The superyacht world is finally having an important conversation about accessibility—a conversation that I admit I never realized needed to happen, but am glad that I finally did. Because I’m helping to be an agent for positive change.
Over the summer, I came across a post on LinkedIn from a fellow yachting professional that stopped me dead in my tracks. She pointed out, quite bluntly, that yacht shows are physically impossible for a portion of the population, both yacht buyers and industry representatives. Having been diagnosed with a painful condition seeral years ago, she can no longer be on her feet for hours on end, nor walk the extensive distances between some exhibits. She wondered out loud why show organizers are ignoring this reality that so many people face.
It brought me back to my own experience two years ago. I broke my foot in April 2023, and although it had healed by the time of the Monaco Yacht Show that September, I couldn’t walk as quickly nor stay on my feet as I normally did, due to ongoing swelling, a normal side effect. Despite greatly reducing my schedule before I headed to the show, I needed to cut it back even more during the week. Those struggles were a blip in time compared to what individuals with chronic physical issues face.
The LinkedIn conversation drew a lot of comments, and a lot of wondering out loud by plenty of people, including me. So, I did something about it: I launched a groundbreaking survey via Megayacht News to determine how the luxury yacht industry serves clients with disabilities. The findings reveal this isn’t a minor concern. It’s becoming a mainstream consideration that builders, designers, and brokers are encountering regularly.
Here’s what stands out: nearly four out of five industry professionals have worked with clients who have disabilities or disabled family members in just the past five years. Even more revealing, 65 percent have directly helped ensure a client received a yacht designed with accessibility in mind. When you consider that, according to the World Health Organization, mobility disabilities affect up to a quarter of adults over 45—a demographic that makes up a significant chunk of superyacht buyers—these numbers start to make perfect sense.
In terms of boat shows, the survey reveals a glaring weak spot: Only about a third of accessibility-focused conversations happen at these major industry events. Nearly half of respondents said their clients find these shows physically challenging to navigate. The culprits? Non-wheelchair-friendly docks and gangways, inaccessible tenders to get from one end of the show to the other, and limited transportation help within venues.
One respondent with a daughter who uses a wheelchair sums it up: “What able-bodied people think is accessible and safe for disabled people is often far from it.”
The good news is that industry professionals have ideas for fixing this. Reserved golf carts for disabled attendees, accessible restrooms, wider and more stable docks, and accessible tenders all topped the list of practical solutions.
As proud as I am that this research provides the first real data showing that accessibility matters in yacht buying, I’m even prouder of something else. The yacht show organizers have taken notice, and have accepted my invitation to start meaningful conversations to improve access. Collectively, there’s strong desire to be agents for positive change.