Buying a Yacht at FLIBS 2026: Plan Before You Go

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) opens October 28. If you're thinking about buying a yacht, it's one of the best weeks of the year to do it. It's also one of the easiest weeks to waste.

The show is spread across multiple marinas. There are more boats on the water than anyone could see in five days, let alone one. Most buyers I talk to tell me the same story. They walked the docks all day, toured a lot of beautiful boats, and went home without a real shortlist.

That's not a bad day out. But if you're seriously shopping, it's a missed opportunity. Here's how I'd approach the show if I were in your shoes.

Start with what you actually need

Before you step aboard a single boat, get clear on four things.

Budget. Not just the purchase price. Dockage, crew, insurance and maintenance vary widely with size, how often you use the boat and where you keep her. A 60-footer you run yourself on weekends is a very different program from a 140-footer with full-time crew.

Size and layout. How many people are coming aboard? Are they staying overnight or just for the day?

How you'll use her. Weekends in South Florida, runs to the Bahamas and longer cruising all point to different boats.

Timeline. Are you ready to move after the show, or still exploring?

Once you have those answers, the show gets a lot smaller. Instead of hundreds of boats, you're looking at a handful. That's the point of a short call before you arrive. You tell me what you're after, and I map out the yachts that fit.

A show boat is a boat on its best day

Every yacht at FLIBS has been detailed, polished and staged. That's how it should be. But it means what you see on the dock isn't the whole story.

I started in the engine room as a deckhand, then captained and managed yachts before moving into brokerage. When I step aboard, I'm looking past the finish. Is this issue cosmetic or structural? What's been maintained, and what's been put off? What would it realistically take to bring her up to the standard you want?

More often than not, a boat isn't exactly what the listing says. It's better to know that on day one than after you've fallen for her.

Make your show time count

With a shortlist, you can go straight to the boats that matter. Aboard each one, ask what maintenance records are available. Ask when she was last surveyed and what that survey found. A survey is an independent inspection, the yacht version of a home inspection.

Then ask why the owner is selling, how she's been used and where she's been kept. Those answers tell you more than the brochure ever will.

Take notes and photos. After a few boats, they start to blur together.

And remember, the show is for narrowing the field. You don't need to decide on the dock. Any serious purchase should go through a sea trial and survey before you commit.

What happens after the show

If a boat makes the cut, the next steps are a sea trial, a professional survey and negotiation. A sea trial means taking her out on the water to see how she actually runs.

This is where having the right people around you matters. Surveyors, shipyards, marinas and crew all play a part. Who you work with decides whether things move smoothly or stall.

Anyone can help you buy a yacht. The right broker helps you enjoy owning one.

Let's plan your show

I'm booking calls with buyers through Monday, October 26. Tell me your budget, size and timeline, and I'll map out the yachts that fit. At the show, I'll meet you at the front and walk you straight to them, or set up a private showing aboard one of our display yachts.

Qualified buyers receive complimentary tickets.

Book your FLIBS call with me

Whether you're seriously considering a purchase or just starting to explore, I'm here to guide the conversation.