01 Nov Yacht Builders With a South Florida Base: Our Top 9 (2026)

Yacht Builders With a South Florida Base: Our Top 9 (2026)

These are the nine yacht builders we found with a verifiable South Florida base, listed by their rank in BOAT International’s Global Order Book 2026 or, for builders outside that ranking, by founding year. Only nine builders met our rule, and we did not pad the list to ten. Facts are as of November 1, 2026.

How we chose: a builder is listed only if it has a South Florida presence (a headquarters, factory, sales office or authorized dealer with a street address in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach County) and a dated, citable credential. Nos. 1–5 are ordered by their rank in BOAT International’s Global Order Book 2026, which ranks builders of yachts 24 metres and over by total length on order. Nos. 6–9 are not in that ranking’s builder table, so they are ordered by founding year, oldest first; Viking and Westport were both founded in 1964, so they are listed alphabetically. Facts come from BOAT International, builder and dealer websites, a company financial filing, the U.S. Coast Guard’s manufacturer records and marine trade press. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may change. This list is editorial. No company paid to be included, and inclusion is not an endorsement of any transaction. Companies were screened in news and public records for serious legal and regulatory issues.

The List at a Glance

The 9

According to BOAT International’s Global Order Book 2026 (January 2026 issue, released December 2025), 1,093 yachts of 24 metres (about 79 feet) and over were on order or under construction worldwide. The ranks below come from that report’s builder table.

1. Azimut-Benetti

The Azimut-Benetti Group was founded in 1969, and its brands include Azimut and Benetti, according to Forbes Italia (December 12, 2025); Benetti’s own site says “since 1873.” It is No. 1 in the Global Order Book 2026, with 163 projects and 5,924 metres on order, and Forbes Italia reports that this is its 26th consecutive year at the top, with group revenue of €1.5bn and an order book running to 2029. In October 2025 the group opened its Americas headquarters at Pier Sixty-Six Marina in Fort Lauderdale, according to Benetti (October 29, 2025), which said the U.S. is “nearly a third of its global business.” CEO Marco Valle said, “Fort Lauderdale is considered the yachting capital of America” (same source). The marina’s address is 2301 SE 17th Street, Fort Lauderdale, according to Forbes Travel Guide (undated).

2. Sanlorenzo (including Bluegame)

Sanlorenzo, founded in 1958 according to its website, builds yachts “from 24 to 74 metres” (homepage, undated). It is No. 2 in the Global Order Book 2026 with 130 projects and 4,698 metres; BOAT’s figure includes Nautor Swan. Its Bluegame brand’s BGM75 made its U.S. debut at the 2025 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, according to Superyacht24 (October 31, 2025). Sanlorenzo opened its Americas headquarters at Pier Sixty-Six Marina in Fort Lauderdale on October 30, 2025; Superyacht24 (October 22, 2025) reports that it was designed by Piero Lissoni and describes it as Sanlorenzo’s most important investment in the American market. In its first-half 2026 results (September 3, 2026), the company reported Americas new-yacht revenue of €129.0 million, up 35.4%, or 27.4% of the total.

3. Sunreef Yachts

Sunreef Yachts was founded in Gdańsk, Poland, in 2002, and its first yacht, the Sunreef 74, followed in 2003, according to BOAT International’s company profile (undated). The same profile says it also offers charter, yacht management and brokerage. It is No. 6 in the Global Order Book 2026, with 41 projects and 1,185 metres on order. According to Pressmare (November 7, 2025), Sunreef opened a U.S. office at Las Olas Marina in Fort Lauderdale during the 2025 boat show, led by U.S. managing director Philip Bell, and showed the 60 Sunreef Power for the first time in the U.S. The marina’s address is 151 Las Olas Circle, Fort Lauderdale (Discover Fort Lauderdale Beach, undated). As of November 1, 2026, the company’s own contact page lists only Gdańsk and Dubai, so check with Sunreef before visiting.

4. Ocean Alexander

Ocean Alexander was established in 1977 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, according to BOAT International’s company profile (undated), which says it builds superyachts of 27 to 44 metres in Taiwan and Italy and that its Puro series launched in 2024. It is No. 8 in the Global Order Book 2026, with 32 projects and 1,101 metres. Ocean Alexander is sold through authorized dealer MarineMax. Its dealer page (undated) lists MarineMax locations at 750 S Federal Highway, Pompano Beach; 700 NE 79th Street, Miami; 251 Banyan Boulevard, West Palm Beach; and 1095 N Highway A1A, Jupiter.

