There is a story or an ‘urban myth’ that we were told and we want to find out if it’s true. Clearly with more time on your hands you start to think about many things. But this is a story we heard at the last Monaco Yacht Show.
Once upon a time in Monaco
As all good yacht stories start, there is a man sitting at a bar in the evening after the Monaco yacht show. He has his head in his hands and is noticeably upset. Not only noticed by the barman but also seen by a very scruffy older gentleman, sitting a few bar stools away. Shuffling over, the older gentleman asked the man what was wrong. He looked up and whilst stirring his whiskey (clearly a yacht broker) he said… “I lost my job today, my boss took two of my deals and then fired me! Now, I don’t know what to do. I was working so hard but it just doesn’t seem to be happening for me. They say this job has a lot to do with luck. Well, that’s my luck for today!”
“What do you do?” the older gentleman asked. “I’m a yacht broker” he said. “Who worked with two clients for the past year. Both these clients bought yachts with another broker and then my boss took the other deals I had.”
So, here is the urban myth part of the story…
The older gentleman replied: “I’ve been at this show for two days now and nobody seems to want to let me on-board any of the yachts. Maybe you can show me around tomorrow?”. The broker, thinking that things couldn’t really get any worse, and that he had nothing else to lose, agreed and arranged to meet the gentleman the next morning. After a few calls and now as an ‘independent’ broker, as promised he showed the older gentleman around a number of yachts that day.
To cut a very long, and we are sure a very embellished part of the story short, the older man placed orders for three 45 meter super yachts. One for himself and one for each of his business partners. All in excess of €50 million. We are pretty sure that the size and value of the yachts got bigger over time as with most “I caught a fish this big” stories. But you get the idea, right? They told us the story with the context that the broker was from a well-known International firm. And also told with the belief that it is absolutely true. The moral, of course—there is always a moral with stories like this—just like a Hollywood movie: You never know who can buy a super yacht, or three!
Clearly without trying to question whether the yacht broker in the story was any good at his job. Or questioning the practicalities and protocols of viewing yachts at Monaco Yacht Show. Not even about the size and values of the yachts in the story—we just want to know if this is true. And if this yacht broker is out there somewhere. More importantly, if he really had this much luck. Maybe it’s a little too “Pretty Woman”. But then again…
Maybe it’s true.
Are you this broker? Do you know him? Have you heard a similar story? Maybe, and for many reasons he does not want to be identified. But if it’s you, just give us a little clue, please…. Let’s call you Dave for now…. Yacht Broker Dave.
Please share this story help us to find Dave the luckiest broker alive!
Author: Malcolm Moss | SEA Yacht Group