When the Dream Yacht Turns Into a Dockside Nightmare
Most buyers fall in love early…and this is perfectly normal.
They see the listing photos, step aboard once, and start imagining holidays in the Bahamas. Then comes the survey…and the surprise.
The “turnkey” yacht suddenly needs $735,000 in refit work.
Paint blistering behind the bow thruster.
Corrosion beneath the stabilizer rams.
Mis-logged generator hours.
Batteries past expiration.
And those perfect-looking teak decks?
Soft beneath the surface in a few areas.
By the time the surveyor finds these issues, the buyer has already invested weeks of travel, contracts, escrow deposits, and emotion.
That’s when leverage disappears.
Regret Arrives Faster Than the Yacht
It’s an emotional gut-punch.
The yacht that looked pristine at the dock suddenly becomes a negotiation nightmare. The owner refuses price adjustments. The buyer’s survey deposit is tied up. Everyone feels misled.
This happens every season – in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Palm Beach…
because most buyers rely solely on brokers or surveyors who step in after the buyer expresses interest…
or has already made an offer.
By then, the seller often knows exactly who’s circling.
A Captain-Engineer’s Pre-Purchase Inspection
Originally conceived in 2002 and refined over the past 23 years…
I’ve developed a completely different approach.
One that reverses the risk before the chase even begins.
What is this Captain-Level Pre-Purchase Inspection?
It’s a very intentional walkthrough that combines nearly 30 years of commissioning new superyachts…
navigating 200,000nm onboard luxury yachts…
being involved in 100s of marine survey, haulouts & sea trials…
of multimillion-dollar yachts
using cunning engineering insight, captain’s intuition, and ever-changing yacht industry market intelligence.
I don’t just look for surface wear. I evaluate:
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- Mechanical health: corrosion signatures, neglected systems, and signs of deferred maintenance.
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- Construction quality: hidden stress areas, substandard retrofits, or improper yard work.
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- Resale resilience: what the yacht may be worth three or five years from now.
It’s not a survey.
It’s insider reconnaissance – performed by someone who’s been in every role on board: engineer, captain, and now licensed Florida yacht brokerage owner.
You Could Save Six Figures Before Spending One
When you understand a yacht’s true condition before making contact, you control the negotiation.
You approach only the vessels worth your time and bypass the rest…
including the ones that could be waiting to drain your bank account in the shipyard.
My clients routinely avoid six-figure mistakes, protect their leverage, and buy smarter because they’ve seen the hidden picture before the brochure.
Limited-Time Access for Qualified Buyers Only
For a short time this season, I’m offering a complimentary pre-purchase inspection to a select group of qualified yacht buyers in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Palm Beach, Florida.
Because this service requires personal involvement and confidentiality, it’s by invitation only and limited to a handful of inspections per month.
If you’re actively searching for a yacht and want to be considered for this exclusive opportunity, you can book a quick call with me…to see if you qualify for a yacht inspection in the next 90 days.
Buyer Intelligence Q&A
Q1. What makes a captain-level inspection different from a marine survey?
One is FREE…to qualified buyers.
A surveyor checks systems for compliance and operation…
only after you’ve removed your money from (often) an interest-bearing account and have your funds held in escrow…
sometimes for MONTHS.
A captain-level inspection happens before you commit.
Q3. What types of yachts qualify?
Typically 50-200 feet, motoryacht, superyacht, or expedition class luxury yachts, based in South Florida. Each request is vetted for logistics, value, and client fit.
Q3. What’s the cost?
For select, qualified buyers…there is no charge.
Costs, Registration & Resale Q&A
Q1. Will the findings help reduce my exposure?
Early discovery allows targeted offers, avoiding inflated asking prices or unnecessary escrow delays.
Q2. Can this affect flag registration or tax exposure?
Absolutely. Some mechanical or modification issues (at the time of writing this) can complicate international registry or import duty (tariff) compliance.
Q3. How can this improve resale later?
Identifying weak resale indicators now (layout, shipyard reputation, engine hours) may help you acquire a vessel with enduring market demand.
Q4. Do you assist with refit oversight or ownership strategy after purchase?
Yes. I was doing yacht management for owners 20+ years ago. St. Clair Superyachts is a new name.
My personal experience level of managing multimillion-dollar yachts is a full generation’s age.
Q5. How do I qualify for the complimentary inspection?
Submit your interest by booking a quick, 15-Minute Call with Kevin St. Clair here.
Applicants are reviewed based on purchase readiness, yacht criteria, and timing…and my personal schedule availability.
If you’re ready to understand a yacht’s true condition before escrow, see if you qualify for this exclusive Captain-Level Pre-Purchase Yacht Inspection below. If you do...I’ll take care of you, personally. - Kevin St. Clair
Find Out HereAbout Your Captain-Level Inspection Guide - Kevin St. Clair
I started my career as an assistant engineer aboard a 153-foot superyacht in 1997, progressed to captain of privately owned motor yachts, and eventually opened a licensed Florida yacht brokerage focused on protecting owners at every stage of yacht ownership.
Over more than 200,000 nautical miles at sea and involvement in hundreds of surveys, haulouts, and sea trials, I have seen what goes wrong when owners fall in love with the wrong boat, trust the wrong shipyard, or rely on advice from people who are not responsible for the long-term outcome.
Today, through St. Clair Superyachts, I use that experience to help serious buyers in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Palm Beach understand a yacht’s true condition, risk profile, and resale path before they commit to contracts, escrow, or a yard period that may spiral out of control.
The Captain-Level Pre-Purchase Inspection is not a replacement for a formal survey. It is the missing step that comes before you hire a surveyor – a focused, captain-engineer reconnaissance that may help you avoid six-figure mistakes, negotiate from strength, and select yachts that have the best chance of performing well for you and the next owner.
If you are actively searching for a yacht in South Florida and want to know what the surveyor may find before you enter escrow, this may be the most valuable phone call you invest in the entire process.
