Bob grew up immersed in the world of boating, spending his childhood on the water in Bay Head, New Jersey. He began sailing a variety of boats starting at the age of 8. He progressed into competitive racing, participating in many events on the eastern seaboard. Bob has spent his summers living and sailing on board yachts including many beautiful classics. Newport was a frequent destination, cruising and watching the America’s Cup action. His cruising eventually took him further afield to destinations including Florida, the Bahamas and Canada. All of which afforded him the lifestyle of living and breathing yachting. His first yacht delivery proved to be one of his most memorable aboard a 42' Hatteras from Bay Head to Nantucket at the age of 16.

After beginning college his passion for yachting continued, racing for the Ohio Wesleyan sailing team and eventually racing Luder Yawls at the Naval Academy . Following graduation he regularly sailed, travelling from New York to Florida to spend time on his father’s Atlantic 60’s Huckins motor yacht. In 1986, Bob left New York to start his own brokerage firm, kickstarting his new company with a sale to the owner of that particular moving company – an auspicious start it would prove to be in Palm Beach! Building a vast amount of knowledge and experience in the industry, Bob travelled throughout Europe, from England to southern Italy, to visit all the leading shipyards and players in the industry, going on to represent Westerley Yachts in Florida.

Having been one of the first to identify a growing trend in South Florida for power boating over cruising sailboats, he specialized in fishing boats and cockpit motor yachts, providing his customer base with his expert knowledge. Bob has been in the Palm Beach yachting industry for the last 31 years offering a wide range of client services including new builds, charters, yacht management and brokerage. “The most interesting aspect of the business is learning about your client's desires and intentions while matching those with their lifestyle and interests for a perfect yachting experience, whether it be for charter, new construction or purchase,” says Bob.

With his decision to join IYC, clients will gain invaluable service from Bob’s extensive experience and lifetime passion for yachting. We are pleased to have Bob join our team, a move to us, demonstrates the company’s reputation as the superyacht industry’s leading full-service brokerage house.  “My move to IYC, Palm Beach is extremely exciting; the IYC team is forward thinking, tech savvy and global, with a ton of experience,” says Bob. “We are in a service industry and top notch performance is a must. As the new year approaches, expect to see and hear more about the IYC Palm Beach team!”

To contact Bob O’Brien click here.

For more information on IYC’s range of services please contact the IYC office most convenient to you. IYC has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Miami, Newport, Nantucket, Great Lakes, St. Maarten, Monaco, Greece, Russia, Croatia, Montenegro, Barcelona, Scandinavia and Malta. To contact an IYC office click here.