From a €5,000 boat around the corner to yacht auctions with a global reach

It began in 2015 with a test auction of a motor cutter worth €7,500. On 21 August came the first real auction, with a Bavaria Motor Boats 37 Sport. A modest beginning for a business that would later auction yachts of tens of metres, with buyers from all over the world.

After that first boat, more followed. The vessels got bigger, the auctions grew, and more and more often the interest came from outside the Netherlands. What began as SchipVeiling gained an international audience. In the end, that called for an international name too: YachtBid.

Since 2025, all auctions have taken place under that name. We now work with brokers in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Singapore and the United States, among other countries. More than 600 yachts have found a new owner through our auctions.

The name grew with us

SchipVeiling told Dutch buyers exactly what we did. But for someone in the United States, Italy or Turkey, that was less obvious.

As our reach grew, the name kept sounding mostly Dutch. With YachtBid, it became immediately clear to international buyers, too, where they had ended up. That step matched the development of our auctions: more and more yachts in different locations, offered to an ever larger audience. Whether a vessel lies in Hindeloopen, on Ibiza or in Split, the potential buyer can live anywhere. Together with the broker involved, we make sure that buyer can find the yacht, view it and bid on it.

More auctions, more insight

Since 2025, our auctions have run through Bright Auctions. This partnership gives us more insight into the interest in each yacht. How many people view the lot? How many save the vessel as a favourite? Which countries do the bidders come from?

This data helps us, together with the broker and the seller, to assess the result. The highest bid says a lot, but the reach and the competition between bidders also show how the market responds to a yacht.

In 2025 we organised 58 auctions. In 2026 the count now stands at 94, growth of more than 60%. And the year is not over yet!

In 2026, an auction attracts on average about:

• 3,300 views of the lot

• 1,600 unique visitors

• 63 registrations for the auction

• 7 bidders

• Bidders from 5 countries

In one auction, people from 14 different countries placed bids. The favourites of another yacht even came from 41 countries.

For an owner, this means that interest can reach much further than the mooring, the vessel's home market or the broker's network of buyers. One yacht is brought to the attention of potential buyers in several countries at the same time.

From Montenegro to the United States

Behind these numbers are vessels, owners and buyers, each with their own story. You can find several examples in our Hall of Fame.

Oyster 885: a buyer on the other side of the ocean

The Oyster 885 lay in Montenegro and found a new owner from the United States through the auction. 54 potential bidders from 16 countries registered and 11 bids were placed. It is our largest sale this year.

Astondoa 102 GLX: a Dutch buyer on the Côte d'Azur

For this 31-metre Astondoa, 40 potential bidders from 16 countries registered. Together they placed 31 bids. The buyer came from the Netherlands and the yacht stayed on the Côte d'Azur.

An international auction, then, does not have to mean a vessel is moved. Sometimes it brings a buyer from your own country to a yacht abroad.

Globemaster 50 LRX: a new adventure with Gone with the Wynns

The Globemaster 50 LRX lay in the Netherlands and was bought by the American couple behind the well-known YouTube channel Gone with the Wynns. With 43 bids, this yacht received the most bids of the examples in our Hall of Fame.

The broker stays close

Behind many of our auctions is a broker who knows the vessel and the owner well. We now work with more than 50 brokerage offices worldwide.

This partnership combines local knowledge with international reach. The broker knows the yacht, guides viewings and keeps in touch with the owner. YachtBid brings the vessel to the attention of potential buyers and guides the auction process. That way, a buyer from abroad also has someone on the spot to turn to for questions and a viewing.

From the first boat to the next chapter

From a first boat of €5,000 to more than 600 yachts sold: a lot has changed since 2015. The vessels got bigger, the network grew and the buyers came from more and more countries. YachtBid is the name that fits.

The core is still the same: connecting an owner who wants to sell with people who would love to have the vessel.

Are you considering selling your yacht? Read more about selling at auction and find out how the process works.

Looking for your next vessel? Browse all yachts in auction. You can find more explanation about bidding on our buying page and in the frequently asked questions.

Perhaps your next yacht lies a few harbours away. Perhaps on the other side of Europe.