Northstar Yacht Sales

What Northstar Yacht Sales does

Northstar Yacht Sales is a privately held, full-service yacht brokerage firm headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, specializing in the buying and selling of pre-owned power and sail vessels, including luxury yachts, center consoles, and sportfishing boats, alongside an exclusive New England dealership for BRIG rigid inflatable boats across the Eagle, Navigator, and Falcon series. Operations are led by CPYB-certified brokers and supported by complementary service lines including climate-controlled indoor yacht storage, professional maintenance and winterization, insurance coordination, charter facilitation, and operator/system orientation training. The firm has sold 490+ boats historically and currently features 15 listings, with vessel prices ranging from approximately $45,000 for older used sailboats to $849,000 for late-model motor yachts and up to $1,100,000 in historical transactions, plus new BRIG RIBs priced from roughly $74,000 to $239,000.

The business operates through three physical locations — Portsmouth, RI (headquarters inside East Passage Yachting Center / Safe Harbor New England Boat Works), Plymouth, MA, and St. Croix, USVI — and serves individual high-net-worth buyers and sellers across Newport, Narragansett Bay, the broader Northeast boating market, and the Caribbean. Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining transaction commissions on brokerage sales, one-time new boat sales (BRIG RIBs), recurring yacht storage subscriptions, and professional service fees. Distribution is multi-channel: premium placements on YachtWorld, Boat Trader, and Boats.com, regional boat show participation (New England Boat Show, Newport International Boat Show, CT Spring Boat Show), an active content/news presence, and direct outreach via phone and email, with the website built on the YachtOne dealership platform and backed by Supabase, Vercel, and Brevo.

The company is small (5 named personnel including Managing Partner JP Skov, who concurrently serves as Executive Director of the Yacht Brokers Association of America) and is one of only a few CPYB Endorsed Brokerages in North America, providing regulatory and reputational differentiation. Ownership appears to be founder/management-led with no disclosed institutional backing, no M&A history, and no public revenue disclosure.

Name

Northstar Yacht Sales

Legal name

Northstar Yacht Sales

Website

https://northstaryachtsales.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Northstar Yacht Sales is a privately held, CPYB Endorsed yacht brokerage in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, with offices in Plymouth, MA and St. Croix, USVI, serving individual high-net-worth buyers and sellers of pre-owned powerboats, sailboats, and exclusive BRIG rigid inflatable boats across the Northeast and Caribbean.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portsmouth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commission: Professional yacht brokerage services for buying and selling vessels with comprehensive market analysis and professional negotiation support. Commission-based revenue from successful transactions.
2. Yacht Storage Services: Climate-controlled heated indoor yacht storage facilities with 24/7 monitoring, weather protection, and enhanced security. Premium protection for vessels during off-season.
3. Boat Service and Maintenance: Professional boat servicing, maintenance, and repair including shrink-wrap removal, bottom paint, detailing, systems commissioning, launch coordination, repairs, upgrades, and winter preparation. One-call solution managed by JP Skov.
4. BRIG Boat Sales: Sales of new BRIG rigid inflatable boats including Eagle, Navigator, and Falcon models with immediate delivery from current inventory.
5. Insurance Coordination: Arrangement of comprehensive insurance coverage tailored to vessels and client needs through trusted marine insurance providers.
6. Charter Services: Access to professional charter services to maximize investment potential and offset ownership costs when vessels are not in personal use.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Northstar Yacht Sales is a premier yacht brokerage firm based in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, specializing in buying and selling power and sail vessels including luxury yachts, center consoles, sportfishing boats, and BRIG rigid inflatable boats. The company is an exclusive authorized BRIG RIB dealer in New England and provides comprehensive ancillary services including climate-controlled indoor storage, professional boat maintenance, insurance coordination, charter services, and operator training. Their CPYB-certified brokers deliver expert valuation, marketing exposure, and professional negotiation to facilitate high-value vessel transactions across the Northeast and Caribbean markets.

