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Our Heritage

The Authority on Yachting Since 1949

Northrop & Johnson boasts a proud legacy of trustworthiness; since 1949, our professional, knowledgeable brokers have been dedicated to doing business with honesty and integrity. As the world’s leading superyacht marketing firm, Northrop & Johnson is proud to provide our clients with first-class services, including yacht sales and purchase, charter, charter management, crew services and more. Today, Northrop & Johnson continues a tradition of authentic business and furthers our sterling reputation thanks to our industry-leading sales record, impressive global charter fleet and true worldwide reach. We are dedicated to providing our clients with the best possible experience in every facet of yachting.

Sailing yacht Rainbow under sail

Origins

In the mid-1940s, shortly after World War II, friends and yachting aficionados Jim Northrop and George Johnson recognized the need for a quality yacht brokerage service in New York City to cater to the yachtsmen of Long Island Sound. In 1949, they opened the doors of Northrop & Johnson on the Big Apple’s famed Madison Avenue. Within these walls, Northrop & Johnson cultivated its ethos of honesty, integrity and fair play.

Word of the company’s stellar business practices quickly spread, garnering great success throughout the 1950s. By the early 60s, the company had expanded, opening offices in nearby Stamford, Connecticut, Marblehead, Massachusetts and as far south as Miami, Florida. In 1971, Northrop & Johnson went international as Kees Van Vliet opened the first U.S.-affiliated yacht brokerage in Europe; the office was located in Cannes France. A second European office was opened in Puerto Buenos, Spain, in the late 1970s as were two additional offices in the US — one in Newport, Rhode Island, and one in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Northrop and Johnson's stand at the International Fort Lauderdale Boat Show

Modern-Day

Throughout the succeeding decades, Northrop & Johnson positioned itself as the principal large yacht brokerage in the Americas. Today, the brand is a household name within yachting circles around the world. Our genuine reputation precedes, adding to our continued success. Northrop & Johnson is a global player, renowned throughout luxury industries as well. As the premier superyacht marketing firm in the world, Northrop & Johnson has garnered an incredible market share, created robust alliances with luxury partners in aviation, wealth management, real estate and various other sectors. Furthermore, Northrop & Johnson has created a remarkable online presence thanks in part to industry-leading technology and has set the bar for what it means to do business as a luxury superyacht brokerage house.

Throughout six decades, Northrop & Johnson’s continued growth and success are steadfast due to an unwavering dedication to providing clients with the preeminent yachting experience, from sale and purchase to charter, management and new construction of luxury superyachts.

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