Buy a yacht and experience one of life’s greatest rewards, but before you do, consult a luxury yacht expert who knows the inventory, the pulse of the market, and every yacht for sale.
Whether you’re looking to build a yacht or buy an existing one, with professional guidance at an early stage, avoiding costly mistakes and finding the perfect yacht at the perfect price can easily be achieved.
For yachts of all sizes, this is why, time and time again, clients use yacht sales broker Todd Weider when they purchase a yacht.
On the sales side, he also has relationships with clients and sales brokers looking to sell a yacht they may have privately listed.
With yachts available from 30′ (9m) to 400′ (122m)+, Todd works with yacht buyers worldwide, before, during, and after their purchase.
He is regarded by industry experts and clients alike, as one of the most knowledgeable yacht sales brokers in the yachting business. (view his Yacht Buying Guide below)
Simply put, he will provide the absolute best yacht intelligence available and rock-solid expertise to make your yacht buying experience a fun, seamless, and stress-free process.
Because of his experience and skillset, (read below) he’s unlike any other yacht broker. He has managed, specified, built, operated, designed, chartered, brokered, and marketed some of the most recognized luxury yachts on the water.
He happily shares his 30 years of real-world knowledge about yachts and remains at your side as a valuable resource throughout all phases of your yacht ownership, and beyond.
These are the top 10 questions asked by people looking to buy a yacht. For expert guidance, answers to these questions, and more, contact yacht broker Todd Weider “wider”, who is a luxury yacht sales broker and specialist located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
For your own step-by-step guide to buy a yacht, download the Buy a Yacht Guide and Checklist below. To continue learning about buying a yacht, simply scroll down for additional tips and contact Todd.
Is it best to buy a new or used yacht?
When deciding to buy a new or used yacht, price is most often the number one reason to purchase a used yacht. In addition to a lower price, the significant depreciation has already happened, and because of this, a better value will present itself, with much less downside in value long term.
How much does a yacht cost to buy?
The price of production yachts can start at around $2.5 million. Usually for a smaller or late model yacht. A full custom new yacht can rise to USD $500-$600 million. This is how much the largest yacht in the world built by Lurssen Yachts, the 590 feet (179.8m) Azzam, cost to build.
How much is the cheapest yacht?
The lowest priced and cheapest yacht costs around one to two million dollars. This is very dependent on size. They are usually in the 50-70’ (15-21m) range and vary in price based on age, model, and builder.
What is the annual running cost of a yacht?
For a yacht that is under 7 years old, 2021 data indicates the yearly cost of running a yacht is between 10% and 15% of it’s value . Overall, the owner should expect to spend less than 10% of the yacht’s initial cost on annual upkeep, and operations.
How do I get the best price on a yacht?
To get the best price on a yacht you need market intelligence, such as insider knowledge and yacht sales data. Knowing where the best deals are located also helps. A highly qualified yacht broker will have all of these tools, and know the pulse on the market.
Is steel, aluminum or a fiberglass hull best?
The best hull material for a yacht depends on where the yacht will be used and how. Steel is the most popular for bigger yachts and ships, where aluminum is popular for near coastal medium-size fast yachts. A fiberglass hull is known to be less maintenance but is also hard to modify, and replacing equipment can be difficult in the long run.
Can I make money chartering my yacht?
Yes, you can make money chartering a yacht, but owning a yacht is rarely, if ever, profitable. Term (5-7 days or more) yacht charters generally offset the cost of yacht ownership, and therefore makes yacht ownership more attainable, however, buying a yacht to make a profit is generally not recommended.
How much will the yacht crew cost?
Yacht crew cost for a luxury yacht are usually determined by the length of the yacht, years of experience, and how long they have been with the owner of the yacht. Captains, for example, cost roughly $1,000 per year per foot of boat and move up from there. That means a captain of a 180′(55m) yacht makes around USD180,000 and up.
How many cabins do I need?
A 130′(40m) luxury yacht normally accommodates 10-12 guests. How many cabins you need depends on the layout of the yacht, and styling. Normally the master cabin is on the main deck forward with 4-5 cabins below and aft. Crew quarters cabins are generally forward in the bow of the yacht, with a captain’s cabin behind the wheelhouse. If you have supernumeraries like pilots, bodyguards, and nannies, additional cabins for this personnel are also required.
What are the best used yachts for sale?
The best used yachts for sale are previously owned yachts that have been very well maintained with low hours. A yacht is generally worth its highest price 3-6 months after delivery from the builder. This is because all the kinks have been worked out, the next owner is buying a newer yacht without having to wait for it to be built, and the yacht is turn-key, commissioned, and ready to operate.
