yacht closer llc

Why YachtCloser

YachtCloser is industry's leading web-based contract management portal for brokers and dealers.   Quick Benefits :

• Save over 60% on paperwork
• Get more signed contracts with electronic signatures
• More management organization and visibility
• New YachtWorld Integration
• Over 100 available contracts and forms

Descriptive Benefits

• YachtCloser is a total contract management solution for yacht brokerage.  Enter information once and populate all your forms and documents from listing to closing.
• Receive more signed contracts with electronic signatures.  Ability to Create / Send / and Sign contracts instantly while the emotions are high.  Don’t wait to send contracts when you get back to the office, go ahead and get a signature while you’re still on the dock!
• Save over 60% on paperwork time.  Enter information only once and populate all forms and documents with the click of a button.
• YachtCloser has over 50 standard brokerage forms and contracts available for you to use, including all the standard brokerage agreements and even state registration and coast guard documentation. 
• YachtCloser allows more visibility and control for managers and owners than ever before.  See in real-time, the status of any contract, deal or listing. Receive notifications when contracts are signed and stay on top of important activities regardless of where your brokers are located.
• Instantly create offers on other brokers listings from the YachtCloser network.
• Over 2,300 brokers are already using YachtCloser and love it.  Take a look at the many brokers/dealers benefiting from our services:   Current Customers

YachtWorld / YachtCloser Integration

• YachtCloser and YachtWorld have come together, combining the industry’s top administrative and marketing solutions, to streamline and simplify the yachting industry.
• Single data entry!  After creating your central listing agreement in YachtCloser, your boat information can be transmitted directly to BoatWizard.
• YachtCloser members have the opportunity to click the "Make Offer" button on other brokers boats in BoatWizard and instantly create a Deal in their YachtCloser account.  You are able to populate a Purchase and Sale agreement and send an offer to your buyer in a matter of seconds! 

More Integrated Services

• Request Coast Guard Documentation and State Registration services. Learn more
• Refer financing to your clients and send pre-populated credit apps from YachtCloser.   Learn more

Pricing - click here

Products & Services

• YachtCloser CMS
• Contracts and Forms
• Electronic Signatures
• R egistration Services
• F inance Services

Testimonials

Shane Faunce

Tampa yacht sales.

Owner/Broker

Sea change yacht sellers, llc.

Pat Burchard

Gold key yachts of florida.

Bonnie Edson

Aqua sol yacht sales.

Robert Stotler

Broker/principle, stotler yachts.

Michael Myers

Boston yacht sales.

Tom Whittington

Manatee pocket yacht sales.

Dave Pugsley

Vice president and general manager, brewer yacht sales.

Phone: (954) 361-1322

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The Industry’s Leading Web-based Contract Management Solution

Contracts and Documents

YachtCloser provides a simple and turnkey approach to managing all the forms and contracts needed to operate your boat and yacht sales business. YachtCloser comes pre-loaded with over 100 different forms and contracts ready for you to start selling boats. We’ve also partnered with the top broker associations in the country, allowing member-only access to their proprietary forms.

Electronic Signatures

Registration Services

Request a YachtCloser Demo

everythingaboutboats.org

Everything about boats – the ultimate reference resource for boaters.

YachtCloser

PATH: HOME ,  GLOSSARY ,  WEBSITE INDEX , WEBSITE CONTENTS » ∨ ∧ BOAT MARKETING » ∧  DO-IT-YOURSELF »  DIY Boat Sales , DIY Boat Inspections , DIY Schools & Classes » ∧ MEDIA w/Creator Directory  » Product Documentation , Books , Magazines , Videos , Websites »

PAGE CONTENTS: ( click ⇒ to go to each section on this page ) ⇒ Vendor's Profile, Contact Information,+. ⇒ ^ Offerings: Products, Services, + . ⇒ ^ ^ Media Offerings: Product Documentation, Books, Magazines, Videos, Websites, +. ⇒ ^ Related Resources: EAB Topics w/Directories , Vendors, Products: Media: Books, Websites, + . ⇒ Visit EAB's FEATURED ARTICLES Home Page to preview the vast scope of our website . ⇒ This Month's Top 20 Most Popular Articles on our EAB  website . ⇒ Layout of the EverythingAboutBoats.org Website's Pages: Page Types, Contents, Topics, + . ⇒ What our nonprofit Anchors Aweigh Academy and its EAB website have accomplished . ⇒ Members must SIGN IN to gain access to Members Only areas of this website . ⇒ Become an Academy Member and gain access to additional pages and programs ! ⇒ Comments: Submit To ⇒ Comments♣EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♣" with "@").

