The somewhat humble beginnings of HMY evolved from a young man's determination to succeeed, a houseboat, and a fishing trip with a client and a close friend.

Steve Moynihan relocated to South Florida at the ripe young age of nineteen. Amongst his new found friends, was an "idea man" who was developing a multiple listing system for yachts. This man encouraged Steve, after recognizing his selling skills, to become involved with the multiple listing service paved the way for him to experience an easy and successful transition to the yacht brokerage business.

A few years later, not satisfied with the level of customer satisfaction that he could offer, Steve decided to venture out on his own. Two other brokers shared Steve's commitment to their clients and joined him in the initial partnership that formed HMY YACHT SALES in 1979. Steve and his partners encountered challenges right from the start. Only a few days prior to the 1979 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, HMY occupied a houseboat as their new office. Unable to have phone lines installed prior to and during the show gave potential clients no place to call. Imagine trying to sell someone a yacht that you can't give your office phone number to. At the same time, the industry was going through one of its' toughest times and some industry icons were telling Steve, "just what we need, another yacht brokerage firm."

Determined and focused, Steve forged on to success. He never stopped thinking big or allowing obstacles to alter his determination. One of Steve's mottos best describes his drive and persistence. He often says, "to succeed you need to be a bear, not just any bear, but a grizzly bear." HMY kept growing but mostly due to the efforts of Steve. As most of the company revenues were a result of Steve's efforts, he was becoming frustrated. It was once again time for a change. Enter Doc Austin, Steve's good friend, client, and confidant. During one of several fishing trips, Steve and Doc decided that with their combined talents and knowledge, that a partnership with them at the helm, would flourish.

The partnership reaped instant rewards. HMY became a dealer for Post Yachts in 1983 and added a few more brokers as well. An alliance with Davis Yachts led the company into bigger boats, but during the luxury tax years of the early 90's, Davis changed to direct marketing making the relationship less profitable for HMY. HMY moved away from Davis and added the Viking Yacht line in 1992. Shortly afterward, the owners of CABO Yachts knocked on HMY's doors knowing that they had a strong market presence. This effectively rounded out HMY's product line, offering all the top new sportfishing boats on the market while keeping up with the finest brokerage listings at the same time.

In 1986, HMY opened a small office at the Harbour Towne Marina in Dania Beach and moved in a few boats while keeping a small office on the 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale. After time, HMY expanded at Harbour Towne and opened up a Palm Beach office as well. Reaching further northward, HMY expanded twice in the 1990's to open offices in Florida's Treasure Coast area of Jensen Beach and the marine industry hub of Charleston, South Carolina.

Once into the new century, HMY continued to develop relationships with other yacht manufacturers. Joining a worldwide dealer network of over 30 countries, HMY happily added Australian built Riviera Yachts to an already stellar representation of new yachts.

Keeping an eye on market trends in 2004, HMY recognized a need to expand and further permeate the eastern seaboard. The first push was into the Jacksonville area. Flannery Yachts was acquired by HMY, and the office location was eventually moved to Harbortown Marina. It is just a bit ironic that the Fort Lauderdale headquarters remains to this day at Harbour Towne Marina! The purchase of Harbour Point Marina in North Palm Beach added a sixth office along with a mid-sized marina to HMY's repertoire. Rounding out the current expansion and bringing the total number of offices on the East Coast to seven, HMY opened the doors at the Viking Yachts South Service Center in Riviera Beach. The on-site sales facility allows clients and brokers alike an alternative contact to both Viking lines than just their respective factories.

Steve Moynihan and Doc Austin have deep roots in the marine industry. HMY's legacy of success, dedication, and excellent customer service has already survived over a quarter of a century and shows no signs of slowing. The combined experience of our owners, staff, and brokers continue to keep HMY soundly at the forefront of the industry.

Humble beginnings have led us to great success and we look forward to serving your boating needs well into the future!

HMY | HMY Yacht Sales