01 Nov What the Ultra-Wealthy Are Buying Now: Superyachts and Big Yachts in 2026

What the Ultra-Wealthy Are Buying Now: Superyachts and Big Yachts in 2026

Yachts of about 80 to 150 feet dominate the order book and the brokerage market in 2026, catamarans are gaining and explorers have dipped, and the United States is the busiest market for sales. Here is what is being ordered and sold, and what it means for a South Florida buyer, as of November 1, 2026.

Facts come from BOAT International’s Global Order Book, broker market reports built on BOATPro and other datasets, builder filings, official boat show pages, a marine trade association, and the Florida Department of Revenue. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may change.

The Order Book: 1,093 Yachts Being Built

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 up were on order or under construction. That is 45 fewer than the 1,138 in the 2025 edition, a drop of about 4%. Yet the yachts are getting bigger. The same report puts total length on order at 44,637 metres, gross tonnage up about 4% to 602,092 GT, and average length up 0.8 metres to 40.8 metres.

Azimut-Benetti is the group behind the Azimut and Benetti brands, and Sanlorenzo is the other volume leader. The builders with the most metres on order, per the Global Order Book 2026:

Rank	Builder	Projects	Metres on order
1	Azimut-Benetti	163	5,924
2	Sanlorenzo	130	4,698
3	Lürssen	13	1,417
4	Feadship	18	1,390
5	The Italian Sea Group	23	1,337
6	Sunreef Yachts	41	1,185
8	Ocean Alexander	32	1,101
12	Sunseeker	30	818
16	Princess	24	629

Lürssen and Feadship have far fewer projects, but much longer ones: Lürssen’s 13 average about 109 metres each (our arithmetic from BOAT’s figures).

By country, Italy is far ahead, with 568 projects and 22,299 metres, according to the same report. Turkey, the Netherlands, Taiwan and Germany follow. The United States has 33 projects (1,037 metres).

Expedition (explorer) yachts on order fell by 4 to 101, the first decline since 2019. Multihulls rose by 2, and every new French superyacht project in the book is a multihull, including a 33 metre Fountaine Pajot catamaran series. Yacht Style (December 18, 2025) reported that Sunreef climbed from No. 9 to No. 6 and is the only catamaran-focused builder in the top 19.

What’s Selling: The Numbers Do Not Agree

Sales reports use different datasets and size cut-offs, so read these side by side, not blended.

Period	Figure	Source
2025, 24 m+ brokerage	470 sales, up 19.9% (438 resales, 32 new builds)	BOATPro data, Denison report (Feb 3, 2026)
2025, 30 m+ brokerage	360 sales, up 4%; value up 36%	Fraser Global Superyacht Review 2026, via Pressmare (Apr 1, 2026)
Jan–Sep 2026, 24 m+	416 sold, up 13% from 368	BOATPro data, Denison report (Oct 20, 2026)
Jan–Sep 2026, pre-owned 78 ft+	472 sold, down 1.0% from 477; value $5.2bn, down 4.7%	Northrop & Johnson report (Oct 15, 2026)

For 2026 so far, one dataset shows sales up 13% and another down about 1%.

The third quarter was busy. According to broker Denison’s Q3 2026 report (October 20, 2026), using BOATPro data, 126 yachts of 24 metres and up sold, up 40% from 90. The median price was $5.6 million, and the median time on market was 317 days. Resales made up 113 of the 126 sales.

Where are yachts selling? Denison’s 2025 review (February 3, 2026), using BOATPro data, ranks the United States as the top market by sales location, with 130 sales, up from 103 in 2024. France (51), Italy (39) and Greece (29) followed.

The Sweet Spot: 80 to 150 Feet

Denison’s 2025 review puts the median length of yachts sold at 33.45 metres (109.7 feet), with most activity in the 100 to 130 foot range. In the Global Order Book 2026, the four size bands from 24 to 45 metres hold 802 of the 1,093 projects (our sum of BOAT’s bands).

The 40 to 50 metre band (about 131 to 164 feet) is the strongest mover this year. According to Northrop & Johnson (October 15, 2026), brokerage sales in that band rose to 63 so far in 2026, from 49, up about 29%.

The brands buyers choose most, per Denison’s Q3 2026 report on BOATPro data: Sunseeker sold 10 yachts in the quarter, Benetti 9 and Custom Line (Ferretti Group) 8. Year to date, Sanlorenzo leads with 37 sales, up from 27 a year earlier.