YachtCloser provides a simple, seamless connection between buyers, sellers, brokers and yacht services through a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use application engine. YachtCloser provides the most accessible and robust transaction and administrative tools available – managing more than $10 billion in active boat and yacht contracts nationwide.

Contracts and Documents YachtCloser provides a simple and turnkey approach to managing all the forms and contracts needed to operate your boat and yacht sales business. YachtCloser comes pre-loaded with over 100 different forms and contracts ready for you to start selling boats. We’ve also partnered with the top broker associations in the country, allowing member-only access to their proprietary forms.

Electronic Signatures YachtCloser’s proprietary electronic signature platform was designed with this industry in mind. Whether you’re representing the buyer and seller or you’re involved in a co-brokerage deal, YachtCloser allows all parties to quickly and securely electronically sign your documents with ease.

Registration Services YachtCloser Registration (YCR) specializes in providing Coast Guard Documentation, State Title, and Foreign registration services for boat and yacht buyers.

Financing YachtCloser Financial (YCF) provides specialized financial services for boat and yacht buyers. Whether your customer is purchasing a new boat, used boat, classic boat, or project boat, we’ll find the best loan program to meet their needs. With exceptional service and integrated solutions, we make the approval, deal coordination and closing process easy!

YachtCloser is a subsidiary of Trident Funding which is a subsidiary of Boats Group, LLC. (see Boats Group, LLC. subsidiaries below).

From www.yachtcloser.com . From BoatsGroup.com/Contact .

Boats Group. LLC. and its various subsidiaries (see below) are the world’s leading online boating marketplaces, connecting the largest global audience of boaters, especially boat buyers with top sellers and manufacturers. For nearly three decades, Boats Group has helped its industry partners sell more boats faster and provided unmatched support with a comprehensive suite of online business solutions, including proprietary web-based contract management tools, and premier digital marketing strategies and services. Boats Group is owned by Permira Funds , and is based in Miami, Florida, United States with co-headquarters in Fareham, England, and additional offices in Padova, Italy and Barcelona, Spain. In April 2023, Patrick Kolek became CEO.

From YachtWorld . From BoatsGroup .

From BoatsGroup.com

Vendor's Contact Information

YachtCloser Division of Boats Group, LLC. 1221 Bricket Ave – 23rd Floor Miami, FL 33131, USA

Telephones: Main Phone: 954-361-1322 YachtCloser Support: 954-361-2624 YachtCloser Sales: 954-361-1396 Finance Services: 954-361-6022 YachtCloser Documentation & Registration Services: 954-361-2411

Website: www.yachtcloser.com ^ Contact Form: www.yachtcloser.com/contact-us

From BoatsGroup.com/Contact . From YachtCloser.com/Contact .

Please do not try to contact any of the vendors on this website via our EverythingAboutBoats.org Phone, Email or Comment Systems. Your message will NOT be forwarded to the vendor. Contact vendors directly (if still active).

Vendor's Offerings

Boat rental & yacht charter, vendor's media offerings with links to eab's media overview and co- creator profile pages (bold media links lead to eab on-site pages & links that are not bold lead off-site).

Media with BOLD Resource Codes in the RC column are part of our Academy eLibrary! Academy Members can view the entire Media by clicking on its Media Title Link to go to our EAB Overview Page and then scrolling down to the “Academy eLibrary” section for its link. Resource Codes are explained in the Table Key under Related Resources below.

