Start with how you will use it

Before comparing brands, be honest about how you will really spend time aboard: relaxed cruising and entertaining, long passages, watersports and family days, or serious bluewater voyaging. The use case, more than anything else, points to the right type of yacht.

Motor yachts

Motor yachts offer space, speed and comfort, with generous accommodation and easy handling. They suit owners who value volume, range under power and a straightforward, resort-like experience — the most popular choice in the brokerage market.

Sailing yachts

Sailing yachts reward those who enjoy the craft of being at sea and typically cost less to run over distance. They demand more skill and offer less interior volume for their length, but many owners consider that a fair trade for the experience.

Catamarans

Multihulls have surged in popularity for good reason: stability, huge deck and living space, shallow draft and strong charter income potential. They are wider to berth and can carry a premium, but for family cruising and charter they are hard to beat.