Latest Anti-Yacht Broker Lawsuit Casts a Wider Net

GUEST POST: IN A FOURTH CASE, MELANIE NEALE'S 'BOUTIQUE BROKERAGE' IS A DEFENDANT ALONGSIDE THE BIG BOYS

Melanie Neale, principal at Sunshine Cruising Yachts of St. Augustine, paints a wale stripe in a photo posted on her personal website.

Preface: This article was originally written and published by Peter Swanson on “Loose Cannon” and is reproduced here in parallel by prior arrangement, as part of our team effort to cover this ongoing story to its full extent. — Phil Friedman

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Sunshine Cruising Yachts describes itself as a “boutique yacht brokerage”…Melanie Neale belongs to what has been called a “cruising dynasty.”

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Just as fast as a federal court could consolidate three lawsuits challenging the American way of selling boats, a fourth case was filed, and it has a couple distinguishing features.

The suit was filed on behalf of Florida woman Tricia Defosey, purporting to represent anyone who has “used a yacht MLS to sell a yacht and paid a commission to a brokerage defendant” since March 26, 2020. Given that the defendants include 13 Florida brokerages—most of them giants—thousands of sellers are potential co-plaintiffs.

See original story: Lawsuit Rocks the Yacht-Sales World