⇒ Media Directory Under Development  ⇐

If any Media or Creators should be added to this list, please submit their info/links via email To: Editor♣EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♣" with "@")

Related Resources: Topic Pages w/Directories , Vendors, Products: Media: Books, Websites, etc. Categorized by Topic & Hierarchy w/Links (Sitemap) .

TABLE KEY: Resource Types are identified by the following Resource Codes (RC). T = Topic Page. TD = Topic Page w/Directory V = Vendor Page. VO = Vendor's Offerings. VW = Vendor's Website. MV = Media Vendor/Creator. MS = Media Source. P = Product Page. PD = Product Documentation. B = Book. BB = Book - Biography. BE = Book Excerpt. BF = Book - Fiction. M = Magazine. MI = Magazine Issue. MA = Magazine Article. Vid = Video. W = Website. WA = Website Article. WV = Website Video (incl. YouTube). F = Forum. FP = Forum Post. S = Social Media. SP = Social Media Post. NOTES: Resource Codes are arranged above by resource directory hierarchy. Resource Codes are displayed in the Right Column labeled "RC".  ⇒  ⇒  ⇒  ⇒  ⇒  ⇒  ⇒  ⇒  ⇒ ⇓ Resource Codes which are BOLD indicate Media is available from our Academy eLibrary.⇒ ⇓ ^ To view Media, Click on the Media Title to go to our webpage for that media and then: ^ ^ Scroll down to the Academy eLibrary section for media viewing instructions. Resource Media (Books, Magazines, Videos, etc.) Titles are displayed in a smaller font. Resource Titles below are arranged by hierarchy using "^" to show subordination. Resource Links which are BOLD lead to EverythingAboutBoats.com ON-SITE pages. Resource Links which are NOT BOLD lead OFF-SITE. We is not responsible  for their content. If a link fails or we should add a resource to this listing, please submit info via email to: ^ Editor♣EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♣" with "@")

If any Related Resources should be added to this list, please submit info/links via email To: Editor♣EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♣" with "@")

NOT AN ACADEMY MEMBER? CLICK HERE to discover how you can become a Member and gain FULL access to thousands of expanded pages and dozens of excellent programs including our eLibrary!

CLICK HERE to view ALL the books , magazines , videos , etc. in our Academy eLibrary. Media are also listed by category on the Topic Pages found on the Right Sidebar ⇒ CLICK HERE to donate any books, magazines, manuals, or videos, etc. to our Library.

EVERYTHING ON THIS PAGE OK? If there is anything on this webpage that needs fixing, please let us know via email To: Editor♣EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♣" with "@")

Visit our FEATURED ARTICLES Home Page to see examples of our website's comprehensive contents!

Thanks to our amazing contributors for the steady flow of articles, and to our dedicated all-volunteer staff who sort, polish and format them, everyday we get a little bit closer to our goal of Everything About Boats. If you would like to submit an article, See Submitting Articles .

—  TOP 20 MOST POPULAR ARTICLES  —

Detroit Diesel 8.2 Liter “Fuel Pincher” V8 Engine Cummins V-555 & VT-555 “Triple-Nickel” V8 Diesel Engine Lehman 120 (6D380) Diesel Engine (Ford 2704C & 2715E) Ford Industrial Power Products Diesel Engines How to Identify Ford Diesel Engines Ford 2715E Diesel Engine Lehman Mfg. Co. Perkins Engines Universal Atomic 4 Sears Boat Motors: Motorgo, Waterwitch, Elgin, etc. Chrysler & Force Outboards Eska Outboard Motors Allison Transmission ZF Friedrichshafen AG Marine Surveyors by Country American Marine Ltd (Grand Banks) Boat Inspection (Types of Marine Surveys) Boat Builders: (A∼Z) (w/Vessel Types, Locale & Years Active) USCG NVIC 07-95 Guidance on Inspection, Repair and Maintenance of Wooden Hulls American Boat and Yacht Counsel (ABYC)

Layout of the EverythingAboutBoats.org Website's Pages

— Types of Webpages — This website consists almost entirely of 3 types of webpages as follows:

