After the Boat Show: What Buyers Should Do in November

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show closed on November 1. For buyers, the docks were the research trip. Now comes the part that actually matters: turning a short list into a decision while the boats you liked are still available, and while there is still time to enjoy the South Florida winter season.

Here is how I would use the next few weeks.

Narrow the shortlist while it is still fresh

Write down the boats you walked, what you liked, and what gave you pause: layout, engine hours in context, condition, how she ran if you rode, and how she was presented. Rank three to five that still make sense for how you will use the boat — weekends in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, longer trips, or a charter plan. The best decisions after a show start with an honest shortlist, not a longer one.

Compare against completed sales, not asking prices

Show asking prices tell you what sellers hope for. What you need is how similar boats have actually sold, adjusted for refits, equipment, upkeep and condition. That is the frame I use with buyers: a clear market read so you know whether a number is fair before you write an offer. It also keeps you from chasing a boat that only looked right under show lighting.

Run the process: survey, sea trial, financing, insurance and documents

Once a boat rises to the top, move in order. A marine survey and sea trial confirm what a walkthrough can only suggest. Financing and insurance should be lined up early so they do not stall a good deal. Documentation — title or USCG documentation, registration, any lien payoff — runs in parallel. A buyer's broker keeps those pieces moving so you are not coordinating every call yourself.

Buy with the season — and year-end — in mind

A boat that closes in November or December is one you can still use this winter along the Miami and Fort Lauderdale coast. If you plan to use the yacht in a qualifying business, such as a properly run charter, timing also matters for bonus depreciation: under current federal law, eligible property acquired after January 19, 2025 may qualify for a permanent 100% additional first-year depreciation deduction, and the deduction is taken in the tax year the yacht is placed in service — ready and available for its business use — not merely the day you sign. Closing late in December does not guarantee that. Survey, sea trial, documentation, delivery and charter readiness all take time. Talk to your CPA or tax advisor about whether this applies to you; this isn't tax advice. (We cover the details in our bonus depreciation buyer's guide.)

A buyer's broker helps on every step above: finding boats on the open market and off it, reading comps, negotiating, and keeping a closing timeline your CPA and lender can work with. Through Luke Brown Yachts' network of 50+ brokers, that search reaches co-broker inventory you will not see on a single brokerage site.

You don't need to decide everything this week. A conversation about the boats on your shortlist, how you will use her, and your timing is enough to start. I work across South Florida, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, from a home base on Key Biscayne, in English or Spanish.

Thinking about buying this season? Start on our buy page, or message me on WhatsApp at +1-305-741-0240.

— Enrique Dillon
Dillon Yachts · Partnering with Luke Brown Yachts