 boats sold, and also more than 100 boats above 2012, when 3,589 were sold.
 
 
Sailboat sales continued relatively strong, with 607 boats sold, a 5 percent increase compared to May 2012. More importantly for the market as a whole, sales of powerboats also rose 4 percent, to 3,123 boats.
Better sales were reported among all sizes of boat 45 feet or shorter, with 1,691 closings for boats under 35 feet, a 4 percent gain. In the 36- to 45-foot range, sales were 3 percent higher, with 759 boats sold. The only size range to record lower sales was 46 to 55 feet, down 3 boats compared to May 212, with 178 boats sold.
Big-boat sales were also strong. Among superyachts (over 80 feet), 20 were sold, up 10 from the year before. And in the 56- to 79-foot size, 82 boats changed hands, up from 76.
The total value of boats sold in May rose by $98 million, mainly on the strength of superyacht sales (up $91 million). By contrast, boats 56 to 79 feet sold at a total price that was $6 million or 10 percent below the previous May. The market under 55 feet made up the difference, with a total value gain of $13 million.
Through the first five months of the year, overall sales were 1 percent lower than in 2012, with 12,659 boats sold. The total value of the boats sold was 15 percent higher, with $1.66 billion changing hands.

Hurricane Season Dry Storage For Catamarans

We now have a discounted rate of $12/foot/month for dry-storage of cats............. compare this with $18-20/foot/month in the Caribbean... this is in a prime cruising area and you won't be disappointed. 
Contact Gary Fretz for mre information: bigyachts@gmail.com....we can also arrange for delivery here if you don't have time....this is the safest way to weather the hurricane season....

Comparing Cats: The Short List

I was asked for a brief list of how I'd rank the various brands...I've owned and/or lived-aboard and cruised Lagoons, Prouts, Leopards...Here is a brief list comparing the major brands:



                                    Pro                                                                     Con
Lagoon:   More interior space than any other/Achieves huge economies of scale in the build process so you get the most for your money    Some people call them "Clorox bottles" meaning they are finished "too plasticky"
Leopard: "Wear the best"/stay looking good the longest/rigged for 1-2 to sail.Yacht-like finish       not as much room as Lagoon
FP Lavezzi: Low in price/Lotta boat 4 the $      Tiny salon/galley. Fit and finish like a "mobile home"...a step below the others
FP Orana: Low in price/has improvements over older FP's       Not as much room as Lagoon. A step below others(in finish)
Prout: forget them. They went bankrupt in 2000 and the new builder in China is a cash-strapped group who haven't ever built boats before...they leak, don't hold up well and are not well-thought out even though the design appears to be excellent. Nobody in the factory knows how to sail.

My wife and many cruisers would agree with me 100% that the absolute most important factors to choosing a cat are in this order:
1. Comfort and usable interior space are of paramount importance..amount of storage space is VERY IMPORTANT
2. try to acquire the newest biggest boat for the budget
3. gotta be easy for 1 person to sail
4. Speed is not important because the difference between the major production boats is small

I can elaborate on the above for hours ....