• EXAMPLE : – WEBSITE CONTENTS w/Links to MAIN TOPIC & Subtopic Pages:
• EXAMPLE : 02 – BOAT BUILDING, OUTFITTING, REFITTING & REPAIR:
• EXAMPLE : 02.06 – Boat Equipment:
• EXAMPLE : 02.06.08 – Propulsion Machinery:
• EXAMPLE : 02.06.08.01 – Engines w/Directory of Vendors .
• EXAMPLE : 02.06.08.01 –  ^  Ford Industrial Power Products Diesel Engines.
• EXAMPLE : 02.06.08.01 –  ^   ^  Ford 2715E Diesel Engine.
• EXAMPLE : 02.06.08.01 –  ^   ^  Ford OpManual - 2710 Range Diesel Engines.
• EXAMPLE : 02.06.08.01 –  ^   ^  Ford Service Manual - 2700 & 2710 Range Diesel Engines.

Clickable Links that lead to other webpages appear in Blue Text and usually open in a new window. Links in the Right Sidebar and most directories open in the current window, not a new window. Note in the examples above that these pages form a natural hierarchy. The unnumbered "^" pages are listed alphabetically in most tables. Media Titles in tables are distinguished by their smaller font size. Media ( Books , Magazines , Videos , Articles ,+) are treated as Products. Vendors' Product Documentation ( pDoc ) are considered Media . Destinations & Media Creators are treated as Vendors. All Website Pages are optimized for viewing on full-width disktop computer monitors, but can be viewed on phones.

— Contents of Webpages — Website Pages typically contain the following Sections:

• EXAMPLE : PATH: HOME ,  WEBSITE INDEX , WEBSITE CONTENTS » ∨ ∧ BOAT BUILDING & REPAIR  »  Boat Equipment  »  Propulsion » Engines » ∨∨ ∧∧  Ford , Ebro , American Diesel , AmMarine , Barr , Beta , Bomac , Bowman , Couach , Lees , Lehman , Mermaid , Parsons , Renault ,  Sabre , Thornycroft , Wortham Blake  » ∧ DO-IT-YOURSELF  » DIY Boat Building & Repair » DIY Schools & Classes » ∧ MEDIA w/Creator Directory  » Documentation , Books ,  Magazines ,  Videos ,  Websites »
• ( The "»" right pointing Guillemet  symbol shows the chain through the page links. )
• ( The "," comma between page links in the chain indicates pages are not subordinate, but are instead at the same level. See engine brands in the example above. )
• ( The "∨", "∨∨", "∨∨∨",+ symbols indicate that the path line continues with whatever follows the "∧", "∧∧", "∧∧∧",+ symbols respectively. "∧" Precedes each MAIN TOPIC Page. )
• PAGE CONTENTS ( Table of Contents with links to each main section on the page ).
• ( Many Topic Pages contain Directories of Vendors with Links ).
• ( Most Directory Listings are Alphabetical and/or by Locale ).
• ( Manufacturers, Resellers, Refitters, Yards, Surveyors, Clubs, Schools, Authors ,+ ).
• ( Boating & Travel Destinations are treated as Vendors on their own Vendor Pages ).
• ( Media created by a vendor is often treated as a Product on its own Product Page ).
• ( Boating & Travel Events are often treated as Products on their own Product Pages ).
• RELATED RESOURCES (Topics, Vendors, Products, Media:   Books, Websites ,+ with Links ).
• The Anchors Aweigh Academy's EverythingAboutBoats.org Header.
• A link to our Featured Articles EAB Home Page.
• Top 20 Most Popular Articles. ( The section that appears right above ⇑ this section ) .
• Layout of the EverythingAboutBoats.org Website's Pages. ( This very section ⇐ ) .
• Topics of Webpages. ( The very next section below ⇓ ) .
• What we have accomplished so far.
• Members must Sign-In to gain full access to Expanded Pages & Programs.
• Sign-Up ( if not already a member ).
• Public Comments (about the website & about this page) .
• RIGHT SIDEBAR ( Website Contents menu with links to Main Topic & Subtopic pages ). ( On some smart phones, the Right Sidebar may appear at the bottom of the webpage )

— Topics of Webpages — Website Pages are categorized under the following 16 MAIN TOPICS:

The MAIN TOPICS follow a natural progression from conception of the vessel thru its building, marketing, survey, financing, insuring, transport, moorage, use and upkeep. The MAIN TOPICS (all Caps) below are followed by their Main Subtopics with Links.