Style is shifting too. Beyond Sunreef’s rise in power and sail catamarans, the Fort Lauderdale show this fall featured the Pearl 100 Hybrid, the first hybrid in Pearl’s fleet, and the Princess C48, the first Princess model to offer outboard engines, according to FLIBS (October 12, 2026). American sportfishing builders were out in force, with world premieres of the second-generation Viking 70 Convertible, the Viking 64 and 50 Sport Coupes, and the Valhalla 46 Sport Yacht.

New builds are often bought before they are finished. Northrop & Johnson reports that speculative builds made up about 51% of reported new-build activity so far in 2026, and custom projects 36%. Its provisional count of new-build sales, 216 so far in 2026 against 266 a year earlier, is down.

The Biggest New Yachts, by Builder and Length

Selected large recent deliveries. Two are shown by builder and length only, without their names:

Yacht	Builder	Length	Status and source
Deep Blue	Lürssen	134.2 m (about 440 ft)	Delivered, YachtBuyer (Apr 8, 2026)
Tanzanite	Amels (Damen Yachting)	120 m (about 394 ft)	Delivered 2026, BOAT directory
Boardwalk	Lürssen	117 m	Delivered Mar–Jun 2026, Superyachts.com
Nausicaä	Lürssen	114.2 m	Delivered Mar–Jun 2026, Superyachts.com
Leviathan and DreAMBoat	Oceanco	111 m each	Delivered late 2025, Top Yacht Design
A 109-metre Lürssen	Lürssen	109 m	Delivered Mar–Jun 2026, Superyachts.com
A 102.4-metre Lürssen	Lürssen	102.4 m	Delivered Mar–Jun 2026, Superyachts.com
Moonrise	Feadship	100 to 101 m (see note)	Delivered, BOAT (Jul 14, 2025)
Amalya	Admiral (The Italian Sea Group)	78 m	Delivered 2025, BOAT

BOAT International gives Moonrise as 101 metres in its delivery story, 100.7 metres in its spec listing and 100 metres in its 2026 preview. Still on order, the Global Order Book 2026 lists a 130 metre full-custom Oceanco project of more than 11,000 GT as the largest project, and Project Vela, a 130 metre sailing yacht from Brodotrogir in Croatia, as the largest sailing yacht. It counts 26 projects of 100 metres and up.

The South Florida Angle

The 67th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show runs October 28 to November 1, 2026, and FLIBS said (October 12, 2026) that it “will likely see over fifty debuts.” YachtCharterFleet named Draak, a 2014 Oceanco, as the largest superyacht attending. Its length is reported differently: FLIBS gives 305 feet, BOAT International’s show guide (October 7, 2026) gives 92.9 metres, and YachtCharterFleet (October 28, 2026) gives 300.2 feet (91.5 metres). YachtCharterFleet counted 209 superyachts at the show, including 59 charter yachts, up from 170 in 2025; that is a trade-site count, not an official one.

The show matters to the region’s economy. FLIBS reported (November 6, 2025) that the 2025 show generated a $1.78 billion economic impact for the state of Florida, and MIASF chief executive Phil Purcell said the show drives more than $800 million in marine product sales over its five days. The Marine Industries Association of South Florida cites an $18.5 billion regional economic impact for the marine industry. Boating Industry (March 7, 2023) reported that figure and about 141,860 jobs for data year 2022, up from $12.0 billion in 2018.

Refit is a large part of that work. FLIBS announced (October 27, 2026) that MIASF and Informa will launch RefitX 2027, a new refit conference and exhibition, on October 27 and 28, 2027, during FLIBS 2027.

Two more shows are coming. The Miami International Boat Show is set for February 10 to 14, 2027, per its official site. It is owned by the NMMA in partnership with the IYBA; the 2027 venues are not yet listed. The Palm Beach International Boat Show is set for March 17 to 21, 2027, on Flagler Drive in downtown West Palm Beach, per its official site.

What It Costs to Buy and to Run

Asking prices give a real-world guide. Northrop & Johnson’s Q3 2026 report gives average asking prices of $3.9 million for 24 to 30 metres, $6.6 million for 30 to 40 metres and about $15.6 million for 40 to 50 metres. Broker Ocean Independence (updated August 21, 2026) gives new-build guide prices of $5 million to $15 million for 24 to 40 metres and $15 million to $40 million for 40 to 60 metres; it cites no data for those ranges.

Running costs are where sources differ:

• Fraser says 10% to 15% of purchase value a year, with maintenance 5% to 10%, insurance 0.5% to 2%, and crew the largest item. Mid-size yachts carry 8 to 15 crew, each paid €40,000 to €150,000 or more.
• Ocean Independence says 10% to 20% of value a year.
• A SuperyachtNews commentary by Will Christie, founder and chief executive of Christie Yachts (October 13, 2026), calls the 10% rule of little use, because costs do not fall as the yacht loses value. His hypothetical example: a 30 metre yacht that cost €10 million might cost “perhaps” €1 million a year to run when new.

