FLIBS 2026 Sets Five Panels on Refit, US Charter and Yacht Sales

The industry programme expands beyond yachts on display

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show will host five newly detailed industry panels from 28 to 30 October 2026, bringing shipyard executives, brokers, charter specialists and owners into discussions about the practical direction of the American yacht market. The programme, announced on 12 October by SuperYacht Times, is open to show visitors without an additional seminar ticket.

Two sessions have been prepared with RefitX, a newly announced conference and exhibition scheduled to launch as a full two-day event during FLIBS in 2027. The 2026 discussions will offer an earlier opportunity to explore some of the issues affecting refit capacity and project costs while the industry is gathered in South Florida.

Other topics include the outlook for yacht sales, the very different regulatory conditions shaping charter around North America and the long career of yacht owner John Staluppi. The sessions are part of the forthcoming exhibition programme, not reports of panel conclusions that have already been reached.

Refit timelines and shipyard capacity come into focus

The first RefitX session is scheduled for Wednesday 28 October at 3pm and is titled The Perfect Refit: On Time, On Budget, No Surprises. It aims to examine the relationship between defining a realistic scope, controlling late changes, purchasing equipment and allowing sufficient contingency when maintenance uncovers unexpected work.

Joel Shine of Derecktor Shipyard and James Allen, chief commercial officer at Arrow, are among the confirmed contributors. Organisers may announce other panellists closer to the show, so attendees should consult the published schedule for additions or any adjustment to the venue.

A second RefitX discussion, The Refit Boom: Can South Florida Keep Up?, is planned for Thursday 29 October at 11am. Tim Sargent of Safe Harbor has been confirmed for a discussion about skilled labour, permitting, investment in infrastructure and the region's ability to handle increasingly complex superyacht projects.

Refit demand can be difficult to meet even when a shipyard appears busy, because a large yacht may require specialist electrical, joinery and engineering trades simultaneously. Greater lifting capacity without the right skills or access to equipment does not necessarily produce shorter maintenance schedules.

Brokers will examine the American sales market

Taking the Pulse of the Market: Insights from the Yacht Sales Frontline is another Wednesday panel, also advertised for 3pm at the Superyacht Village seminar tent. Ralph Dazert, head of intelligence at SuperYacht Times, will moderate a discussion involving Ben Ritchie of Y.CO, Ken Bracewell of BR Marine and Tim Kershaw of Delta Marine.

Those perspectives span yacht brokerage and construction, giving the discussion scope to consider how changing buyer preferences affect both second-hand vessels and commissions for new builds. Pricing confidence, available inventory and the time owners are prepared to wait for delivery can all influence a buyer's choices.

The scheduled discussion is an opportunity to hear market participants, not a new independent data release. Any conclusions about sales volumes or prices should be evaluated against actual transactions and verified market statistics once the panel has taken place.

John Staluppi and the changing US charter market

On Thursday 29 October at 2pm, a session will examine the yacht-owning career of John Staluppi, including the way James Bond-themed names and ambitious custom builds have formed part of his projects. He is due to appear with Simon Graham of FGI Yacht Group, Jonny Horsfield of H2 Yacht Design and Berkay Yilmaz of Bilgin Yachts.

The discussion is expected to touch on Project Bond, an 82-metre yacht under construction at Bilgin. That vessel has not been announced as delivered or physically present at FLIBS, and its participation in a panel discussion should not be mistaken for a public launch.

The final session, on Friday 30 October at 2pm, will look at the American charter market, which encompasses Florida and the Bahamas as well as more distant locations with different cruising and charter rules. Confirmed contributors include Alex Guy of Burgess, Heather Hatcher of IYC and Pila Pexton of Worth Avenue Yachts.

All five discussions are scheduled for the upcoming show and may be updated by organisers. The article's photograph comes from the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show's own coverage of its 2025 edition, clearly used as an archival image rather than a claim that the 2026 panels have already taken place.