Yacht broker
Former superyacht captain
Build and design expert
Owner’s representative
Specifications writing
Superyacht consultant
Yacht operations expert
If you're ready to buy a yacht, contact Todd. I've never met somebody as diverse, honest, and knowledgeable. He's remarkable. - 204' (62m) yacht owner
Whether you’re ready to buy a small yacht, or even ready to buy a superyacht, many elements need to be considered before you buy a yacht of any kind.
For someone not familiar with the process, it is very easy to end up buying a yacht that does not meet your lifestyle or needs.
Your new yacht will be the gathering place for your closest friends, and family, where you’ll make core memories while celebrating some of your most important events.
Because of this, the guidance of a luxury yacht specialist is remarkably valuable. (see 10 Steps to Buy a Yacht below)
At the core of purchasing the right yacht, and long before considering the layout, styling, and interior design, a list of parameters is considered and decided upon.
This early discovery phase of buying a yacht is the most important time of the yacht buying process. It ensures you purchase a well-maintained luxury yacht, at the best price, best suited for you and your families lifestyle.
Regardless of size, when the time to buy a yacht comes, yacht sales broker Todd Weider has real-world expertise. He guides you through the yacht buying process and beyond, making key decisions simple to understand and easy to make.
12 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU BUY A YACHT
For insider yacht buying information on yachts of all sizes and market knowledge, simply schedule your 10-minute introductory yacht buying consultation with yacht sales broker Todd Weider.
Go ahead and send a text 24/7 or call +1-954-610-55735.
| Full-Displacement | Semi-Displacement | |
|---|---|---|
| Stability / Comfort | Slow roll. Generally more comfortable at anchor and underway with a low center of gravity. | Hard/fast roll. Hard chine hull shape, and high center of gravity. |
| Volume | Volume considerations have less impact on performance, so hull shapes generally contain more interior volume than a similar length in semi-displacement. This also makes them heavier than semi-displacement yachts, resulting in a more comfortable ride while transiting in rough weather. | When designed initially for speed, semi-displacement models generally have shallower draft and less interior volume than full-displacement models of the same length. This also makes them lighter than full-displacement yachts, resulting in a less comfortable ride while transiting in rough weather. |
| Noise | No restriction on build weight allows full implementation of noise attenuation (not all manufacturers employ the necessary construction to minimize noise). | Generally louder interiors whilst underway due to desire to reduce weight in construction; larger engines and faster water movement. |
| Fuel Consumption | More fuel-efficient when compared with a semi-displacement yacht. | Very high fuel consumption. Often four to six times the fuel consumption of a similar sized full-displacement yacht. |
| Speed | Generally, a 10-14 knot cruising speed. | Generally, a 16-26 knot cruising speed. |
| Engine Maintenance | Lower power rating and crew engineers should be capable of maintaining 95% of all engineering needs. | Specialist engineering. High-powered engines can require more maintenance from outside companies and specialists. |
| Transatlantic Crossings | Capable of crossing the Atlantic on her own bottom. Costs range from $300 to $800 per foot depending upon crew size and engine size. The downside is more wear and tear on systems and the yacht, overall. | Less wear and tear on systems and the yacht, overall. Not capable of transatlantic crossings on her own bottom, but possible using a yacht transporter, or as deck cargo, at a cost of $1,000-$1,400 per foot each way. |
When you’re ready to buy a yacht, having expert knowledge of the current marketplace and inside information is crucial to locating the best yachts available for purchase.
While many yacht brokers will jump at the opportunity to offer their services, only a few have the right experience, tools for the job, and their pulse on the marketplace, who can also guide you safely to the closing table.
For this reason, choosing a qualified yacht broker in your search to buy a yacht is the most important decision you’ll make. Doing so positions yourself for the best possible outcome, and keeps you from wasting a lot of time and energy.
To help with the process of choosing a qualified yacht broker, download the Best Yacht Broker Comparison Guide for free. (see below)
Further, it might be tempting to buy a yacht from a discount or less reputable yacht broker, or even an individual private seller, however, this will significantly increase the risk of making a costly mistake.
Always work with a reputable yacht broker, who has a reputation to protect and uphold. Private sellers have far less to lose, as they usually have only one or two boats to sell. So a bad reputation won’t affect them much.
When it comes to a reputable yacht broker, one unsatisfied customer can ruin the image they took years to nurture and build.
A qualified yacht broker will go the extra mile to make sure you are happy and satisfied because a satisfied yacht buyer significantly improves the potential of repeat business or a referral.
With hundreds, even thousands of yachts for sale, narrowing down the available yachts to purchase can be confusing.
While most buyers have an idea about the type, length, and number of guests for their next yacht, it’s important to know yachts are usually built to cruise specific regions of the world.
