Boat International - June 2018

The state of the sailing superyacht market, 2009 to 2017

Number of sales

Total asking prices (€)

Total LOA (m)

Average LOA (m)

Number of deliveries

Total LOA (m)

Average LOA (m)

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

BROKERAGE SALES

DELIVERIES

m m m m m m m m m

Slow and steady

T

he annual total of sailing
superyacht deliveries continued
its gradual decline in 2017: there
were 18 completed projects, compared
with 22 in 2016 (-18 per cent) and 37 in 2012
(-51 per cent). The total has fallen over six
of the past eight years with 2012 providing
the only respite from this worrying trend.
The average length for deliveries shot up
by more than 22 per cent to 43.94m year
-on-year from 2016; however this figure
was skewed by the completion ofSailing
Yacht A, the 142.81m Nobiskrug that could
be considered a motor yacht with sails.
But there’s no reason to panic, says
Ruurt Meulemans, co-founder of Hoek
Design Naval Architects. “The sailing yacht
market has always shown ups and downs.
I’m sure we will see an increase again,” he
predicts. “People will still like to have a new
design that is built exactly to their liking.”
The brokerage market had a notably
busy year in 2017, and sailing yachts were
no exception with 50 changing hands –
the highest total since before the 2008
crash, although the average length dropped
from 34.51m to 30.42m year-on-year. “The
growth of the brokerage market definitely
represents an opportunity for new build
yards, making it easier for existing owners
to upgrade to a new yacht,” says Andrea
Micheli, sales manager at Pegaso, Southern
Wind’s sales and marketing arm.
“We do not think deliveries will grow in
the short term,” he adds. “We don’t expect
newcomers to enter this complex and small
market, which requires experience and
resources to ensure quality and eiciency.”
Hoek Design and Southern Wind
acknowledge the importance of selling
owners on three key benefits of sailing
over motor yachts, namely: silence,
eiciency and the potential for regatta
racing. “In the end, sailing is the most
sustainable and green option of travelling
through nature,” Meulemans concludes.
Who could argue with that?

Words – Chris Jefferies Research – Raphael Montigneaux

Reports of sailing’s demise have been greatly exaggerated,

accordingtotwoofthebiggestplayersinthemarket

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