00 – HOME: CONTENTS ,  ABOUT EAB : Contact EAB , Abbreviations & Symbols , FAQ , GLOSSARY , ADs ,+ . 01 –  ABOUT BOATS w/Museum Directory : Early History , Recent History , Modern Vessel Types ,+ . 02 –  BOAT BUILDING, OUTFITTING, REFITTING & REPAIR: Materials , Equipment , Builders ,+ . 03 –  BOAT MARKETING: Boat Shows , Dealers & Brokers , Importing & Exporting , Auctions & Sales ,+ . 04 –  BOAT INSPECTION: Types of Marine Surveys , Marine Surveyors , Schools , DIY Inspections ,+ . 05 –  BOAT TITLES & VESSEL REGISTRY: Boat Title & Registration , Vessel Registry , Title Co's ,+ . 06 –  BOAT FINANCING: Conventional ( Banks , Credit Unions ,+), Unconventional (Creative) ,+ . 07 –  BOAT INSURANCE: Maritime & Recreational: Coverage, Carriers, Agents,+. , Claim Processing ,+ . 08 –  BOAT TRANSPORT: By Sea ( Piggyback , Delivery Skippers & Crews , & Towing ), Over-Land ,+ . 09 –  BOAT HAULING & LAUNCHING: Drydocks, Ways, Lifts, Cranes & Hoists , Launch Ramps ,+ . 10 –  BOAT MOORAGE & STORAGE: Builders , Anchorages , Marinas , Yards, Racks & Stacks ,+ . 11 –  BOATING ORGANIZATIONS: Yacht Clubs & Sailing Clubs , Paddling Clubs , Boat Owners ,+ . 12 –  BOATING & TRAVEL: Events , Destinations , Boat Rentals & Charters , Cruises , Voyages ,+ . 13 –  BOATING & MARITIME EDUCATION: Recreational Seamanship , Ship's Master & Crew ,+ . 14 – MARINE LAWS & REGULATIONS : International & National Laws ‚ Lawyers ‚  Investigators ‚+ . 15 –  DO-IT-YOURSELF: DIY Boat Building & Repair , DIY Boat Sales , DIY Boat Surveys , DIY Classes ,+ . 16 –  MEDIA  w/Creator Directory + Academy eLibrary : pDocs , Books , Magazines , Videos , Websites ,+ .

The above MAIN TOPICS and a more detailed listing of Subtopics can be found on the Website Contents page and on the Right Sidebar .

What we have accomplished so far . Anchors Aweigh Academy and its EverythingAboutBoats.org website.

• Published over 50,000 website pages about boats and boating, bringing us closer to reaching  our goal of becoming "The ultimate reference resource about boats and ships for everyone from the beginning recreational boater to the seasoned professional mariner!"
• Published over 300 website main topic webpages, many with full articles on the topic. See our Website Contents or the Right Sidebar for the listing of the main topic pages.
• Published over 9,000 marine vendor webpages, all with their contact information, most with a description of their products and services, many with product documentation, specifications and independent reviews. (incl.: Boat designers, boat building tools, material and equipment manufacturers and suppliers, boat builders and dealers, yacht brokers, marine surveyors, boat insurers, boat transporters, skippers and crews, boatyards and marinas, yacht clubs, boat rentals and yacht charters, boating, seamanship and maritime schools, marine law attorneys and expert witnesses, boat refitters and repairers, book authors, magazine publishers, video producers, and website creators)
• Acquired over 120,000 pages of product documentation including Catalogs, Brochures, SpecSheets, Pictures, Serial Number Guides, Installation Manuals, OpManuals, Parts Catalogs, Parts Bulletins, Shop Manuals, Wiring Diagrams, Service Bulletins, and Recalls. And have made all viewable to Academy Members through our EAB website eLibrary .
• Acquired over 1,200 books and magazine back issues in our academy library and so far have made over 700 viewable to Academy Members through our EAB website eLibrary .
• Published over 500 DIY How-To articles about boat design, construction, inspection, operation, maintenance, troubleshooting and repair. We are working hard to do more.

