Most of our buyers are not on the island when they find their boat. That is normal here, and it is where a local broker earns their keep: someone has to walk the dock, open the lockers and tell you what the photographs do not show.
Yacht Broker Caribbean has been selling yachts in the Dutch Caribbean for more than 25 years, from our office in Willemstad, Curaçao, and our branch on Bonaire. We guide you from the first question to the day you take the helm — and after that, if you keep the boat here.
How buying a yacht with us works
- Tell us what you are looking for — type, size, budget and where you plan to sail. We look beyond our own listings, and we tell you honestly when a boat is not the right one.
- Viewing, in person or remotely — if you cannot travel yet, we do a video walk-through and send extra photos of whatever you want to see: engine room, bilge, rigging, paperwork.
- Offer & purchase agreement — we help you make an offer based on the boat’s condition and the market, and put it in a written purchase agreement with the conditions for survey and sea trial.
- Survey & sea trial — an independent marine surveyor inspects the boat out of the water and under way. We arrange the haul-out and the sea trial, and we are there on the day.
- Closing — once the survey is accepted, the balance is paid, the ownership documents are transferred and the boat is yours.
- After the purchase — registration, transport, insurance and yacht management if you keep her in the Caribbean while you are away.
What to check when buying a boat in the Caribbean
- Tax and import status — whether duties or VAT have been paid, and where, affects the price and what you can do with the boat. Every listing on this site shows the tax status.
- Ownership and registration — clear title, no outstanding debts, and flag documents that match the boat.
- Condition in a tropical climate — sun, heat and salt are hard on gelcoat, wiring, canvas and engines. This is why a survey matters even more here.
- Where she lies — Curaçao and Bonaire sit outside the main hurricane belt, which matters for insurance and for keeping a boat here all year.
New to working with a broker? Read How does a yacht broker work, and who pays them?
Why buy through a broker here
- Local presence where the boats are — we can view a boat for you, check the paperwork and be at the survey.
- We know this market — Caribbean prices are not European or US prices. Location, import status and condition in this climate all move the number.
- One point of contact — you deal directly with an experienced broker from the first question to closing.
Looking for a boat?
Tell us what you are looking for and we will let you know when something suitable comes on the market. There is no obligation.
