Opinions Archive | Superyacht Investor

Opinions

Opinion pieces from Superyacht Investor

Burgess broker Ian Sherwood recently sold the 89m Amels Here Comes The Sun.

Billionaires, bunfights and broken hearts

Rob Hodgetts

11 Feb 26

0

He was sipping rosé on the pontoon at the end of a long, hot day at the Cannes Yachting Festival when a young deckhand approached…

Eleonora Pitasso, broker turned owner and founder of The Wayve.

‘Do you even want the yacht?’ – broker-turned-owner Pitasso on her epiphany

Rob Hodgetts

2 Feb 26

0

She stood by as the client’s representative fired a volley of technical questions on a tour of the new build, but eventually she had to…

Charlie Ross is group operations director, Pendennis.

Skeletons in the hull: Pendennis’ Ross on rebuilding classics

Rob Hodgetts

26 Jan 26

0

She is a classic motor yacht from 1931 but Marala’s storied history hid some dark secrets. The Camper & Nicholson-built vessel was converted for naval…

Marsha van Buitenen, sales director, Feadship. (Photo: Feadship)

Inside the Feadship sales psyche

Rob Hodgetts

12 Jan 26

0

The client was poised over the contract, ready to sign, when his wife piped up: “Is this the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought for…

Hot or not? Superyacht market predictions for 2026.

Hot or not? Market forecasts in 2026

Rob Hodgetts

23 Dec 25

0

If we could predict the future we’d have all gamed the lottery and bought our own superyachts by now. But that doesn’t stop us from…

Superyacht propellers

Munro: Nuclear ‘100% the future’ barring perception

Rob Hodgetts

15 Dec 25

0

For four years they referred to it simply as the “power pack” to avoid prying ears getting wind of what they were up to. It…

The Middle East has become a significant hub for the superyacht industry.

‘Patience’ the key to unlock Middle East bounty

Rob Hodgetts

8 Dec 25

0

In football terms, they supplied the cross, Dubai headed it in. Unfavourable or uncertain tax regimes in countries such as the UK and France are…

Fraser Yachts broker Jan-Jaap Minnema.

‘Experience is a trap’ – Minnema on 25 years as a broker

Rob Hodgetts

1 Dec 25

0

Gazing around at his fellow commuters on the train, his heart sank. It was the same every morning, but the nagging in his soul was…

Buying a superyacht: Part II - the MOA.

Buying a superyacht: Part II – The Memorandum of Agreement

Superyacht Investor Contributor

27 Nov 25

0

Securing your dream yacht, Part II: from Letter of Intent to Memorandum of Agreement—anchoring the deal and navigating the next step to ownership As the…

Superyachts in Port Hercule, Monaco at the Monaco Yacht Show.

Gaining an edge with revamped central agency

Rob Hodgetts

24 Nov 25

0

If you find yourself up against Goliath, you need to find an edge. Ryanair’s edge was offering cheap upfront flights and monetising everything else. Netflix…

Superyachts at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) 2025. (Photo: Informa Markets)

Halloween at FLIBS and big yacht sales are screaming

Rob Hodgetts

4 Nov 25

0

He describes himself as first mate, deckhand and bartender. Ernie also keeps up a good line in chirpy commentary as his yellow water taxi ferries…

Icon Yachts owner Micca Ferrero.

Icon’s Ferrero on the challenges of owning a shipyard

Rob Hodgetts

27 Oct 25

0

He bought a shipyard with a solid reputation for explorer yachts but it was the brand’s recognition from the industry that delivered the biggest thrill.…

Owner's representative Jack Inglis is the founder of Utimar,

Owner’s rep Inglis: Speed equals more problems

Rob Hodgetts

20 Oct 25

0

A couple of hours over a lunch break was all he needed. Owner’s representative Jack Inglis was at the yard to discuss his new-build project…

Berkay Yilmaz is the commercial director of Bilgin Yachts in Turkey.

Bilgin eyes connections to ‘feed our souls’

Rob Hodgetts

13 Oct 25

0

His client was close to signing the contract for his 12th and perhaps last yacht, but he needed to see the merchandise first. The Central…

Heesen leadership team: (from left to right) Laurens Last, Lyam Last, Jeroen van der Meer, Ruud van der Stroom, Mike Rouse.

Heesen owner: Ice, ice baby

Rob Hodgetts

6 Oct 25

0

He’s a fan of ice baths, dancing all night and extreme sports but Heesen owner Laurens Last is also driven by a need to be…

The Monaco Yacht Show has parallels with the Ryder Cup, taking place at Bethpage Black on Long Island, New York.

Monaco matches Ryder Cup for US-Euro rivalry

Rob Hodgetts

29 Sep 25

0

Golf’s Ryder Cup between the might of the USA versus the best of Europe teed off today in what will be a feverish, partisan atmosphere…

Cruise miss: “I’ll never let that happen again”

Rob Hodgetts

19 Sep 25

0

The next time Hollywood mega stars come knocking, Oyster Yachts plans to be ready. They don’t come much more mega than Tom Cruise, but when…

Superyachts in Port Hercule, Monaco at the Monaco Yacht Show.

Buying a superyacht The critical role of Letters of Intent

Rob Hodgetts

18 Sep 25

0

As the yachting world converges on the Monaco Yacht Show, buyers are presented with an extraordinary opportunity: the chance to step aboard, compare and potentially…

Aerial view of the Cannes Yachting Festival.

Handshakes and hot buyers – the view from Cannes

Rob Hodgetts

15 Sep 25

0

A warm but weary smile creases his face as he stretches out his hand. Vasco Buonpensiere has just stepped off his yard’s 45m full custom…

The Feadship Hampshire is for sale with Cecil Wright.

Off-market FOMO and a ‘changing’ landscape

Rob Hodgetts

8 Sep 25

0

It is reasonable to assume all yacht brokers have FOMO (fear of missing out). They must do with all the talk of off-market deals flying…

© Specialist Insight, 2026. All rights reserved. Website design and development by e-Motive Media Limited.