They and are not always intended to be used in all types of sea conditions either. For example, a 120-foot yacht may be less suitable and have less room and comfort, than a 100-foot yacht with specific features and design criteria.
There are also limitations on the number of guests a yacht can carry, even though they may have space for more guests aboard.
With length also comes tonnage, and with tonnage comes rules and regulations that can cost a yacht owner significantly more than they may need to spend.
Note: A larger yacht does not always mean it is certified to legally carry more guests. Knowing specific thresholds, regulations and the intended purpose a yacht was built for, can save even the most seasoned yacht owners significant amounts of money when purchasing a yacht for sale.
According to current market conditions and sales data sampled from proprietary data maintained by yacht sales expert Todd Weider, in 2021, the average price of a previously owned luxury yacht for sale is estimated at USD $10.54 million (€8.9 million )
Luxury yachts can start at around $2.5 million for a smaller or late model yacht, and rise to a USD $500-$600 million, which is how much the largest yacht in the world built by Lurssen Yachts, the 590 feet (179.8m) Azzam, cost to build.
Yachts are a significant investment and range from production construction to fully custom.
Production yachts, or yachts that are produced to the same specifications, materials, and styling, and manufactured and/or assembled by production yacht builders, generally start around $500,000 and go above USD $10 million.
Semi-custom and fully custom yachts are considerably more expensive. This is primarily because everything is built to a unique specification, one at a time.
A semi-custom yacht averages about USD $25 million, while a fully custom yacht, built by a pedigree yacht builder and styled by a leading yacht designer (depending on her size) can reach USD $100 million and well beyond.
Another option to consider is buying a previously owned yacht, or a yacht with some character and history attached to it. This brings the initial cost down and is also good if you prefer to customize the interior of the yacht to your exact requirements.
You can use the money you save on the initial cost to refit and customize it to your taste.
Once you’ve decided to buy a yacht, there’s a lot to consider, and the price range is among the most important. Luxury yacht prices, like the yachts themselves, differ enormously.
Yacht specialist Todd Weider is an expert in this field. He maintains data on yachts for sale and sold yachts, and will guide you on everything you need to know about pricing.
By analyzing the present, and historical sales data from yacht manufacturers and closed yacht sales around the world, he can advise you on what certain yachts will cost, including trends in the global marketplace.
Yachts for sale are available through many sources, and because of this, working with a yacht specialist will pay huge dividends.
A qualified yacht sales broker will have access to yachts for sale publicly, but the best yacht sales brokers also have access to privately listed yachts as well, making certain your search to buy a yacht includes every yacht for sale.
Todd Weider, located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, works worldwide. When you work with him, he refines your requirements. Because he knows the yachts and has been on them, he can easily provide you a list of suitable yachts worth viewing to ensure you don’t waste any of your valuable time.
A well-versed yacht broker will know the best yachts available, the most motivated sellers, and the persons to contact for an up-to-the-minute status and location of each yacht.
Inspections can be made at a regularly scheduled boat show or by special appointment, subject to the yacht’s availability.
Once a yacht or yachts are selected, the buyer makes a formal offer(s), which is drawn up and presented by your broker, using an industry-standard contract to buy a yacht.
This purchase and sales agreement (PSA) outlines the deposit, timing for the sea trial, survey, acceptance, financing, warranties, requirements, force majeure, additional terms, and closing.
When making your offer, it’s normal to deposit 10% of the offer price into escrow with your attorney or broker, usually within a certain period after acceptance. This demonstrates to the seller that you are serious and ready to buy a yacht.
It is also wise that your offer includes a list of all documents and certificates the seller’s side will deliver at closing, as well as an accurate and complete inventory of the vessel.
Especially when buying a larger yacht, it’s important your yacht sale broker is knowledgeable about the documents required for each vessel. Not knowing which documents to include can be a very costly mistake for the yacht buyer.
The seller accepts, rejects, or counters your offer to buy. It is rare for the first submitted offer to be accepted. It can take as long as seven to fourteen days for both the yacht buyer and seller to agree on terms and conditions.
Depending upon the size of the yacht, the survey can take from just one day to as many as a few weeks to complete.
During the survey, all mechanical, electrical, and electronic equipment is tested, and often by specialists in each field.
The objective of the survey is to get an accurate understanding of the vessel’s current condition and precisely how much the yacht will cost to maintain over the next few years.
As part of the survey, one of the general conditions is to haul the vessel out of the water for inspection. The cost of the survey and haul-out is paid for by the buyer.
At a convenient time before, during, or after the survey, the prospective yacht buyer is provided an opportunity to take the yacht out to sea to establish the vessel’s performance underway.
