Cleaveland Forbes Horton set ashore in Annapolis, MD in the spring of 2007 fresh from a 12 month Caribbean cruise. A native of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, he grew up cruising the Maine coast with his family. His love of the sea led to a degree in Marine Biology from the University of New Hampshire, and later employment with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration designing and developing equipment for the offshore aquaculture industry. His blue water sailing experience includes numerous passages racing X-Yachts and cruising to Bermuda and the Caribbean. He has a United States Coast Guard Masters license and has commercially operated a range of vessels from celestial training schooners in the Gulf of Maine to salvage tugboats in the British Virgin Islands.
Horton was exposed to the yachting industry as a child. His father, Cleaveland F. Horton Sr., the owner and founder of Sea Frost Marine Refrigeration, introduced him to the top manufacturers in the industry and provided him with an insider’s view of yacht construction and the design process. Horton has a vast knowledge of marine systems and yacht construction. He managed the building of a NOAA-funded research vessel. His strong work ethic and customer dedication have made him a successful broker with satisfied customers on both coasts.
Horton has been a YBAA member since 2007 and earned his Certified Professional Yacht Broker credentials in 2010. He has been selling boats full time since 2006 and opened Forbes Horton Yachts in 2011. After hearing the repeated theme of poor experiences with the buying experience, he saw an opportunity to do it better. When Forbes Horton Yachts opened its doors, it followed the traditional blue blazer model with a big office and 7 brokers. The company quickly established itself as a top producing firm. However, as time went on, Horton found he was managing brokers more than advising customers and decided it was time for a change. Now when you call Forbes Horton Yachts, instead of getting a sales associate, You get Forbes and all of his knowledge & expertise.
