Clarke & Carter Yacht Brokers

What Clarke & Carter Yacht Brokers does

Clarke & Carter Yacht Brokers (legal entity: Clarke & Carter Interyacht Ltd) is a privately held UK yacht brokerage founded in 1979 in West Mersea, Essex, and now operating from two East Coast offices (Suffolk Yacht Harbour in Levington and Burnham Yacht Harbour in Burnham-on-Crouch) plus a Caribbean office in St. George's, Grenada. The company's core business is the brokerage of pre-owned sailing yachts and powerboats, with approximately 200 boats listed and around 180 boats sold annually, contributing to a cumulative total of more than 12,000 boats sold since inception. Its underlying platform combines a 200+ listing website with the BOATMATCH email alert service (a rule-based buyer preference matching system), sealed-bid auction capability, and digital marketing supported by professional photography, drone imagery, and walkthrough videos. The company self-describes as the largest brokerage boat sales company on the East Coast.

Revenue is generated through multiple streams: commission-based brokerage on used boats, new-boat dealer margins from three exclusive franchises (Jeanneau sailboats since 1996, Quicksilver powerboats since April 2024, and Quarken Boats as UK & Ireland distributor from May 2026), dedicated spares and after-sales departments for Jeanneau and Quicksilver, moorings sales at Burnham Yacht Harbour, and FCA-regulated referral income from marine finance (CGI Finance) and insurance (GJW Direct) partners. The customer base is entirely retail individuals — both buyers and sellers — with a documented Google rating of 4.8/5 across 113 reviews. Go-to-market combines digital channels (website, BOATMATCH, newsletter, LinkedIn, Facebook), physical events (annual Essex and Suffolk Used Boat Shows running 40+ years, plus Cannes, Southampton and Dusseldorf boat shows), and FCA/ABYA-compliant client-account handling of deposits. The firm is privately held with no external funding, underwent a leadership change in early 2024 when Angus Rose became Managing Director, and continues to operate as an independent brokerage.

Name

Clarke & Carter Yacht Brokers

Legal name

Clarke and Carter Interyacht Ltd

Website

https://clarkeandcarter.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Clarke & Carter Yacht Brokers is a UK yacht brokerage founded in 1979, selling used and new boats across two East Coast offices and a Grenada office. It holds exclusive Jeanneau, Quicksilver, and Quarken dealerships and serves individual boat buyers and sellers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Levington, Ipswich

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Used Boat Brokerage Commission: Commission-based brokerage service for selling used boats. Sellers pay a commission on successful sales. The company sold over 180 boats per year and has sold over 12,000 boats since 1979.
2. New Boat Sales (Dealer Margins): As exclusive UK dealers for Jeanneau sailboats since 1996/1997, Quarken Boats UK & Ireland distributor since 2026, and Quicksilver dealers for Essex/Suffolk/Norfolk, the company earns dealer margins on new boat sales. They hold stock of new boats including Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380 (£235,000), Quarken 35 Cabin (£349,500), and Quicksilver models.
3. Spares & After Sales: Jeanneau Spares and Quicksilver Spares departments supply replacement parts for existing owners, providing ongoing revenue from the installed customer base.
4. Finance & Insurance Referrals: The company is authorised and regulated by the FCA and works with CGI Finance for marine mortgages and GJW Direct for insurance, receiving referral fees or commissions for introducing customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Clarke & Carter Yacht Brokers is a yacht brokerage firm selling new and used sail and power boats through two UK East Coast offices (Suffolk and Essex) and a Caribbean office in Grenada. The company acts as exclusive UK dealer for Jeanneau sailboats, exclusive dealer for Quicksilver powerboats in Essex/Suffolk/Norfolk, and UK & Ireland distributor for Quarken Boats. It also provides brokerage for over 200 used boats at any time, BoatMatch email alerts, sealed bid auctions, spares and after-sales support, moorings sales, and insurance and finance referrals.

