What David Walters Yachts does

David Walters Yachts is a privately held US yacht brokerage firm founded in 1982 by David Walters, Sr. as a New England yacht design and construction firm, now led by President Josh McLean and operating from Dania, Florida. The firm specializes in the sale of quality semi-custom new and brokerage (pre-owned) yachts, representing four manufacturer brands (Grand Soleil Performance Sailing Yachts, Offshore Yachts, MJM Yachts, and Hylas Yachts) alongside its own Custom Construction Program for bespoke sailing yacht builds. Its product surface spans power and motor yachts (mega yachts, motor yachts, trawlers, Downeast, sport fishing, center consoles, power catamarans) and sailing yachts (sailing yachts 70 ft. and above, sailboats under 70 ft., performance cruisers, and multihulls/catamarans), with supporting services including buyer's agent representation, listing/seller agent services, exclusive yacht alerts, and an MLS yacht search platform.

The company generates revenue primarily through transaction-based brokerage commissions on yacht sales, supplemented by professional services fees for buyer and seller representation. It employs 11-50 people organized as a traditional field-sales team of yacht brokers, with nine US offices (Fort Lauderdale, Marina del Rey, Newport RI, Portland ME, Annapolis, Naples, Palm Beach, Port Canaveral) and one Caribbean office in Saint Martin. Go-to-market combines direct broker outreach, a content-marketing website and newsletter, organic social (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube), educational webinars, major boat show participation (Palma, Trawlerfest, Annapolis), and MLS distribution.

David Walters Yachts serves high-net-worth individuals and families seeking to buy or sell luxury yachts, as well as clients pursuing semi-custom or fully custom new-build construction. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; transactions are bespoke, with average ticket sizes in the high-six-to-low-seven-figure range (e.g., an Offshore Yachts 70 CE listed at approximately $4.99M). The firm is independent and family/management-controlled, with no disclosed institutional investment, parent company, or subsidiary structure.

Name

David Walters Yachts

Legal name

David Walters Yachts

Website

https://davidwaltersyachts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

David Walters Yachts is a privately held US yacht brokerage founded in 1982 that sells semi-custom new yachts (Grand Soleil, Offshore, MJM, Hylas) and brokerage vessels to high-net-worth buyers and sellers, operating nine US offices plus a Saint Martin office.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Yacht Brokerage Services

NAICS

Boat Dealers (441222), Ship and Boat Building (3366), Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Yacht Systems Integration & Commissioning (Shipyard) (IMAJAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Semi-Custom & Series Production Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAM), Luxury Sailing Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAC), Sailing Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAA)

Keywords

• Yacht brokerage services
• Luxury yacht sales
• Buyer agent representation
• Semi-custom yacht dealer
• Yacht design construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Dania

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commissions: Revenue is generated through commissions on yacht sales (both new and brokerage/used vessels). The company acts as intermediary between buyers and sellers of luxury yachts, earning transaction-based fees.
2. Buyer Agent Services: Bespoke buyer agent services to guide clients through yacht acquisition process from start to finish.
3. Listing/Seller Services: Listing agent services for sellers including sales and marketing strategies, valuation assistance, and yacht sales process management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

David Walters Yachts is a yacht brokerage firm that specializes in the sale of quality semi-custom new yachts and brokerage (pre-owned) yachts. The company represents new yacht brands including Offshore Yachts, Grand Soleil, and MJM Yachts, and offers buyer agent services, listing/seller agent services, custom sailing yacht construction, and yacht valuation through offices across the United States and the Caribbean.