5. Horizon

Horizon is a Taiwanese builder whose U.S. arm, Horizon Yacht USA, lists Horizon Yacht USA at 1201 U.S. Highway 1, North Palm Beach, and a Fort Lauderdale office at 435 Seabreeze Boulevard, according to its dealer page (undated). It is No. 14 in the Global Order Book 2026, with 25 projects and 721 metres. Megayacht News (February 28, 2019) reported that Horizon opened its Fort Lauderdale office at Hall of Fame Marina in February 2019 and had delivered more than 205 megayachts in 30 years.

6. Merritt’s Boat & Engine Works

Merritt’s Boat & Engine Works says it was “Established in 1948 and building boats since 1955” (company site, undated). It is family owned and builds custom sportfishing yachts, and it also runs a full-service boatyard, a supply business and a brokerage, according to its website. The U.S. Coast Guard’s manufacturer record (modified August 15, 2023) lists it as in business at 2931 NE 16th Street, Pompano Beach. Of the nine builders here, it is the only one whose yachts we found are built in South Florida.

7. Hargrave Custom Yachts

Hargrave Custom Yachts describes itself as “Designing Custom Luxury Yachts Since 1957” and lists its headquarters at 1887 West State Road 84, Fort Lauderdale (company site, undated). The firm began as a yacht design office. According to BOAT International’s Global Order Book 2026, Hargrave “builds largely for American clients at yards in Taiwan and Turkey.” The same report quotes the company but does not rank it in its builder table.

8. Viking Yachts

Viking Yachts was founded on April 1, 1964, and grew out of a New Jersey boatbuilder; its website (undated) lists sportfishing yachts up to 90 feet. Viking says it has “two service yards in Florida and one in New Jersey.” Its service center sits on the Intracoastal Waterway in Riviera Beach, and next to it, the Valhalla Yacht Sales showroom at 1500 Broadway, Riviera Beach, held its ribbon-cutting in January 2025, according to In The Bite (January 2025) and a Sportsman Boats dealer listing (undated). According to Trade Only Today (January 31, 2025), the showroom cost $15 million, covers 30,000 square feet and can display up to 30 boats.

9. Westport Yachts

Westport Yachts has built yachts “Since 1964” and builds at its own yards in Westport and Port Angeles, Washington, according to its website (undated). Its current range is the W117 (35 metres), W135 (41 metres) and W172 (52 metres). Its Fort Lauderdale sales office is at 2957 W State Road 84 (contact page, undated).

Also Worth Knowing

• Baglietto is No. 11 in the Global Order Book 2026. It is not included because we could not confirm a South Florida street address.
• Hinckley Yachts is not included because we could not confirm a current South Florida office.
• Burger Boat Company is not included because we could not confirm a current South Florida address.
• Overmarine Group (Mangusta) is No. 7 in the Global Order Book 2026. It is not included because we could not confirm a current South Florida office.

Some well-known builders are not listed because we could not confirm a South Florida base or because of our screening.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy

1. Where will my yacht actually be built? A South Florida office is not a South Florida yard. Of the nine here, only Merritt’s builds locally; the others build in Italy, Poland, Taiwan, Turkey, New Jersey or Washington State, according to the sources above.
2. Am I dealing with the builder or a dealer? Ocean Alexander, for example, is sold here through authorized dealer MarineMax, according to its dealer page. Ask who signs the contract and who handles warranty work.
3. How full is the order book? The Global Order Book 2026 lists 163 projects for Azimut-Benetti and 130 for Sanlorenzo. Ask for a written build slot and what happens if it slips, and treat any delivery date as an estimate.
4. How are payments staged and protected? Ask whether deposits and stage payments are held in escrow or secured, and which country’s law governs the contract.
5. Where will the yacht be serviced after delivery? Viking, for example, runs a service center in Riviera Beach, according to its website. Ask where your nearest service yard is.
6. Who will survey and insure it? Ask about independent surveys at key build stages and at sea trial, and confirm insurance cover for the delivery voyage.

The Bottom Line

As of November 1, 2026, nine yacht builders met our rule of a verifiable South Florida base plus a dated credential. Three of them, Azimut-Benetti, Sanlorenzo and Sunreef, opened Fort Lauderdale offices around the 2025 boat show, according to their announcements and trade press. Ocean Alexander is sold through authorized dealer MarineMax, Horizon has offices in North Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, and four American-founded builders, Merritt’s, Hargrave, Viking and Westport, also have bases here. We will add builders as we confirm them.

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Last updated November 1, 2026. Facts come from the sources listed above, checked on that date, and may change. Not legal, financial, tax or investment advice. Full disclaimer