Motor Yacht Review | 2026

BY HUGH RAYNER

Crikey, the last 12 months have been a blast in the Berthon Motor Yacht team hot seats, and current trends in this year are forecasting a very strong performance over the next 12 months as we run through the season proper in 2026. So, why this market strength in a globally chaotic, domestically challenging, and economically hamstrung climate?

Quite simply, ours is an exceptional position in the motor brokerage market, which has been cleft in twain. The mass market, high-volume, production motor yacht market sits in a deeply challenging position; new-build numbers are way down on the fertile years of the early 2020s, with rising material, labour, utility, and facility costs demanding higher retail pricing. Well-priced, relatively recent used yachts are commensurately a far more attractive proposition, as manufacturers obsess over lean production and chasing ever-lighter construction. There is a valid argument that an older yacht is both better built and better finished than her younger sister.

Another significantly overlooked market driver recently has been the demand for greater capability, especially for offshore-proficient and versatile yachts, which our client base has fortunately always favoured. These heavier, more seaworthy breeds are suitable for arduous passage-making, through conditions that would prevent many lighter, less competent craft from putting to sea. The profile of the “modern classic” is now heavily featured in the headlines of the glossies, having previously been shadowed by the latest/greatest. Traditional lines, elegance, and practicality – “a boat that looks like a boat” – all feature as essential on the shopping lists of our clients today. Current listings and purchases reflect this trend this, with stunning contemporary classics by Cockwells, nestling amongst evergreen Nelson designs from Dale and Seaward, Nelson-esques by Aquastar and Hardy, and epic sea boats by Oyster, Elling, and Botnia. And the link between them? They are all-weather, sea-sure, and reliable yachts, unfazed by a short chop, rising breeze, or a spot or two of rain (which seems the norm as I write this in February!).

Our statistics for 2024/25 into 2026 show that the percentage of capable passage-makers is proportionally on the rise against the sports boat genre, indicating that a higher ratio of buyers plan more time at sea, more time exploring, and longer periods adventuring afloat. Prerequisites are therefore comfort underway, structural integrity, systems reliability, dependable drivetrain(s), and general ease of management. In the brokerage market, the provenance, history, and therefore the current owner are critical to any marketing campaign we undertake. Tiptop cosmetics, thoroughly documented (and supported) service history, and a strong, positive relationship between ourselves and our owners is a high priority to ensure a successful outcome. A deal is a deal, but the value to the buyer of an ongoing dialogue with the yacht’s old owner should not be trivialised. That unlabelled switch in the cupboard may well have a subtle use that the handover has overlooked – and the old owner is most likely to know the answer, which even the original builder may not! Your new yacht’s previous custodian should be your best friend when the sale and purchase is but a distant memory.

Another feature of the current market is a deeper, longer, and more conversational preamble prior to selection and inspection of “the right thing.” We take a longer-term view of the market and are able to provide broad market knowledge, usually gained over several decades in our spheres of specialism. Thus, we know what works and what has not been so successful, and we are able to suggest options that may not appear obvious to a less experienced broker, or to suggest a marque which may not have been considered by the buyer. This in-depth perspective can be valuable for clients moving from sail to power, or vice versa, where new and somewhat alien knowledge is required to help clarify the best solution for the programme you have in mind. With 50% of our most recent sales having welcomed experienced yachties to the “dark side” (or “straight-line yachting” as we prefer to refer to clockwork boating), this is a conspicuous trend. There are multiple reasons for the shift – maybe it is time for a change, or to take on a long-planned adventure, or to buy a yacht suitable for new cruising grounds. It is super-rewarding to work alongside our clients through the purchase process, from identification of the new yacht, to managing the sale, onto the great day of handover, and helping to organise familiarisation and training if needed.

PRINCESS V62 │ ANOTHER SPLASH

SO, WHAT NEXT?

Whilst our core business is brokerage, we are energised by the success of home-grown new yacht builders who are bucking the trend of a formulaic mass production market by carefully listening and addressing the needs of their client base. 2026 sees UK power launches from Cockwells of Cornwall, Spirit Yachts of Suffolk, and Hamble’s Elephant Boatyard. There is demand and an active market for motor yachts built with soul and care, which reflect a more eclectic age of motor yachting, offering a little more whimsy, whilst pushing the boundaries by using contemporary materials and drivetrains. Mass production builders find interpreting and adapting to current market trends difficult, as production lines need to be fed and selling in volume without re-tooling is essential to hitting their numbers.

Interest in the refit and upgrade of pre-owned yachts has grown significantly as a direct result of rising new yacht prices. Refit yards are moving with the times and are working on more recently built yachts than previously. Many articles now appear in the yachting press, showing the process of taking a solid and well-found yacht and sympathetically enhancing usability with new tech and updates of furnishings. Emotionally and financially, this route makes good sense.

Accurately priced brokerage yachts are selling. So far, we have double the number of sales in progress as we saw in 2025, indicating that 2026 is going to be a VERY busy year for us!

Some pundits on our market are opining that the market is dead, and that nobody is buying. Our view is that the motor yacht market is both mature and resilient, and that it is in rude good health at present. The number of quality yachts coming to market has NOT dipped – in fact, we are currently acting for owners of some of the best-prepared yachts, with the most realistic, diligent owners that we have seen for some time. Enquiry levels are strong, and there is no shortage of either UK or international buyers.

Ours is a people business, and a little patience may be required to find the next owner of your yacht and for a buyer to find their perfect next yacht – but it does only take one. Being part of that process is rewarding. We meet and work with fascinating people and go yachting on some incredible yachts. We hope that we can help you to embark on this wonderful way of spending your precious time, and help to make the voyage an enjoyable one.

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