We are currently formatting and polishing the Anchors Aweigh Academy online and hands-on courses. Our Marine Surveying  course has proven to be excellent for both the beginner and the seasoned surveyor, and especially helpful to the Do-It-Yourselfer.

Current Academy Members must SIGN IN to gain FULL access to this website including expanded pages and valuable Academy programs like our Academy eLibrary and our Ask-An-Expert Program! If your membership has expired, CLICK HERE to Renew .

IF YOU ARE NOT YET AN ANCHORS AWEIGH ACADEMY MEMBER, CLICK HERE to discover how you can become a Member and gain FULL access to thousands of expanded pages and articles, and dozens of excellent programs WITH JUST A SMALL DONATION!

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Submit any comments for public viewing via email To: Comments♣EverthingAboutBoats.org ( Replace "♣" with "@" ) Please remember to put this webpage's title in the subject line of your email. All comments are moderated before they appear on this page. See Comment Rules .

General Comments About the Website

FROM Donald:  " This is an awesome website. I found the information that I needed right away from one of the over 20,000 free articles that you provide as a public service. I'm surprised that so much if this site is free. But I still signed up so I could access the thousands of expanded pages, interesting articles, and dozens of valuable programs! The member's library of books, magazines and videos that I can view online is really terrific! I understand that you and your staff are all unpaid volunteers. Please keep up the good work. And I commend you for your plans to add another 10,000 free informative articles over the next year. I'm thrilled to support you in this endeavor with my small membership donation. Thanks again for all your hard work. "

FROM Huey:  " I agree with my Uncle, I too have found the articles to be very enlightening. They say that it will take about 100,000 articles to cover the full scope that they have envisioned for the website. They have over 20,000 articles so far and that's doing pretty well, but it could take several years to get the rest. I also noticed that many of the Main Topic Pages and some of the article pages are still in the rough draft stage. I guess that they will fill in as they can get volunteers to work on them. But what I can't figure out is why anyone would spend the time writing informative in depth articles just to give away free to this website for publication? What's in it for them? "

FROM Dewey:  " Well Huey, to me It looks like most of the articles on this website are written by very informed people, like boating instructors, boat designers, boat builders, riggers, electricians, fitters, marine repair technicians and marine surveyors. Writing such articles helps establish them as knowledgeable professionals. After all, this website was originally created by a school for marine technicians and marine surveyors. The website is growing in content every day. They even had to move to a bigger, more powerful server because the website's traffic has been growing exponentially. "

FROM Louie:  " I agree with everyone above. This site is quickly becoming the ultimate reference resource about every aspect of boats and ships for everyone from the beginning recreational boater to the seasoned professional mariner. I use the topic pages on the right sidebar to browse around the website. It's like a Junior Woodchucks' Guidebook for Boaters. Their Members' Library of over 300 popular and obscure books and over 200 magazine back issues that can be viewed online is fabulous. The Academy's magazine is especially informative. On top of that, there is the "Ask-An-Expert program for members where you can get an expert's answer to any of your boat questions. And a whole years membership is only $25. What a deal! I really love being part of this "Everything About Boats" community and help provide thousands of helpful articles free to the public. I think that I'll sit down right now and write an article about my experiences boating with my uncle. "

FROM Scrooge: " You rave about this website like it was the best thing since sliced bread. Well, I think it stinks. Sure, it has a lot of good information for boaters, and they're adding more every day, but it will probably never be finished. Furthermore, I don't even own a boat. And I wouldn't have a boat even if someone gave me one. Boats are a waste of money and time and energy and money! They're just a hole in the water you pour money into. If you gave me a boat, I'd sell it quicker then you could say Baggywrinkle. Then I'd lock up the cash with all my other money so I could keep my eye on it and count it every day. Bah humbug. "

