Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – The International Yacht Brokers Association (IYBA), the world’s largest association of yacht brokers with over 2,000 members, announced today that thanks to an outpouring of industry support use of its resources including its recently launched Yachtr platform has grown substantially.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth to our membership and the number of listings on our Yachtr site, as well as the number of brokers that actively use our resources,” said Paul Flannery, Chief Operating Officer, IYBA. “We are proud to offer a complete suite of services to the industry including Yachtbroker.org, Yachtr and the BoatDox document management system. Our goal is to give brokers the tools they need to easily and efficiently serve their customers.”

IYBA’s suite of tools include Yachtr, Yachtbroker.org and BoatDox. The Digital Suite was designed to serve as a robust foundation for streamlined sales transactions, addressing numerous challenges faced by the industry. Yachtbroker.org serves as the data warehouse that feeds Yachtr.com, the public MLS, which seamlessly integrates with BoatDox.org, a document processing platform that ensures efficient and secure transaction completion.

Eric Smith, Dealer Principal, Smith Yacht Sales said, “We made a decision in January of 2024 that other solutions where no longer financially sustainable and transitioned to BoatDox, Yachtr and have our website powered by Yachtbroker.org. After 18 months of use, we are comfortable with both systems and are pleased to see many of our colleagues have joined as well, giving us confidence that it will continue to grow. The tech support is incredible, and it feels great to finally have the ability to take back control of our data. I am confident that these three solutions will be our future.” 

Mike Carlson, Co-Founder, 26 North Yachts said, “As yacht brokers, we’ve long been reliant on MLS platforms that don’t always prioritize our needs or reinvest in the industry that drives their growth. Yachtr changes that. By being owned and operated by IYBA, Yachtr is the first MLS that is truly built for the industry, by the industry. The platform not only offers transparency, fairness and competitive pricing, but it also empowers brokers to reclaim ownership of how we connect with clients and present our listings.

At 26 North Yachts, we’ve made the strategic decision to support and promote Yachtr because it aligns with our core values, such as innovation, collaboration and client-first service. The intuitive user interface, robust listing tools and direct broker-to-broker communication features make it a natural fit for the way we do business. But more importantly, Yachtr represents a step toward long-term sustainability and unity across the yachting world. It’s time for our industry to stop enabling monopolistic practices and start supporting platforms that respect and reflect the needs of yacht brokers and our clients.”

Elizabeth Freeman, Jefferson Beach Yacht Sales, Business Office and IYBA Ambassador said, “For nearly a decade, I’ve worked to streamline yacht transactions from the inside out and I’ve seen how essential it is for brokers and clients to have access to accurate, trustworthy tools. Partnering with IYBA has elevated how we operate at Jefferson Beach Yacht Sales, creating benefits not only for our team, but for the buyers and sellers we serve. 

Yachtr doesn’t manipulate visibility based on paid ad placement. Listings are shown clearly and equally, allowing real boats to speak for themselves not their ad budgets. It allows our team and others across the industry to be represented confidently, without wasting time correcting misinformation or competing with outdated listings. Buyers can explore verified inventory, posted by endorsed brokers, and access built-in tools that help them find exactly what they’re looking for. At JBYS, we’re proud to support a platform that puts control back in the hands of the yachting community and helps move the industry forward.”

IYBA is the world’s largest and most influential association for the yacht brokerage and charter industry. Established in 1987 and formerly known as the Florida Yacht Brokers Association, IYBA is dedicated to professionalism and ethics in all aspects of yacht transactions. Advocates of professional standards and enhanced commerce, IYBA members benefit from educational conferences, networking opportunities, dispute resolution, and a suite of customized digital solutions.

To learn more about IYBA visit iyba.org. 

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About IYBA:
The International Yacht Brokers Association was created in 1987 to unite those engaged in the yacht brokerage business for the purpose of promoting professionalism and cooperation among its members; and to promote and maintain a high standard of conduct in the transacting of the yacht brokerage business.

Each member is required to abide by a code of ethics to protect the public against fraud, misrepresentation, or unethical practices in the yacht brokerage profession. Each member is to endeavor to eliminate any practices, which could be damaging to the public or the dignity and integrity of the yacht brokerage profession. The organization is comprised of over 2,000 individual members representing over 900 businesses. iyba.org