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Member Update: Where & How to Share Your Boat Listings on Social Media

Member Update: Where & How to Share Your Boat Listings on Social Media

Posted on by Erin (Every Media)

Dear CYBA Members,

Our community’s collective reach is one of the greatest benefits of belonging to the California Yacht Brokers Association. As digital networking becomes an increasingly vital part of brokerage success, we want to ensure every member knows how to get the maximum visibility for their listings while helping us maintain a clean, organized, and professional online presence.

To help clear up any confusion around our social media platforms, here is a quick guide on the difference between the Official CYBA Facebook Page and the CYBA Facebook Group, along with where your boat listings should be posted.

📢 Official CYBA Facebook Page: For Association Announcements & Public Outreach.

The official CYBA Facebook Page serves as the public face of our association. It is where prospective buyers, industry partners, regulatory bodies, and the general public come to learn about our mission, events, educational programs, and industry standards.

  • What goes here: Official association news, legislative updates, event announcements (like our Annual Dinner or educational seminars), and high-level industry updates.
  • Listing Policy: Please refrain from posting broker listings on the official CYBA Page. Keeping this page reserved for administrative and educational news maintains a consistent professional broadcast channel for the association as a whole.

🤝 CYBA Facebook Group: The Place to Post & Share Your Listings!

We built our dedicated Facebook Group specifically for peer-to-peer networking, active discussions, and listing exposure across our network. This interactive environment is designed for back-and-forth engagement among brokers, industry affiliates, and maritime professionals.

  • What goes here: Your boat listings! Price reductions, open houses, co-brokerage opportunities, industry questions, and member-to-member discussions.
  • Why use it: The Group format allows post interactions, comments, tag notifications, and direct messaging, making it far easier to collaborate with fellow CYBA brokers and move inventory faster.

👉 Join and post your listings here: CYBA Facebook Group

Quick Summary

PlatformPurposeListings Allowed?
Official CYBA PageOfficial news, public announcements, association updates❌ No listings
CYBA Facebook GroupMember networking, co-brokerage, discussions, active inventoryYES — Post your listings here!

Start Sharing Today!

We strongly encourage all members to join the Facebook Group, post current inventory, and engage with colleagues throughout the state. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our social channels organized, efficient, and valuable for everyone!

Fair winds,

The CYBA Board of Directors

A Member Update from Mark P. White

A Member Update from Mark P. White

Posted on by Erin (Every Media)

Exclusion from Amended Complaint in Ya Mon Expeditions v. IYBA, et al.

To: Members, Partners, and Supporters of the California Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA)

From: Mark P. White, Executive Director

Subject: Important Legal Update – CYBA Excluded from Amended Class-Action Lawsuit

Dear CYBA Members and Industry Partners,


I am pleased to share a significant and positive development regarding the antitrust class-action litigation (Ya Mon Expeditions, LLC v. International Yacht Brokers Association, Inc., et al.).


As many of you know, the initial suit sought to draw parallels between the yacht brokerage industry and recent residential real estate litigation, leveling baseless allegations of price-fixing and anti-competitive practices against trade associations and brokers. Following the court’s dismissal of the original complaint, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint.
The California Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA) has been completely excluded from the amended lawsuit.


This is a victory for our association and a validation of the integrity with which our members conduct business every day. From the beginning, CYBA maintained that these allegations were entirely unfounded. Our rules, forms, and Code of Ethics have always existed to promote professional standards, transparency, and consumer protection—not to restrict fair competition or fix commissions.


Key Highlights & Context


Initial Dismissal: U.S. District Court Judge K. Michael Moore previously dismissed the original claims, recognizing that our industry’s practices reflect standard, lawful commercial decisions to work with qualified, licensed professionals.


Complete Omission: In filing their amended complaint, the plaintiffs chose not to re-assert claims against the CYBA, effectively removing us from the ongoing legal proceedings.


Commitment to Members: Mounting a robust legal defense required significant financial and operational resources. We are deeply grateful to our members, legal counsel (Christopher Brainard), and industry sponsors whose generous support enabled us to defend the reputation of California’s brokerage community without compromise.

Looking Forward
While other named entities continue through the judicial process, CYBA’s focus remains fully on supporting our members, advancing educational programs, updating standardized forms, and upholding the highest ethical standards in yacht sales across California.


Thank you for your patience, steadfast resolve, and continued faith in the CYBA throughout this process.
Full Speed Ahead with God’s Speed.

