California Brokers Disavow Any Knowledge of Florida: 'We Know Thee Not, Old Man'

State Association Tries Talking It's Way Out of Big Class-Action Lawsuit

Prince Hal breaks up his bromance with fat old Falstaff, bad-influence incarnate, in a performance of Shakespeare’s Henry 4. That’s me on the right.

Paraphrasing: “Don’t sue us. Your beef is with the State of California and its pertinent agencies. Sue them.”

California’s yacht brokers want the world to know: They’ve got nothing to do with naughty old Florida, especially when it comes to that big lawsuit accusing everyone of cheating clients. It matters not that Florida is the biggest boat market on the planet. When it comes to brokering boats, “Florida, we know thee not.”¹

The California Yacht Brokers Association last week swore to a federal judge that it has “no business in the Southern District of Florida.” According to CYBA President Mark White, the non-profit association has:

1. Not registered in Florida;

2. No license in Florida;

3. No office in Florida;

4. No employees in Florida;

5. No marketing in Florida;

6. No marketing to Florida brokers;

7. No marketing to Florida residents;

8. No sales in Florida,

9. No real property in Florida;

10. No personal property in Florida;

11. No telephone number in Florida;

12. No mailing address in Florida;

13. No bank account in Florida;

14. No insurance in Florida;

15. Does not pay any taxes in Florida;

16. No officers nor directors living in Florida;

17. All members are licensed in California;

18. All CYBA members are required to have a business address in California;

19. All CYBA members must display their paper license in California;

20. CYBA’S Form Agreements are only available to its California licensed members.

The CYBA’s lawyers stopped just short of claiming that most California brokers couldn’t even point out far-away Florida on a map.