By Mid Jan 2024, Camper & Nicholsons says it has already sold four boats, the latest being a 27m Azimut. The 2020 model comes with five cabins, with exterior design by Stefano Righini. C&N brokered a 44.65m Feadship Blue Sky in mid Jan, a 29m Grand Bleu Vintage yacht at the start of the month and Mangusta’s Oceano 44 hull N°7.

“We are having an excellent start to 2024,” says Benjamin Bensahel, Europe head of sales and brokerage. “We have already sold four boats in January and have a few more deals aligned. This comes after an exceptional Q4 2023 and is the result of ongoing negotiations that started in November-December.

“Moreover, the fruitful effort of our brokers, together with our marketing team led to an amazing 40 per cent of deals done fully in house and with reduced days on market, lower than industry average.”

Bensahel says Camper & Nicholsons has been consolidating its sales team and its expects its sales record to grow – helped by new locations (Dubai, Athens and SIngapore) and gaining market shares in new territories (like Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean).

He’s tracked the average January price reductions for the last few years. In January 2022 the average reduction was was 3.1 per cent, in January 2023 it was 5.1 per cent, and in January 2024 it’s 7.9 per cent. That he says indicates a general slowdown in the industry, “with more boats coming to market compared to 2022 and 2023, also further price reductions.

“There were a fair number of clients who sold their yachts during the industry records years of 2021 and 2022 when inventory was low and prices high, who were waiting for the market to cool down a bit and are starting to re-enter slowly and will most likely buy this year. We also see first time buyers that entered yachting after covid, have experienced it and now want to move on.

“For the sales in 2023, we noticed that we were the market leaders in in-house deals , successfully closing more in-house deals than any other brokerage company. In December alone, our team brokered three in-house deals (C, Taiji and Corto Maltese), with a combined length exceeding 100 metres,” says Bensahel.

Camper & Nicholsons previously reported that 2022 was a ‘record year’ for the company. It saw 5.5 km of yachts managed in both charter and yacht management; 700 charters booked, making 5,416 charter days. Several factors drove the strong market through 2022, including a growing wealth gap, with increased wealth forming at the top of the economic sectors that boomed in the previous years. It was also a strong year in charter management with a wide selection of yachts being offered for charter worldwide, including several available in Qatar for the Fifa World Cup. Overall, C&N says it managed €2.2 billion assets value in charter in 2022.

Camper & Nicholsons’ 2024 sales . . . so far

“Dawo was successfully sold after only four months on the market,” says yacht sales advisor Maël Fiolet. “Presented for sale in excellent condition, thanks to Captain Bedrica’s exceptional professionalism, Dawo offers the best features in the flybridge market, combined with amazing volume and superyacht interiors. I would like to thank the owner for his continued trust in representing this exceptional yacht, and extend congratulations to the buyer on their acquisition.”

The five cabin layout comprises a full-beam master suite on the main deck, and two double cabins along with two twins on the lower deck. Features include the protected aft cockpit, and multiple banks of seating including a forward terrace with sun pads on the bow. The yacht has a large tender garage at the stern with an opening transom door.

Grand Bleu Vintage features sleek exterior lines designed by Philippe Briand, an aluminium hull, and accommodates eight guests in four cabins. The master suite is full beam, and the guest cabins comprise of two doubles and a twin, all of which are en suite.

Construction of Mangusta’s Oceano 44 hull N°7 will soon commence at the shipyard in Pisa, and is scheduled for delivery in 2026.

“With a very experienced client and well-defined expectations resulting from years of chartering, the Overmarine shipyard and their Mangusta Oceano 44 proved to be the answer to all criteria,” says Fiolet.

“It was an excellent team effort involving our sales, new build project management, and corporate service divisions. This collaboration allowed us to provide a smooth process for the future owner, ensuring they can genuinely enjoy the commencement of this remarkable yacht construction journey.”

Blue Sky, a 44.65m Feadship, features exterior design by De Voogt Naval Architects and Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design with accomodation for 12 guests on the main deck.

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