Mark P. White
Executive Director
California Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA)
markpwhite@cyba.info | cyba.info

Welcome to Our Newest CYBA Members – August 2026

Welcome to Our Newest CYBA Members – August 2026

Posted on by Erin (Every Media)

As the California Yacht Brokers Association proudly celebrates 50 + years of setting higher standards (1975–2025), we are excited to expand our community with the addition of our newest professionals joining us this August.

Associate Salesperson Membership

  • David Brotherton – NAOS Yachts
  • Robert Lovejoy – South Coast Yachts
  • Kevin Bohannon – Galati Yacht Sales
  • Pete McCormick – Jeff Brown Yachts

Affiliate Membership

  • Elizabeth McPhall – Galati Yacht Sales
  • Christy Kempski – Galati Yacht Sales

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to all of our new members as we continue driving excellence and integrity throughout the California yacht brokerage industry.

Jeff Merrill Receives Yacht Broker Award in Rhode Island

Jeff Merrill Receives Yacht Broker Award in Rhode Island

Posted on by Erin (Every Media)

Jeff Merrill, CPYB, is well known to CYBA members as a long-serving Board of Directors member and President of our association in 2015 and 2016.

Jeff is one of the few California brokers who is also a CPYB (Certified Professional Yacht Broker), and he has spent the last five years as a volunteer on the national governing board for CPYB, known as the CAC (Certificate Advisory Council). The CPYB program is managed by YBAA (Yacht Broker Association of America), which just held its annual YBAAU Yacht Broker University at the Herreshoff Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island.

As the yacht brokerage business changes and evolves, traveling is becoming more common, and networking with other brokers is now even more important.

Jeff, along with 80 other brokers, attended and enjoyed the various presentations, similar in spirit to the CYBA legal seminar, but covering many different topics, including ABYC standards, a market report, a yacht designer panel, and an overview of how AI is changing our business.

At the end of the program, the final portion recognized two individuals for their leadership and commitment to the brokerage world.

Don Finkle, CPYB, of RCR Yachts in New York, was presented the Vin Petrella Award for Excellence, and Jeff Merrill, CPYB, was presented a special Dedicated Service Award for his contributions.

On behalf of the CYBA, we want to congratulate Jeff for his individual award, for keeping our association front of mind among his peers, and for his overall body of work. Jeff is a dedicated yacht broker and a successful professional, and the CYBA is pleased to share this recognition with our members.

Charting New Courses: Welcoming CYBA’s Newest Members for June 2026

Charting New Courses: Welcoming CYBA’s Newest Members for June 2026

Posted on by Erin (Every Media)

The West Coast boating community is only as strong as the professionals who guide it. For over 50 years, the California Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA) has been the gold standard for ethics, professionalism, and consumer protection on the water.

This June, we are thrilled to welcome a fresh wave of talent, expertise, and passion to our ranks. From seasoned professionals achieving Master Broker status to rising stars in yacht sales and critical shoreside marine support, please join us in giving a warm welcome to the newest members of the CYBA family!

⚓ Master Broker Membership

Achieving Master Broker status reflects an exceptional level of experience, a flawless reputation, and a deep dedication to the CYBA Code of Ethics. These individuals represent the pinnacle of professionalism on the docks.

  • Ethan Hirschfeld – Sausalito Yacht Group
  • Johne Bohne – Pacific Yacht Partners

⛵ Associate Salesperson Membership

The future of yachting rests in the hands of dedicated sales professionals. These new associate members are hitting the ground running with some of the most respected brokerages on the West Coast.

  • Leanne McNally – Pacific Yacht Partners
  • Michael T. Coleman – Seattle Yachts
  • Jeff Howard – Infinity Yacht Sales
  • Robert Lovejoy – South Coast Yachts

🏢 Affiliate Membership

A smooth day on the water requires a massive ecosystem of support beyond just buying and selling boats. Our affiliate members provide the vital infrastructure and services that keep our clients safe, happy, and tied up securely.

  • Cameron Gamble – Suntex Marinas
  • Jacobus Stofberg – West Coast Yacht Support

Why CYBA Membership Matters

When a broker or marine professional displays the CYBA logo, it isn’t just decoration. It signals to the boating public that they are working with someone who is bonded, licensed (where required), and committed to strict ethical standards and mandatory dispute resolution.

To our newest members: thank you for committing to elevate the standards of our industry. We look forward to working alongside you on the docks, at the boat shows, and out on the water.

Are you a maritime professional looking to elevate your career and join a network of elite West Coast brokers? Visit our membership page to learn more about the benefits of joining the CYBA.