Back
For most client relationships at IYG, a boat show represents the midpoint. Introductions have already been made, and the client’s priorities are likely well understood. The show gives both client and broker an opportunity to step aboard multiple yachts and compare them directly. But while purchases certainly do happen at the show, the actual deal likely won’t be struck until well after the final horns blow. Nevertheless, walking the show with an experienced broker can give a serious buyer valuable context when comparing yachts side by side.
The Value of an Independent Yacht Broker at a Boat Show
IYG’s boutique structure gives its brokers a lot of freedom to work with. They can move quickly, draw on deep market knowledge, and look across a much wider field than firms tied to particular builders. That means the conversation stays focused on what fits the client best, not what happens to sit within a particular brand portfolio.
“I think that’s one thing that separates us from the competition, and also something that our clients love about us,” says IYG president Boomer Jousma. “We have zero conflicts of interest. We aren’t going to show you only one kind of boat because we are attached to it by a contract. We have the ability to show you anything that fits your needs the best. That’s a real and tangible difference that our clients can feel.”
The Work Starts Before the Boat Show
Of course, working across such a broad range of yachts means that IYG brokers need to do the legwork before narrowing down options worth showing to clients. Fortunately, that’s a duty they relish. “I love getting to know the boats well,” says IYG broker Conrad Vanderley. “That means digging into the details, the history, the build, the refit work, and what may not be obvious from a polished show-ready presentation. The goal is to walk onboard with enough knowledge that when a client asks, ‘What’s the story with this?’ I already know the answer.”
Looking Beyond the Yachts on Display
For IYG broker Robbie LaGuardia, a Naval Academy graduate, the level of preparation required to serve clients well came as a welcome challenge. “I think it’s a lot more work than outsiders might realize,” he says. “The most demanding facet of preparation as a broker is the breadth of knowledge required for clients to succeed. Good brokers know the yachts their brokerage has on display; excellent brokers understand all the relevant yachts and shipyards represented at the show. Identifying a buyer’s needs and guiding them toward the right product demands extensive market knowledge, careful research, and a commitment to continual learning as the industry and its offerings evolve.”
When Broker Relationships Open Doors
Of course, as with most things in life, who you know can matter just as much as what you know. And few in yachting have a broader network than IYG founder George Jousma. His decades of experience and longstanding industry relationships can be particularly valuable when working with shipyards and securing a build slot.
“A broker with a positive prior relationship with the shipyard will always get their attention,” he says. “If they have met the client with the broker, and have some background of the client—what he owns and things like that—that will also influence their decision. That information and prior relationship will not only help attain a build slot, but it will also help the client and broker get aboard a yacht at a show, particularly in highly competitive environments like at the Monaco show.”
The Work Doesn’t End at the Boat Show
Researching the yachts and getting aboard them at the show is only half the battle. The real work begins when the show is over and the broker and client have had time to consider everything they saw and heard.
“In the weeks after a boat show, you do an assessment of who you interacted with at the show and categorize or prioritize your follow-up related to their timeline for action,” says Jousma. “Each client needs to be followed up with on a personal level. Some may have made offers at the show or seen something they want to pursue. You want to facilitate those leads immediately. But in any case, any good broker should prepare for a whole lot of follow-up after a boat show. If you walked the docks with us, be expecting a call!”
For clients considering a yacht purchase, the value of a boat show often begins well before the docks open and continues long after they close. Working with an experienced broker can help narrow the field, make better use of time at the show, and determine which opportunities deserve a closer look.