FROM Daisy:  " I'm just so glad that Donald got the boat so we and the boys could enjoy boating — together. And of course all of the girls, April, May, and June, love to be on the water too, especially when that is where the boys are. Oh poor Scrooge, boating is more fun then you could possibly imagine. "

FROM Scrooge: " After seeing how much fun you all have on the water together, I regret that I didn't have that much fun when I was young. I've had a change of heart, and I'm giving each of you a Lifetime Academy Membership . "

FROM Editor:  " For those of you that have stayed with us this far, many thanks, and we hope that you found this little narrative informative. Your faithful support inspires us to keep working on this phenomenal website. We know that we have a lot more to do. Ultimately, we hope that we can help you enjoy the wonder filled world of boating as much as we do. We are all waiting to see what you have to say about this webpage article. Submit any comments via email To: Comments♣EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♣" with "@"). Be sure to include this page's title in the subject line. Also, your corrections, updates, additions and suggestions are welcomed. Please submit them via email To: Editor♣EverythingAboutBoats.org (Replace "♣" with "@"). It has been truly amazing to see what we have been able to accomplished when we've worked together. Thanks to all those that have donated their valuable time and energy, and a special THANK YOU to all that have supported this cause with their membership donations. "

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Getting Started

• Orientation Videos
• How to Create a Listing Agreement
• How to Edit a Listing Agreement
• How to Create a Purchase and Sale Agreement
• How to Send a Document for Electronic Signature
• How to Verify if a Document has been eSigned
• How to View As another Broker (for Admins only)
• How to Update your Personal Contact Information
• How to Update your Company Information (for Admins Only)

South Florida yacht brokers hit with lawsuits that claim 10% commissions violate antitrust laws

T wo newly filed federal lawsuits claim that 10% sales commissions required by South Florida’s yacht broker industry are anticompetitive and violate antitrust laws.

The claims follow an October finding by a federal jury in Kansas City, Missouri, that the National Association of Realtors conspired with brokers to artificially inflate commissions paid to real estate brokers. The ruling, and a March 15 settlement by the Realtors, is expected to radically change how homes are sold in the United States.

Both lawsuits involving yacht brokers name as defendants the International Yacht Brokers Association, based in Fort Lauderdale, the Yacht Brokers Association of America, Boats Group LLC and YATCO LLC.

Also listed as defendants in both suits are a who’s who of South Florida-based yacht brokers, including Denison Yacht Sales, MarineMax Inc., Galati Yacht Sales Inc., Allied Marine Inc., Tournament Yacht Sales LLC and Northrop & Johnson Yacht Ships, among others.

Nearly all of the defendants are headquartered in South Florida.

The most recent suit, filed on March 22, proposes a class of plaintiffs that includes anyone who listed vessels on certain Multiple Listing Services using a listing agent or broker affiliated with one of the defendants and paid a buyer’s broker commission since March 22, 2020.

The lead plaintiff in the lawsuit is Kip Lamar Snell, identified as an Alabama resident. Snell entered into an agreement with Galati to sell a 41-foot Express Cruiser Sea Ray in July 2020 and ended up paying a $12,000 commission on the $120,000 sale price, the suit states. The lawsuit lists as defendants 15 brokers and six organizations that promote the yacht trade or operate Multiple Listing Services.

That lawsuit follows one filed on Feb. 29 that proposes a class of plaintiffs that includes anyone who paid a commission to a listing broker affiliated with the defendants since Feb. 19, 2020. It lists as defendants 11 brokers and five organizations that promote the yacht trade or operate Multiple Listing Services.

The lead plaintiff in that suit is Ya Mon Expeditions, a Wyoming company that paid a “substantial broker commission” when it sold a vessel in January 2023 while represented by Tournament Yacht Sales of Tequesta.

The most recent complaint accuses the trade associations of colluding with brokers to “enforce an anticompetitive restraint that requires (sellers of pre-owned yachts and boats) to pay a brokerage fee to the buyer’s broker and a total aggregate commission fee that is inflated as a condition for selling their yachts.”

