Sable Yachts Editorial

Monaco Yacht Show: Attending as a Buyer

How to plan, dress, meet, and follow up at Monaco Yacht Show as a serious 30-80m buyer. Private viewings, yard meetings, and the protocol for price discussions on the dock.

**TL;DR.** A grounded briefing on Monaco Yacht Show: Attending as a Buyer. We cover the market, the practicalities, and what to ask a broker. Written for owners and serious charter clients.

Why this matters now When a serious reader asks about Monaco Yacht Show: Attending as a Buyer, the answer is usually buried under marketing copy. This briefing pulls the facts to the surface and leaves the rest on the cutting-room floor.

Numbers help here. In most years, the buying guide category we are describing prints between single-digit and low-double-digit percentage moves; ignore anyone quoting three-decimal precision. What matters is direction, not ornament.

Readers often ask us to cut the hedging. Fair. Here is the plain version: work with people who have placed dozens of these deals, and do not let a Monday-morning pitch override a Friday-afternoon reality.

The market context The super yacht market is priced in thin air at the top and in real supply at the middle. Understanding Monaco Yacht Show: Attending as a Buyer requires looking at both ends: how many comparable units changed hands last season, and what the order book implies for the next 18 months.

Numbers help here. In most years, the buying guide category we are describing prints between single-digit and low-double-digit percentage moves; ignore anyone quoting three-decimal precision. What matters is direction, not ornament.

Readers often ask us to cut the hedging. Fair. Here is the plain version: work with people who have placed dozens of these deals, and do not let a Monday-morning pitch override a Friday-afternoon reality.

What brokers actually quote A broker quoting on Monaco Yacht Show: Attending as a Buyer works from a weekly-rate band plus APA, plus the tax rule for the cruising ground. The delta between the headline and the all-in is rarely less than 35%.

Numbers help here. In most years, the buying guide category we are describing prints between single-digit and low-double-digit percentage moves; ignore anyone quoting three-decimal precision. What matters is direction, not ornament.

Readers often ask us to cut the hedging. Fair. Here is the plain version: work with people who have placed dozens of these deals, and do not let a Monday-morning pitch override a Friday-afternoon reality.

Itinerary and practicalities Itineraries for Monaco Yacht Show: Attending as a Buyer should be built around anchorages, not ports. That means shallow draft where you want it and enough fuel to reach the interesting bits. Consult the weather window before you lock dates.

Numbers help here. In most years, the buying guide category we are describing prints between single-digit and low-double-digit percentage moves; ignore anyone quoting three-decimal precision. What matters is direction, not ornament.

Readers often ask us to cut the hedging. Fair. Here is the plain version: work with people who have placed dozens of these deals, and do not let a Monday-morning pitch override a Friday-afternoon reality.

Risk and due diligence Due diligence on Monaco Yacht Show: Attending as a Buyer includes survey history, flag state, crew retention, and refit cadence. A yacht that has not been refit in seven years is a different proposition to one that has.

Numbers help here. In most years, the buying guide category we are describing prints between single-digit and low-double-digit percentage moves; ignore anyone quoting three-decimal precision. What matters is direction, not ornament.

Readers often ask us to cut the hedging. Fair. Here is the plain version: work with people who have placed dozens of these deals, and do not let a Monday-morning pitch override a Friday-afternoon reality.

The bottom line The honest answer on Monaco Yacht Show: Attending as a Buyer: get a broker who works the segment every week, read the MYBA or IYBA contract line by line, and do not let a glossy drone shot replace a sea trial.

Numbers help here. In most years, the buying guide category we are describing prints between single-digit and low-double-digit percentage moves; ignore anyone quoting three-decimal precision. What matters is direction, not ornament.

Readers often ask us to cut the hedging. Fair. Here is the plain version: work with people who have placed dozens of these deals, and do not let a Monday-morning pitch override a Friday-afternoon reality.

Related on Sable Yachts

- [Amalfi Coast](/destinations/amalfi-coast) - [Bahamas](/destinations/bahamas) - [Balearics](/destinations/balearics) - [British Virgin Islands](/destinations/british-virgin-islands) - [French Riviera](/destinations/french-riviera) - [Greek Islands](/destinations/greek-islands)

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

One more practical note. Brokers who cover this niche full-time spot tonnage that listing sites miss by weeks. That is the quiet advantage: the boat you never see online.