Product overview

David Walters Yachts is a luxury yacht brokerage firm established in 1982, offering a comprehensive portfolio of yacht sales services and semi-custom new boat brands. The company's core offering consists of power and motor yacht sales (including mega yachts, motor yachts, trawlers, Downeast vessels, sport fishing yachts, center consoles, and power catamarans) alongside sailing yachts sales (spanning vessels 70 ft. and above, sailboats under 70 ft., performance cruisers, and multihulls). The new boat division represents four semi-custom brands: Offshore Yachts (motor yachts with CE Series), Grand Soleil (performance sailing yachts in Long Cruise and Performance series), MJM Yachts (luxury dayboats and cruisers), and a Custom Construction Program for bespoke sailing yacht builds. Supporting services include buyer's agent services, listing agent services, exclusive yacht alerts, MLS yacht search, and yacht valuation. The company operates throughout the United States and Caribbean with offices across multiple locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Power & Motor Yachts Sales

Quantifiable outcome

• Satisfied thousands of customers worldwide over 40+ years of operation

Named customers15 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MJM YachtscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026David Walters Yachts partnered with MJM Yachts in 2026 for representation of their luxury dayboats and cruisers. DWY works with MJM owners, resorts, and developers throughout the Caribbean.
• Grand Soleil YachtscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrand Soleil Performance Sailing Yachts are represented by David Walters Yachts as the exclusive or preferred dealer. The partnership includes both Long Cruise and Performance series yachts, with DWY participating in events like the Palma International Boat Show alongside Grand Soleil.
• Offshore YachtscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOffshore Yachts is represented by David Walters Yachts as a dealer for their semi-custom motor yachts including the CE Series. DWY features Offshore Yachts prominently in their new yacht offerings.
• Hylas YachtscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDavid Walters Yachts is a key representative for Hylas Yachts, hosting annual Hylas Owners Rendezvous events and conducting educational webinars on Hylas rigging, systems, and market updates.
• Custom Construction Program PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Build Construction Program for custom sailing yachts, with DWY facilitating the design, construction, and delivery process for clients.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Galati Yacht Sales: Multi-location yacht brokerage and new-boat dealer on the US Gulf Coast and East Coast, representing premium brands such as Viking, Princess, and Tiara — comparable operating model as a mid-size brokerage competing for semi-custom yacht buyers.
• Denison Yachting: One of the largest US-based yacht brokerages, offering sales of new and brokerage yachts across power, sail, and catamaran segments with multiple offices nationally — directly comparable in product mix and channel model to David Walters Yachts, but at substantially greater scale.
• Atlantic Yacht & Ship: Florida-based yacht brokerage offering new and brokerage sales across power and sail — a regional competitor with comparable service mix and client profile to David Walters Yachts' Southeast offices.
• United Yacht Sales: US yacht brokerage network with multiple regional offices offering new and brokerage sail and power vessels — a closely comparable operating model and segment overlap with David Walters Yachts, especially in the brokerage sailboat space.
• HMY Yachts: Long-standing US yacht brokerage and Hatteras dealer with multi-region offices, providing new construction representation and brokerage sales — an apples-to-apples competitor to David Walters Yachts in semi-custom motor yacht representation and brokerage transactions.
• Worth Avenue Yachts: US-focused luxury yacht brokerage with offices in Florida and the Northeast, representing buyers and sellers of motor and sailing yachts — a comparable mid-size brokerage competing for the same HNW clientele as David Walters Yachts.

Broad incumbents

• Northrop & Johnson: International yacht brokerage with deep superyacht focus and a long heritage. Larger and broader incumbent, but directly comparable brokerage services and overlapping presence in key US yachting markets (Newport, FL); a senior DWY broker previously served as COO here.
• Burgess: Global superyacht brokerage and yacht management firm with strong presence in the US, Mediterranean, and Caribbean. Overlaps with DWY in upper-end brokerage and new construction management for HNW and UHNW clients.
• Camper & Nicholsons: Global superyacht brokerage and new-build management firm with strong Mediterranean and Caribbean presence. Overlaps with DWY in brokerage and new construction management, and competes for the same UHNW clients, though skewed toward larger vessels.
• Hinckley Yachts: Iconic yacht builder and broker of semi-custom power and sail yachts with the Hinckley Brokerage division. Directly comparable as a competitor for both new construction mandates and brokerage inventory; differs in that it is also a manufacturer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DavidWaltersYachts
• Facebookfacebook.com/DWYachts
• Instagraminstagram.com/david_walters_yachts
• Xx.com/DW_Yachts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about David Walters Yachts