This sea trial, usually limited in duration to 4 hours, is normally at the seller’s expense.
During the sea trial, the engines are tested to verify cruising and maximum speed. Decibel readings are taken. Electrical loads are put on the generators.
Electronics and navigation equipment is tested, and the overall motion of the yacht underway, and at rest, is observed and documented.
Depending on the type and size of the yacht, sea trials may be more in-depth and include more tests and readings of systems and equipment.
Following a successful survey and sea trial, the yacht buyer will convey acceptance of the yacht to the buyer’s yacht broker, who then submits written acceptance of the vessel to the seller’s side.
A conditional acceptance of a yacht is when the yacht is accepted by the buyer, with conditions to be met. So long as the seller agrees to the conditions, the purchase of the vessel continues to move forward.
From this point onward, the 10% escrow deposit is at risk should the buyer not close on the sale of the yacht at the agreed-upon closing date.
Note: It’s also very normal for deficiencies found during the survey to be included in a conditional acceptance that gives the seller time to make repairs, or allows a financial allowance for the buyer to make repairs after the closing.
For example, if a deficiency is found in the shaft alignment that cannot be repaired before closing, a conditional acceptance is signed by both the buyer and seller, where a reduced dollar amount from the previously agreed price is awarded in consideration for the shaft alignment condition.
Similar to purchasing an automobile or real estate, a yacht closing is a fairly straightforward exchange of certificates and signatures on important documents.
The protocol of delivery and acceptance lists the location and time of the ownership exchange.
It’s also important that your broker is knowledgeable and familiar with documents that need to be current, and not expired.
This can include COFR (certificate of financial responsibility), warranty certificates, tonnage certificates, builders’ certificates, classification, and regulatory certificates, among others.
At closing, the buyer should have a new registration and insurance already coordinated.
Yacht broker Todd Weider has extensive experience and knowledge. He knows which certificates and documents you’ll want to request when submitting your offer.
He also has real-world experience with maintaining such documents and working with regulatory bodies worldwide. He will happily assist any new buyer in establishing the necessary official papers and insurance required.
Go ahead and schedule your free introductory consultation with yacht sale broker Todd Weider for insider information, and how his proven yacht buying techniques work.
To begin this amazing fun-filled experience, take the next step and contact yacht specialist Todd Weider. He’s happy to talk about yachts at any time.
Simply use WhatsApp, call, or send a text 24/7 at +1-954-610-5573 for anything you’d like to know about buying or owning a yacht.
| 10 Steps toBuy a Yacht | |
|---|---|
| Step 1. | Select a Qualified Broker |
| Step 2. | Select Type, Length and How Many Guests |
| Step 3. | Determine a Price Range |
| Step 4. | Search and Selection |
| Step 5. | Make an Offer |
| Step 6. | Offer Accepted |
| Step 7. | Survey |
| Step 8. | Sea Trial |
| Step 9. | Acceptance |
| Step 10. | Closing |
| How Much Does it Cost to Own a Yacht? |
|---|
| A 180′ (55m) luxury yacht costs on average from USD $2.5 – $4.5 million annually to maintain and operate. The costs associated vary widely and depend on the condition and usage of the vessel.
The maintenance and operations, with average use by the owner, include $350,000 for dockage, $300,000 for fuel, $1.2 million for crew salaries, $100,000 for vessel insurance, $75,000 for communications, and $1 million for maintenance and repairs. Yacht sales broker Todd Weider has operated superyachts around the globe and continues to consult with yacht owners worldwide about yacht operations. He is happy to provide a detailed annual budget for your next yacht purchase. |
| Partial List of Costs to Own a 180′(55m) Yacht | |
|---|---|
| Dockage | $350,000 |
| Fuel | $300,000 |
| Crew Salaries | $1,200,000 |
| Insurance | $100,000 |
| Communications | $75,000 |
| Maintenance & Repairs | $1,000,000 |
| Crew Uniforms | $35,000 |
| Crew Provisions | $120,000 |
| Owner Provisions | $160,000 |
| Medical Supplies | $15,000 |
| *these estimates can vary greatly by yacht size and usage |
| How Much Do Yacht Crew Cost? |
|---|
| A yacht crew will cost anywhere between 15 to 25 percent of the annual budget to maintain a yacht. The bigger the boat, the more crew, resulting in more salaries to pay. For example, a 130-foot yacht with 5 professional yacht crew can cost $35,000 a month. Deckhands earn an average of $3,000 to $3,500 a month, depending on the boat size. Captains get paid more, earning an average of $7,500 to $20.000 a month. |
Read about newly listed yachts for sale and recently sold yachts, luxury charter yacht opportunities, information about yacht ownership and the mega yacht marketplace.