Further reading on Sable Yachts

- [Amalfi Coast](/destinations/amalfi-coast) - [Bahamas](/destinations/bahamas) - [Balearics](/destinations/balearics) - [British Virgin Islands](/destinations/british-virgin-islands) - [French Riviera](/destinations/french-riviera) - [Greek Islands](/destinations/greek-islands) - [CORSICA LINE](/yachts/corsica-line) - [POLARIS NORD](/yachts/polaris-nord) - [ARCTIC VISION](/yachts/arctic-vision) - [MIRAMARE](/yachts/miramare) - [ARTEMIS III](/yachts/artemis-iii) - [LUNA FERMA](/yachts/luna-ferma) - [V&A Waterfront Marina](/ports/cape-town-vaw) - [Miami Yacht Haven Grande](/ports/miami-yacht-haven) - [Pier Sixty-Six Marina](/ports/pier-66) - [Sailfish Marina Resort](/ports/palm-beach-sailfish) - [Abeking & Rasmussen](/builders/abeking-rasmussen) - [Amels (Damen)](/builders/amels) - [Azimut](/builders/azimut)

Related pages across the platform

- [Baglietto](/builders/baglietto) - [Palma Superyacht Show](/shows/palma-superyacht-show) - [Cannes Yachting Festival](/shows/cannes-yachting-festival) - [Monaco Yacht Show](/shows/monaco-yacht-show) - [Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show](/shows/flibs) - [Miami International Boat Show](/shows/miami-international-boat-show) - [Dubai International Boat Show](/shows/dubai-international-boat-show) - [Superyacht Charter Mediterranean: The 2026 Complete Guide](/journal/superyacht-charter-mediterranean-2026) - [Buying a Yacht 30-60m: The Complete Buyer's Handbook](/journal/buying-a-yacht-30m-60m-handbook) - [How Charter Pricing Actually Works (APA, VAT, Delivery Fees)](/journal/how-charter-pricing-actually-works) - [The Definitive Guide to MYBA Charter Contracts](/journal/myba-charter-contract-explained) - [Caribbean Yacht Charter: All-In Cost & Itinerary 2026](/journal/caribbean-yacht-charter-cost-itinerary-2026) - [Superyacht Crew: What the 10-Person Deck Crew Actually Does](/journal/superyacht-crew-roles-explained) - [Yacht Management Companies: When, Why, and Who](/journal/yacht-management-companies-guide) - [Family-Friendly Yacht Charter: 30-50m Options in 2026](/journal/family-yacht-charter-40m) - [From Charter to Ownership: The Three-Year Economic Reality](/journal/yacht-charter-vs-ownership) - [Harrison Ward](/brokers/harrison-ward) - [Isabelle Laurent](/brokers/isabelle-laurent) - [Viktor Nilsson](/brokers/viktor-nilsson)

Every line of the MYBA agreement exists because a specific dispute was once lost in arbitration. Read the contract as a history of mistakes, and you will read it better.

A brief aside

Builders argue endlessly about hull material. Steel is cheaper to build and expensive to refit; aluminium is the opposite. Composite sits in between. Your decision is really about refit budget over a 20-year hold.

Sea trials are a two-hour tell. Ask for engine load at 80 percent, listen at the galley pass while the generators swap, and pay attention to how the bosun rigs the tender at anchor. That single sequence reveals the onboard culture.

Every line of the MYBA agreement exists because a specific dispute was once lost in arbitration. Read the contract as a history of mistakes, and you will read it better.

Guest flow is the product. The cabin count matters less than the question of whether grandparents, parents, and children can all find a spot of quiet on the same morning. Owners who understand that buy for living space, not cabin count.

A brief aside

Flag choice is a tax question and a reputation question. Cayman dominates the 40m-plus segment for good reasons; Malta is catching up; Marshall Islands is steady. Talk to your tax counsel before you talk to your broker.

A broker with a full order book is not trying to sell you the wrong yacht; a broker with an empty order book is. Check where your broker's last three placements went and who represented the seller in each.

A brief aside

Sea trials are a two-hour tell. Ask for engine load at 80 percent, listen at the galley pass while the generators swap, and pay attention to how the bosun rigs the tender at anchor. That single sequence reveals the onboard culture.

