Deal Flow
Who talks to whom.
Every person in a yacht transaction, mapped by phase. Buyer side (green), seller side (blue), shared (amber). Use this as your mental checklist — if a name here isn't looped in when they should be, the deal is drifting.
Seller side Buyer side Shared / neutral
1. Listing Phase
Boat comes to market. Listing broker owns the seller relationship.
Seller
Signing → survey day
Talks to
Listing Broker (HSY)Seller's Captain
Keep in the loop weekly. Silence = anxiety = price drops.
Listing Broker (HSY)
Entire deal
Talks to
SellerCo-BrokerBuyer's BrokerPhotographer
Owns the seller relationship end-to-end. Never let a co-broker talk to your seller.
Seller's Captain
Showings + survey day
Talks to
SellerListing BrokerSurveyor (sea trial)
Brief before every showing. A grumpy captain kills sales.
Photographer
Pre-listing
Talks to
Listing BrokerSeller
Non-negotiable for anything over $250k. Firm has vetted list.
2. Offer & Contract Phase
Buyer's side enters. PSA gets signed. Deposit into escrow.
Buyer
Offer → closing
Talks to
Buyer's BrokerLender
Coach through every step. Buyers who feel informed don't get cold feet.
Buyer's Broker (HSY or Co-Broker)
Entire deal
Talks to
BuyerListing BrokerLenderSurveyor
All broker-to-broker talk goes here — never direct buyer ↔ seller.
Escrow / Closing Agent
Deposit → funding
Talks to
Both brokersLenderDocumentation Agent
Firm uses vetted escrow. Never a random title company the buyer suggests.
Lender
Pre-qual → funding
Talks to
BuyerBuyer's BrokerSurveyorEscrow
Sterling, Trident, LH-Finance, Essex. See Financing playbook.
3. Due Diligence & Closing
Survey, sea trial, financing, insurance, documentation. Money moves.
Surveyor
Survey day
Talks to
BuyerBuyer's BrokerSeller's CaptainYard
BUYER picks — SAMS or NAMS. Broker never recommends a specific name.
Yard (Haul-out)
Survey day
Talks to
Buyer's BrokerSurveyorSeller's Captain
Buyer pays. Book 2 weeks out — good yards are backed up.
Insurance Agent
Post-survey → closing
Talks to
BuyerLender
Bind coverage before funding. Lender requires binder.
Documentation Agent
Closing week
Talks to
Both brokersEscrowUSCG
For USCG-documented vessels. Firm has a preferred agent.
Buyer's Captain / Delivery Crew
Post-closing
Talks to
BuyerBuyer's BrokerSeller's Captain
Introduce at survey so handoff is smooth. Seller's captain often trains the new one.
The one rule
Broker-to-broker is the highway. Everything else is a side street.
Buyer and seller should never talk directly during a deal. All negotiation flows broker ↔ broker. Break that rule and you lose control of the deal — and often the commission.