Product overview

Northstar Yacht Sales is a premier yacht brokerage business offering a comprehensive suite of services centered around yacht and boat transactions. The core offering is yacht brokerage services for buying and selling vessels, complemented by an exclusive dealership for BRIG Rigid Inflatable Boats (Eagle, Navigator, and Falcon models). Additional services include professional boat storage (climate-controlled heated indoor facilities), boat service and maintenance management, buyer representation, seller services, operator and systems orientation training, insurance coordination, charter services, and boatyard coordination. The company operates primarily in New England and the Caribbean markets through multiple office locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yacht Brokerage Services Expert yacht brokerage services for buying and selling vessels including luxury yachts, center consoles, sportfishing boats, and rigid inflatable boats. Services include professional valuation, marketing exposure, negotiation, survey coordination, sea trials, and closing support, serving buyers and sellers throughout the Northeast boating market.
• BRIG Rigid Inflatable Boats Sales of new BRIG rigid inflatable boats as an exclusive authorized BRIG dealer, featuring the Eagle, Navigator, and Falcon model series. BRIG RIBs are engineered with ORCA Hypalon tubes, deep-V fiberglass hull design, SeaDek non-skid decking, and Gussi luxury steering components for use as yacht tenders, family day boats, or standalone vessels.
• Boat Storage Secure, climate-controlled heated indoor yacht storage facilities with 24/7 monitoring, weather protection, UV protection, and enhanced security. Premium storage service for vessel protection during the off-season with limited spaces available and early booking recommended.
• Boat Service & Maintenance Professional boat servicing, maintenance, and repair management including shrink-wrap removal, bottom paint, detailing, systems commissioning, launch coordination, repairs, upgrades, and winter preparation. Single-contact service management provided by the company's service team.
• Buyer Representation Professional buyer representation provided at no cost to buyers, including vessel search, access to the industry's largest MLS network, inspection guidance, negotiation support, and closing coordination.
• Seller Services Comprehensive seller services including professional vessel valuation, listing preparation, strategic marketing, MLS network distribution, and full transaction management from listing to closing.
• Operator & Systems Orientation Comprehensive training programs covering vessel operation mastery and detailed walkthroughs of all onboard systems including navigation and mechanical systems, designed to bring new boat owners up to speed on their vessels.
• Insurance Coordination Coordination of comprehensive marine insurance coverage tailored to vessels and client needs, arranged through trusted marine insurance providers.
• Charter Services Access to professional charter services that enable vessel owners to maximize investment potential and offset ownership costs when vessels are not in personal use.
• Boatyard Coordination Coordination with top boatyards for maintenance, repairs, and upgrades, ensuring quality service at competitive rates for vessel owners.
• Listing Distribution Multi-platform listing distribution to top-tier boat sales platforms including YachtWorld, Boat Trader, and Boats.com, providing enhanced listings with larger images, premium placement, and sponsored search results for increased visibility.

Quantifiable outcome

• Buyer representation at no cost to buyers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• YachtWorldcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with top-tier boat sales platform providing enhanced listings with larger images, premium placement, and sponsored search results for maximum visibility and faster sales cycles.
• Boat TradercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with leading boat marketplace platform for boat listings distribution and increased market reach across boat buying audience.
• Boats.comcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with comprehensive boat sales platform for expanded listing distribution and buyer access.
• BRIGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive authorized dealer for BRIG rigid inflatable boats in New England. BRIG is the world's most advanced rigid inflatable boat manufacturer featuring ORCA Hypalon tubes, deep-V hull design, and luxury features across Eagle, Navigator, and Falcon series.
• Safe Harbor Essex IslandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for CT Spring Boat Show participation. Safe Harbor Essex Island is a renowned marina on the Connecticut River providing scenic setting for boat show exhibitions.
• East Passage Yachting Center / Safe Harbor New England Boat WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated in East Passage Yachting Center, home of Safe Harbor New England Boat Works, one of the largest marine facilities in New England with comprehensive network of marine service providers.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Denison Yachting: Large US yacht brokerage with multi-office presence and similar full-service model (brokerage, new boat sales, charters). Highly comparable to Northstar in core business activity but operates at significantly greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Northrop & Johnson: International luxury yacht brokerage with US presence, focused on large yacht sales and charter. Comparable to Northstar at the high end of the brokerage market, particularly relevant given Northstar's handling of vessels up to $1.1M+.
• Allied Marine: Large yacht brokerage and dealer representing premium brands (Ferretti, Pershing, Azimut) across multiple US locations. Directly comparable to Northstar's brokerage + dealership approach with overlapping brand exposure.
• Rick Obey & Associates: Newport, RI-based yacht brokerage with strong Northeast focus and CPYB credentials. The closest direct regional competitor to Northstar, sharing the Newport/Narragansett Bay market.
• HMY Yacht Sales: Multi-location yacht dealership and brokerage representing Viking, Princess, and other premium brands. Comparable to Northstar in combining new-boat dealership with brokerage across luxury motor yacht segments.
• Luke Brown Yachts: Long-established luxury yacht brokerage in Florida with full-service offerings including brokerage, new construction, and crew placement. Directly comparable broker-led, relationship-driven service model.
• Atlantic Yacht & Ship: Multi-office yacht brokerage with strong Northeast presence (including New England). Closely comparable to Northstar in geographic overlap, service scope, and luxury yacht focus.
• Galati Yacht Sales: Family-owned yacht brokerage and dealer with multiple Florida and Gulf Coast locations. Similar integrated brokerage + dealership + service model to Northstar, with a comparable focus on premium motor yacht brands.

Broad incumbents

• YachtWorld: Dominant online yacht listing platform and a core distribution partner for Northstar. While not a direct competitor in brokerage, it shapes industry economics and reach, and is closely tied to Northstar's go-to-market motion.

Regional players

• Boatworks Yacht Sales: New England-based yacht brokerage and dealer operating in adjacent geographic territory. Comparable in product mix (used power and sail) but with weaker Caribbean exposure than Northstar.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NorthstarYachtSales
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northstar-yacht-sales

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Northstar Yacht Sales