Buying your first superyacht: a broker's notes
Size, running costs, charter income and the questions that matter more than the brochure.
Ownership · 10 May 2026 · 8 min read
Most first-time owners begin with length. It is the wrong place to start.
Begin with how you will use her
How many guests, how many weeks a year, which seas? A forty-metre yacht that cruises the Riviera in summer and the Caribbean in winter is a very different proposition from one that stays in the Balearics.
- Budget roughly 10% of the purchase price each year for running costs.
- A well-managed charter programme can offset a meaningful share of them.
- Survey and sea trial every yacht — even a nearly new one.
“The right yacht is the one you will use. Everything else follows.”
Buy the crew, not just the yacht
A great captain and chef will shape your experience more than any feature. When a yacht comes to market with a long-serving crew, that alone can be worth paying for.
Julian Ashford
Head of Sales