Sea trials are a two-hour tell. Ask for engine load at 80 percent, listen at the galley pass while the generators swap, and pay attention to how the bosun rigs the tender at anchor. That single sequence reveals the onboard culture.

A broker with a full order book is not trying to sell you the wrong yacht; a broker with an empty order book is. Check where your broker's last three placements went and who represented the seller in each.

Guest flow is the product. The cabin count matters less than the question of whether grandparents, parents, and children can all find a spot of quiet on the same morning. Owners who understand that buy for living space, not cabin count.

A yacht's refit cadence is the tell. Paint cycle every five to seven years; interior refresh every ten; engines touched at the 12,500-hour mark. A yacht that has slipped any of these is a different proposition than one that has not.

A broker with a full order book is not trying to sell you the wrong yacht; a broker with an empty order book is. Check where your broker's last three placements went and who represented the seller in each.

The headline weekly rate is the smallest number in the real budget. APA, VAT on the cruising ground, delivery, and tips stack on top, and they stack unevenly: a French Riviera run without a stop in Italy pays VAT at French rates, for example.

Crew retention is an owner's quietest asset. A boat that has held its captain and chief stew for four seasons sells for a premium that shows up only in the back-channel chatter, not in the listing.

Sea trials are a two-hour tell. Ask for engine load at 80 percent, listen at the galley pass while the generators swap, and pay attention to how the bosun rigs the tender at anchor. That single sequence reveals the onboard culture.

Crew retention is an owner's quietest asset. A boat that has held its captain and chief stew for four seasons sells for a premium that shows up only in the back-channel chatter, not in the listing.

A brief aside

Flag choice is a tax question and a reputation question. Cayman dominates the 40m-plus segment for good reasons; Malta is catching up; Marshall Islands is steady. Talk to your tax counsel before you talk to your broker.

Every line of the MYBA agreement exists because a specific dispute was once lost in arbitration. Read the contract as a history of mistakes, and you will read it better.

Crew retention is an owner's quietest asset. A boat that has held its captain and chief stew for four seasons sells for a premium that shows up only in the back-channel chatter, not in the listing.

A broker with a full order book is not trying to sell you the wrong yacht; a broker with an empty order book is. Check where your broker's last three placements went and who represented the seller in each.

Guest flow is the product. The cabin count matters less than the question of whether grandparents, parents, and children can all find a spot of quiet on the same morning. Owners who understand that buy for living space, not cabin count.

A brief aside

Flag choice is a tax question and a reputation question. Cayman dominates the 40m-plus segment for good reasons; Malta is catching up; Marshall Islands is steady. Talk to your tax counsel before you talk to your broker.

Every line of the MYBA agreement exists because a specific dispute was once lost in arbitration. Read the contract as a history of mistakes, and you will read it better.

Fuel burn is a number you can measure. Ask for the logbook, not the brochure. A 60m explorer at 12 knots will typically burn between 180 and 260 litres per hour; anything outside that band needs explaining.

Crew retention is an owner's quietest asset. A boat that has held its captain and chief stew for four seasons sells for a premium that shows up only in the back-channel chatter, not in the listing.

Every line of the MYBA agreement exists because a specific dispute was once lost in arbitration. Read the contract as a history of mistakes, and you will read it better.

A brief aside

Sea trials are a two-hour tell. Ask for engine load at 80 percent, listen at the galley pass while the generators swap, and pay attention to how the bosun rigs the tender at anchor. That single sequence reveals the onboard culture.

Builders argue endlessly about hull material. Steel is cheaper to build and expensive to refit; aluminium is the opposite. Composite sits in between. Your decision is really about refit budget over a 20-year hold.

Sea trials are a two-hour tell. Ask for engine load at 80 percent, listen at the galley pass while the generators swap, and pay attention to how the bosun rigs the tender at anchor. That single sequence reveals the onboard culture.

Flag choice is a tax question and a reputation question. Cayman dominates the 40m-plus segment for good reasons; Malta is catching up; Marshall Islands is steady. Talk to your tax counsel before you talk to your broker.

Crew retention is an owner's quietest asset. A boat that has held its captain and chief stew for four seasons sells for a premium that shows up only in the back-channel chatter, not in the listing.

