Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales

What Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales does

Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales, Inc. (JMYS) is a privately held yacht brokerage founded in January 2014 by Jeff Merrill and headquartered in Seal Beach / Long Beach, California. The firm provides professional buyer and seller representation exclusively for premium ocean-going trawlers, with listed inventory prices ranging from approximately $325,000 to $949,000 USD and a specialty that includes Nordhavn, Selene, Kadey-Krogen, Fleming, Ocean Alexander, DeFever, American Tug, Nordic Tug, Diesel Duck, and similar long-range cruising brands. JMYS operates licensed brokerage offices in California, Florida, Virginia, and Washington, and its brokers travel worldwide (including South Africa, Japan, China, Taiwan, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, and Panama) to preview vessels and meet clients.

The firm's service portfolio is organized around four offerings: Buying Representation (vessel selection, sea trials, surveys, negotiations, closing), Selling Representation (strategic pricing, professional marketing, worldwide exposure, trust-secured deposits, end-to-end transaction management), Trawler Consultation / Trawler Advocate (personalized coaching on systems, operations, and the cruising lifestyle), and New Build Management (build specification, factory visits, sea trials, and delivery for new premium trawler orders). Underlying technology is limited to the third-party YachtOne platform used for listing and inventory management; the company's competitive value is delivered through CPYB-certified brokers rather than proprietary software.

JMYS generates revenue primarily through transaction commissions on buyer and seller representation, supplemented by fees from advisory and new build management engagements. Pricing is negotiated on a per-transaction basis and is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion combines a multi-channel content engine (YouTube JeffMerrillYachts series, TrawlerFest seminars, PassageMaker and Ocean Navigator articles, quarterly newsletters, and an extensive on-site educational library) with a referral-driven relationship network anchored by founder Jeff Merrill's 30+ years of bluewater experience and prior role as top sales producer at Pacific Asian Enterprises (Nordhavn). The team is small (six identified Trawler Specialists) and the firm holds memberships in CYBA, YBAA, NYBA, and IYBA.

Name

Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales

Legal name

Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales, Inc.

Website

https://jmys.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales (JMYS) is a private US yacht brokerage providing worldwide buyer and seller representation, consultation, and new build management exclusively for premium ocean-going trawler brands such as Nordhavn, Selene, and Kadey-Krogen.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Yacht Brokerage Services

NAICS

Boat Dealers (441222)

akta.pro primary industry

Boat & Personal Watercraft (PWC) Retail (CRAMAIAA)

Keywords

• Yacht brokerage services
• Premium trawler sales
• Boat buyer representation
• Boat seller representation
• New build management

Headquarters

HQ city

Seal Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Buyer Representation Services: Commission-based brokerage services for buyers of ocean-going trawlers, including vessel selection guidance, sea trials, surveys, negotiations, and closing coordination
2. Seller Representation Services: Strategic pricing analysis, professional marketing, worldwide exposure, and hands-on management of selling trawlers from listing to closing. Deposits secured in trust accounts.
3. Trawler Consultation and Advisory: The Trawler Advocate program provides personalized coaching on systems, operations, and cruising lifestyle. New build management services for ordering premium trawlers including build specification, factory visits, sea trials, and delivery.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales (JMYS) is a yacht brokerage firm providing worldwide professional representation for buyers and sellers of new and used premium ocean-going trawlers. The company offers buyer representation services (vessel selection, sea trials, surveys, negotiations, and closing), seller representation services (strategic pricing, professional marketing, worldwide exposure), Trawler Consultation/Advocate coaching, and new build management for ordering custom trawlers.

Product overview

Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales (JMYS) is a yacht brokerage firm offering a unified suite of professional representation services for buyers and sellers of premium ocean-going trawlers. The company operates as a service-based business rather than a software product company. Their core offerings include Buying Representation Services, Selling Your Trawler Services, Trawler Consultation (Trawler Advocate Program), and New Build Management services. JMYS also leverages the YachtOne platform for listing management and brokerage operations. The company specializes exclusively in premium fiberglass trawler brands including Nordhavn, Selene, Kadey-Krogen, Fleming, Ocean Alexander, DeFever, American Tug, Nordic Tug, and Diesel Duck.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Buying Representation Services
• Selling Your Trawler Services
• Trawler Consultation (Trawler Advocate Program)
• New Build Management

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,000+ nautical miles traveled with clients on various trawler models
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• California Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA)coreOthersProfessional membership association for yacht brokers in California. Jeff Merrill served on the CYBA board of directors for seven years and was President for two years (2015-2016). He received the prestigious Merle Parke award in 2016.
• Yacht Brokers Association of America (YBAA)coreOthersNational professional association for yacht brokers. JMYS displays the YBAA membership badge on their website as a mark of professional standards.
• Northwest Yacht Brokers Association (NYBA)coreOthersRegional professional association for yacht brokers in the Pacific Northwest. JMYS maintains membership as part of their professional credentials.
• International Yacht Brokers Association (IYBA)coreOthersInternational professional association for yacht brokers. JMYS displays the IYBA membership badge on their website.
• Certified Professional Yacht Broker (CPYB)coreOthersThe industry's highest certification program for yacht brokers. JMYS founder Jeff Merrill is CPYB certified and served as Chairman of the CPYB Certificate Advisory Council for three years (2023, 2024, 2025). The CPYB program ensures professional standards for vessel systems, surveys, sea trials, contracts, and closing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Worth Avenue Yachts: Specialist yacht brokerage focused on premium motor yachts with multiple U.S. offices. Comparable as a boutique, principal-led brokerage serving HNW buyers and sellers of high-end recreational vessels.
• United Yacht Sales: Coastal U.S. yacht brokerage network with significant trawler inventory. Comparable as a multi-broker, multi-region operation that mediates buyer and seller representation for cruising yachts.
• HMY Yachts: Established yacht brokerage with locations across the U.S. Southeast and a strong presence in both motor yacht and trawler categories. Comparable as a multi-office, transaction-fee-driven brokerage serving similar client profiles.
• Northrop & Johnson: Global luxury yacht brokerage active in both sales and new construction management. Comparable as a high-touch representation firm serving HNW clients on premium yacht transactions and new-build orders.
• SYS Yacht Sales: Specialty trawler and motor yacht brokerage operating across multiple U.S. locations. Comparable as a focused trawler broker with a similar representation-driven model and overlapping brand expertise.
• Galati Yacht Sales: Long-standing yacht brokerage representing multiple premium motor yacht and trawler brands. Comparable as a multi-office brokerage targeting similar HNW cruising buyers, with overlapping brand coverage (e.g., Viking, Ocean Alexander).
• Atlantic Yacht & Ship: South Florida yacht brokerage with significant used motor yacht and trawler listings. Comparable as a regional brokerage competing for similar buyer profiles in the U.S. trawler resale market.
• Denison Yachting: Large U.S. yacht brokerage with a dedicated trawler and motor yacht division. Most directly comparable peer as a multi-state, multi-brand brokerage serving similar HNW buyers and sellers of cruising yachts.
• Luke Brown Yachts: Florida-based yacht brokerage with a long track record in motor yacht and trawler sales. Comparable as an established Florida-anchored brokerage competing for similar East Coast premium cruising clients.

Broad incumbents

• Camper & Nicholsons: Historic global luxury yacht brokerage and new-build specialist with worldwide offices. Comparable on the brokerage-and-new-build management model but operates at the superyacht tier above JMYS's trawler niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/merrillyachts
• Facebookfacebook.com/jeffmerrillyachtsales
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jeff-merrill-yacht-sales-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales