A Florida-based fishing company is taking legal action against a yacht broker and two individuals, accusing them of fraudulent misrepresentation in the sale of a high-performance vessel. The complaint was filed by Royal Fishing Team, LLC in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County on July 2, 2024, targeting Luke Davis, HMY Yacht Sales, Inc., and Joseph Davis.

According to the lawsuit, Royal Fishing Team alleges that they were misled into purchasing a 40-ft 2023 Barker Boatworks vessel based on false information provided by the defendants. The plaintiff claims that Joseph Davis, through his nephew Luke Davis and HMY Yacht Sales, listed the boat for sale with a purported fuel capacity of 770 gallons. This specification was crucial for Royal Fishing Team’s decision-making process as they sought a high-performance vessel with substantial fuel capacity. Brandon Roy, representing Royal Fishing Team, reviewed the listing and expressed interest based on this key feature.

On March 4, 2024, Brandon Roy and Royal’s broker Brandon Wilson traveled to Jupiter, Florida to inspect the vessel. During this inspection, Luke Davis allegedly confirmed that the boat had a fuel capacity of 770 gallons. However, it later emerged that this claim was false; Joseph Davis had opted out of the higher fuel capacity during manufacturing. Consequently, Royal Fishing Team purchased the vessel for $985,000—a price inflated by at least $125,000 due to the misrepresented fuel capacity.