Crew retention is an owner's quietest asset. A boat that has held its captain and chief stew for four seasons sells for a premium that shows up only in the back-channel chatter, not in the listing.

Builders argue endlessly about hull material. Steel is cheaper to build and expensive to refit; aluminium is the opposite. Composite sits in between. Your decision is really about refit budget over a 20-year hold.

Every line of the MYBA agreement exists because a specific dispute was once lost in arbitration. Read the contract as a history of mistakes, and you will read it better.

The headline weekly rate is the smallest number in the real budget. APA, VAT on the cruising ground, delivery, and tips stack on top, and they stack unevenly: a French Riviera run without a stop in Italy pays VAT at French rates, for example.

Sea trials are a two-hour tell. Ask for engine load at 80 percent, listen at the galley pass while the generators swap, and pay attention to how the bosun rigs the tender at anchor. That single sequence reveals the onboard culture.

Flag choice is a tax question and a reputation question. Cayman dominates the 40m-plus segment for good reasons; Malta is catching up; Marshall Islands is steady. Talk to your tax counsel before you talk to your broker.

Guest flow is the product. The cabin count matters less than the question of whether grandparents, parents, and children can all find a spot of quiet on the same morning. Owners who understand that buy for living space, not cabin count.

Crew retention is an owner's quietest asset. A boat that has held its captain and chief stew for four seasons sells for a premium that shows up only in the back-channel chatter, not in the listing.

A broker with a full order book is not trying to sell you the wrong yacht; a broker with an empty order book is. Check where your broker's last three placements went and who represented the seller in each.

A broker with a full order book is not trying to sell you the wrong yacht; a broker with an empty order book is. Check where your broker's last three placements went and who represented the seller in each.

Flag choice is a tax question and a reputation question. Cayman dominates the 40m-plus segment for good reasons; Malta is catching up; Marshall Islands is steady. Talk to your tax counsel before you talk to your broker.

Sea trials are a two-hour tell. Ask for engine load at 80 percent, listen at the galley pass while the generators swap, and pay attention to how the bosun rigs the tender at anchor. That single sequence reveals the onboard culture.

Fuel burn is a number you can measure. Ask for the logbook, not the brochure. A 60m explorer at 12 knots will typically burn between 180 and 260 litres per hour; anything outside that band needs explaining.

Crew retention is an owner's quietest asset. A boat that has held its captain and chief stew for four seasons sells for a premium that shows up only in the back-channel chatter, not in the listing.

A yacht's refit cadence is the tell. Paint cycle every five to seven years; interior refresh every ten; engines touched at the 12,500-hour mark. A yacht that has slipped any of these is a different proposition than one that has not.

A yacht's refit cadence is the tell. Paint cycle every five to seven years; interior refresh every ten; engines touched at the 12,500-hour mark. A yacht that has slipped any of these is a different proposition than one that has not.

A brief aside

The headline weekly rate is the smallest number in the real budget. APA, VAT on the cruising ground, delivery, and tips stack on top, and they stack unevenly: a French Riviera run without a stop in Italy pays VAT at French rates, for example.

Sea trials are a two-hour tell. Ask for engine load at 80 percent, listen at the galley pass while the generators swap, and pay attention to how the bosun rigs the tender at anchor. That single sequence reveals the onboard culture.

Guest flow is the product. The cabin count matters less than the question of whether grandparents, parents, and children can all find a spot of quiet on the same morning. Owners who understand that buy for living space, not cabin count.

Fuel burn is a number you can measure. Ask for the logbook, not the brochure. A 60m explorer at 12 knots will typically burn between 180 and 260 litres per hour; anything outside that band needs explaining.

Fuel burn is a number you can measure. Ask for the logbook, not the brochure. A 60m explorer at 12 knots will typically burn between 180 and 260 litres per hour; anything outside that band needs explaining.

Sea trials are a two-hour tell. Ask for engine load at 80 percent, listen at the galley pass while the generators swap, and pay attention to how the bosun rigs the tender at anchor. That single sequence reveals the onboard culture.

The headline weekly rate is the smallest number in the real budget. APA, VAT on the cruising ground, delivery, and tips stack on top, and they stack unevenly: a French Riviera run without a stop in Italy pays VAT at French rates, for example.