The complaint states the typical commission is 10% and is shared between the seller’s broker and the buyer’s broker under terms spelled out in Central Listing Agreements provided by the brokers associations, including the International Yacht Brokers Association and the Yacht Brokers Association of America.

Only boat brokers are able to list boats and yachts on such Multiple Listing Services as YachtWorld.com , BoatTrader.com and Boats.com , and the Multiple Listing Services will not accept listings from owners who want to sell their vessels themselves, the lawsuit states.

Yacht owners are “severely disadvantaged” if they do not list their boats for sale on the listing services, while buyers suffer because their brokers are “financially incentivized” to show boats that will earn them standard “and inflated” commission rates of 4% to 5% through co-brokerage transactions, the complaint states.

None of the defendants contacted for this story responded to a request for comment, and no response has been filed yet in either case.

Robert Allen Jr., whose Miami-based law firm Robert Allen Law represents the International Yacht Brokers Association, did not respond to emails or return a phone call.

A woman who answered the phone at the International Yacht Brokers Association said, “We have no comment on that,” and hung up after a reporter asked for her name.

Of six brokers contacted for comment about the lawsuits, only Tournament Yacht Sales responded to emails. “No comment,” the company’s response stated.

Overall commissions have increased faster than the rate of inflation in recent years as the price of larger boats and yachts have increased, according to the lawsuit that lists Snell as lead plaintiff.

The result is that boat owners pay “hundreds of millions of dollars” in inflated commissions each year, the suit alleges.

Both lawsuits allege violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act that are upheld by “brokers who should be competing with one another but, instead, cooperate with each other to the detriment of pre-owned boat sellers.”

Some brokerages represent both buyers and sellers and retain the entire 10% commissions, the suits state.

The trade associations enforce rules requiring brokers to offer their boats through a listing service and to share commissions, the suits state, adding that they can impose significant penalties on members who do not comply with their rules.

Yacht purchasers are disadvantaged by the current system, the lawsuit alleges, because their agents would otherwise negotiate for their business by decreasing their commission rates.

But buyer brokers’ commissions have remained constant despite their diminishing role, the suits state. Many buyers today find boats they are interested in purchasing through online searches and enlist the services of a buyer’s broker only after identifying the yacht they want to buy, the suits claim.

The lawsuits seek an order declaring the commission structure to be illegal, a permanent injunction outlawing what they describe as anticompetitive conduct, plus damages and/or restitution, pre- and post-judgment interest, and attorneys’ fees.

Paul Geller, an attorney for one of two law firms representing the class that includes Snell, acknowledged “parallels between the allegations relating to commissions in the real estate and yacht markets.”

In the real estate matter, the National Association of Realtors on March 15 agreed to a $418 million proposed settlement that would free home sellers from paying commissions to brokers for both sellers and buyers.

After a jury ruled for the plaintiffs in the case against the National Association of Realtors in October, numerous lawsuits were filed across the country with similar allegations, including one in December against the Florida Association of Realtors and 16 brokerages.

“At bottom, the goals of (the suit against the yacht brokers) are similar: protecting consumers by challenging what we allege to be anti-competitive conduct,” Geller said by email. “We believe in the universal truth that consumers benefit by increased transparency and the competitive pricing that results from negotiated terms, including commissions.”

Geller is a partner at Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP, which specializes in securities litigation on behalf of investors. The firm has offices in 10 cities, including Boca Raton.

©2024 South Florida Sun Sentinel. Visit at sun-sentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

• Victor Mukhin

Victor M. Mukhin was born in 1946 in the town of Orsk, Russia. In 1970 he graduated the Technological Institute in Leningrad. Victor M. Mukhin was directed to work to the scientific-industrial organization "Neorganika" (Elektrostal, Moscow region) where he is working during 47 years, at present as the head of the laboratory of carbon sorbents.     Victor M. Mukhin defended a Ph. D. thesis and a doctoral thesis at the Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia (in 1979 and 1997 accordingly). Professor of Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia. Scientific interests: production, investigation and application of active carbons, technological and ecological carbon-adsorptive processes, environmental protection, production of ecologically clean food.   

Title : Active carbons as nanoporous materials for solving of environmental problems

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