Buyer Basics in Florida

This is not tax advice; ask a tax adviser before you buy. According to the Florida Department of Revenue (brochure GT-800005, revised July 2024), “The maximum tax on the sale of a boat or vessel is $18,000.” This includes both sales and use tax and discretionary sales surtax.

The Department of Revenue also describes an exemption for boats sold by or through a registered dealer or broker to nonresidents who take delivery in Florida. For boats of 5 net tons of admeasurement or larger, Department decals allow the boat to remain in Florida waters up to 90 days after the date of purchase. This may be extended to 180 days with a 90-day extension decal set, which costs $425 and must be obtained from the selling dealer or broker within 60 days after the date of purchase. A boat on which Florida tax has not been paid may stay at a registered facility that rents dockage or slippage for no more than a total of 20 days in any calendar year without owing use tax.

Registration is separate. The Miami-Dade Tax Collector says a boat registered in another state may be used in Florida for up to 90 days, after which it must be registered in Florida.

Questions to Ask

1. Which dataset is behind the market figures you are quoting, and what size cut-off does it use?
2. Is this new build speculative or custom, and what does the contract say about delivery?
3. How long has this yacht been on the market, compared with the 317-day median Denison reported for Q3 2026?
4. What did the yacht cost to run last year, line by line, including crew?
5. When was the last major refit, and what is due next?
6. Do I qualify for Florida’s nonresident exemption, and how will I use the 90 or 180 days?
7. Will the yacht need Florida registration if it stays longer than 90 days?
8. Can I see this builder’s yachts at FLIBS, Miami or Palm Beach before I commit?

The Bottom Line

BOAT International’s Global Order Book 2026 counts 1,093 yachts being built, slightly fewer than a year earlier but larger on average, with catamarans gaining and explorers dipping. Sales reports disagree on whether 2026 is up or flat. Brokerage deals cluster around 100 to 130 feet, and the United States was the top market by sales location in BOATPro’s 2025 data, per Denison. Florida caps the tax on a boat sale at $18,000, according to the Department of Revenue.

More From Everything Luxury

• Yachts at Everything Luxury
• Miami and Palm Beach Boat Show Guide
• Winterfest Boat Parade Guide
• Dock and Dine from Hillsboro Inlet to Delray
• South Florida Private Jet Airports and FBO Guide

Sources (27) · all checked November 1, 2026

• BOAT International, Global Order Book 2026 (January 2026 issue, released December 2025): source
• Yacht Style, Sunreef rises in the Global Order Book (December 18, 2025): source
• Pressmare, summary of the Fraser Global Superyacht Review 2026 (April 1, 2026): source
• Denison Yachting, 2025 year in review superyacht market report, BOATPro data (February 3, 2026): source
• Denison Yachting, Q3 2026 superyacht market report, BOATPro data (October 20, 2026): source
• Northrop & Johnson, Q3 2026 superyacht market report (October 15, 2026): source
• YachtBuyer, Lürssen delivers Deep Blue (April 8, 2026): source
• BOAT International, superyacht directory entry for Tanzanite (undated): source
• Superyachts.com, Lürssen’s six 2026 deliveries (undated): source
• Top Yacht Design, Oceanco delivers two 111 m superyachts (November 27, 2025): source
• BOAT International, Feadship Moonrise delivery (July 14, 2025): source
• BOAT International, biggest upcoming superyacht deliveries of 2026 (December 3, 2025): source
• BOAT International, biggest superyacht launches from every country in 2025 (December 2025): source
• FLIBS, 2026 vessels and world debuts (October 12, 2026): source
• BOAT International, FLIBS 2026 guide (October 7, 2026): source
• YachtCharterFleet, FLIBS 2026 opens its 67th edition (October 28, 2026): source
• FLIBS, 2025 global impact release (November 6, 2025): source
• FLIBS, RefitX 2027 announcement (October 27, 2026): source
• Marine Industries Association of South Florida, home page (undated): source
• Boating Industry, MIASF economic impact study, data year 2022 (March 7, 2023): source
• Miami International Boat Show, official site (undated): source
• Palm Beach International Boat Show, official site (undated): source
• Ocean Independence, how much does a superyacht cost (April 1, 2026, updated August 21, 2026): source
• Fraser, hidden costs in yacht ownership (undated): source
• SuperyachtNews, what it really costs to run a superyacht, commentary by Will Christie (October 13, 2026): source
• Florida Department of Revenue, brochure GT-800005 on boat sales and use tax (revised July 2024): source
• Miami-Dade Tax Collector, boats and vessels (undated): source

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