Every line of the MYBA agreement exists because a specific dispute was once lost in arbitration. Read the contract as a history of mistakes, and you will read it better.

Every line of the MYBA agreement exists because a specific dispute was once lost in arbitration. Read the contract as a history of mistakes, and you will read it better.

The headline weekly rate is the smallest number in the real budget. APA, VAT on the cruising ground, delivery, and tips stack on top, and they stack unevenly: a French Riviera run without a stop in Italy pays VAT at French rates, for example.

Flag choice is a tax question and a reputation question. Cayman dominates the 40m-plus segment for good reasons; Malta is catching up; Marshall Islands is steady. Talk to your tax counsel before you talk to your broker.

Flag choice is a tax question and a reputation question. Cayman dominates the 40m-plus segment for good reasons; Malta is catching up; Marshall Islands is steady. Talk to your tax counsel before you talk to your broker.

A yacht's refit cadence is the tell. Paint cycle every five to seven years; interior refresh every ten; engines touched at the 12,500-hour mark. A yacht that has slipped any of these is a different proposition than one that has not.

Guest flow is the product. The cabin count matters less than the question of whether grandparents, parents, and children can all find a spot of quiet on the same morning. Owners who understand that buy for living space, not cabin count.

A broker with a full order book is not trying to sell you the wrong yacht; a broker with an empty order book is. Check where your broker's last three placements went and who represented the seller in each.

Every line of the MYBA agreement exists because a specific dispute was once lost in arbitration. Read the contract as a history of mistakes, and you will read it better.

Guest flow is the product. The cabin count matters less than the question of whether grandparents, parents, and children can all find a spot of quiet on the same morning. Owners who understand that buy for living space, not cabin count.

Crew retention is an owner's quietest asset. A boat that has held its captain and chief stew for four seasons sells for a premium that shows up only in the back-channel chatter, not in the listing.

A brief aside

Flag choice is a tax question and a reputation question. Cayman dominates the 40m-plus segment for good reasons; Malta is catching up; Marshall Islands is steady. Talk to your tax counsel before you talk to your broker.

The headline weekly rate is the smallest number in the real budget. APA, VAT on the cruising ground, delivery, and tips stack on top, and they stack unevenly: a French Riviera run without a stop in Italy pays VAT at French rates, for example.

Builders argue endlessly about hull material. Steel is cheaper to build and expensive to refit; aluminium is the opposite. Composite sits in between. Your decision is really about refit budget over a 20-year hold.

The headline weekly rate is the smallest number in the real budget. APA, VAT on the cruising ground, delivery, and tips stack on top, and they stack unevenly: a French Riviera run without a stop in Italy pays VAT at French rates, for example.

Every line of the MYBA agreement exists because a specific dispute was once lost in arbitration. Read the contract as a history of mistakes, and you will read it better.

Frequently asked

What is the TL;DR on monaco yacht show buyer guide?
How to plan, dress, meet, and follow up at Monaco Yacht Show as a serious 30-80m buyer. Private viewings, yard meetings, and the protocol for price discussions on the dock.
How far in advance should I book?
Peak Med weeks clear by late March; peak Caribbean weeks clear by the previous July. Shoulder weeks are often bookable inside 90 days with a well-connected broker.
What contract should I expect?
MYBA for Mediterranean charter, IYBA for US-flagged sales. A competent broker will walk you through either before signing.
How much APA should I budget?
Budget 25% to 35% of the base fee; the reconciliation at end-of-trip returns any unspent APA to the client.
How does VAT work across jurisdictions?
Rates are calculated by cruising ground, not the yacht's flag: France 20%, Italy 22%, Spain 21%, Croatia 13%, Greece 12% (reduced with commercial registration). Balearics and Côte d'Azur attract the most complex rules.
What is a reasonable negotiation window?
5% to 10% off the headline weekly on Mediterranean charter is achievable in shoulder weeks; peak weeks rarely discount beyond a tender upgrade or a free fuel top-up.
Do we tip the crew?
Yes: 5% to 15% of the base charter fee, delivered to the captain in cash or via the management company. The MYBA standard is 10%.
What questions should I ask on first call?
Ask the broker to name the last three placements in the segment, the captain's rotation, and the flag state. Those answers separate a desk broker from a transacting broker.