Product overview

Clarke & Carter Yacht Brokers operates a multi-product yacht brokerage platform centred on used and new boat sales across two UK East Coast offices in Suffolk and Essex plus a Caribbean office in Grenada. The core offering combines used boat brokerage with exclusive dealership agreements for three new boat brands: Jeanneau (sailing boats, since 1996), Quicksilver (powerboats), and Quarken (Finnish powerboats, from 2026). Supporting services include BoatMatch email alert functionality, sealed bid auctions, moorings sales, brand-specific spares and after-sales departments, insurance and finance introductions, and annual used boat shows. The company facilitates the sale of approximately 200 boats annually with a 45-year trading history.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Clarke & Carter Caribbean: A dedicated office in Grenada for boat sales in the Caribbean region.
• BoatMatch

Products and services

• Used Boat Sales (Brokerage)

Quantifiable outcome

• 12,000+ boats sold since 1979
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Quarken BoatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 May 2026Clarke & Carter appointed as official UK & Ireland distributor for Quarken Boats, the premium Finnish boat brand. Responsible for importation, sales, marketing, and aftersales support throughout UK & Ireland. Quarken is renowned for innovative design, performance and build quality with Scandinavian design combining striking aesthetics with exceptional seakeeping.
• Quicksilver BoatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 April 2024Appointed as exclusive dealers for Quicksilver Boats in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk from April 2024. Offering entire range of open day boats, weekenders and fishing boats.
• JeanneaucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1996Exclusive UK dealer for Jeanneau sailing boats since 1996 (stated as 1996 in some sources, 1997 in others). Covers Sun Odyssey, Yachts, and Sun Fast ranges. Clarke & Carter has unrivalled knowledge of existing and previous Jeanneau models and provides spares and after-sales support.
• GJW DirectminorOthersLong-standing relationship with GJW Direct for marine insurance. GJW Direct specialises in boat insurance with over 175 years of experience offering competitive quotes for boats, personal watercraft, and paddleboards.
• CGI FinanceminorOthersPreferred marine finance partner working with Clarke & Carter customers. Offers marine mortgages, hire purchase, and unsecured loans for boat purchases. Clarke & Carter is registered with FCA as a broker not a lender.
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)coreOthersClarke & Carter Interyacht Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA no: 659587. Registered as a broker not a lender.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Boats.co.uk: UK boat retailer and broker with online marketplace presence plus physical locations, offering new and used boats across multiple brands. Comparable hybrid broker/dealer with multi-channel sales (web plus showroom) overlapping with Clarke & Carter's go-to-market.
• Berthon International: Long-established UK yacht brokerage with offices in Lymington and across Europe, offering both brokerage and new-boat agency for sailing and motor yachts. Directly comparable multi-office UK yacht broker with similar brand representation and brokerage-plus-dealer model.
• Williams & Smithells: UK yacht brokerage operating from East and South Coast locations, selling both sailing yachts and motor boats. Comparable smaller UK yacht brokerage with overlapping customer segments on the East Coast and similar broker-led GTM motion.
• Ancasta International Boat Sales: One of the largest yacht brokerage and new-boat dealer groups in the UK and Mediterranean, selling sail and power yachts across multiple brands. Directly comparable to Clarke & Carter as a multi-brand UK yacht broker with regional offices and brand-exclusive dealership agreements.

Others

• Jeanneau: French sailboat and motor yacht manufacturer whose UK exclusive dealer is Clarke & Carter. Not a competitor — a principal supplier — but materially relevant as the brand relationship underpinning a large share of Clarke & Carter's new-boat revenue and spares business.
• Boatfolk (formerly Landamore / Quay Marinas): UK marina operator managing multiple coastal marinas and offering boat sales services alongside berthing. Adjacent rather than directly competitive — provides marina infrastructure that interacts with brokerage distribution and could be a partner or competitor depending on integration.

Broad incumbents

• Sunseeker International: Large UK luxury motor yacht manufacturer with global dealer network. Overlaps with Clarke & Carter's powerboat/new-boat dealer business as a brand-owner operating broadly in the same end market, though Sunseeker is a manufacturer rather than a broker.
• Fairline Yachts: UK luxury motor yacht manufacturer with global dealer network serving similar high-end powerboat customers. Comparable incumbent serving overlapping buyer personas for premium motor yachts, even though not a brokerage competitor.
• Princess Yachts: Major UK luxury motor yacht builder with worldwide dealer/distributor network. Operates in the same broader UK powerboat ecosystem as Clarke & Carter's Quicksilver and Quarken dealer lines, though at the manufacturing/incumbent level rather than as a broker.

Regional players

• Simpson Marine: Asia-headquartered yacht dealer and brokerage with regional offices across Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and other Asian markets. Comparable multi-region yacht broker/dealer with similar brand-representation model, but focused on Asia rather than the UK/Caribbean geographies Clarke & Carter serves.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/clarkeandcarter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clarke-&-carter-interyacht-ltd.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Clarke & Carter Yacht Brokers