Unjust Enrichment in Yachting: How Courts Fix Unfair Deals

Text us your ideas and feedback!A lot of yacht disputes don’t start with bad intent. They start with a rushed boatyard job, a handshake promise at a boat show, a wire sent to the wrong vendor, or an owner who accepts a benefit and later decides the bill “wasn’t in the scope.” That’s where unjust enrichment comes in, and it’s one of the most useful concepts in maritime law when the facts feel unfair and the contract language doesn’t neatly solve it.We unpack how admiralty courts and maritime judges think about equity and restitution, and why unjust enrichment is often treated like a quasi-contract remedy. Using real yachting scenarios, we walk through parts supplied but not paid for, repairs performed without time for a work order, broker introductions that lead to a sale and then a commission fight, and the headaches that follow mistaken payments and missing funds. We also dig into change orders and scope creep, including why unsigned amendments are “playing with fire” for yards and managers when speed targets, delivery dates, or cost caps shift mid-project.Then we get into the defenses, especially unclean hands. If the claimant’s own misconduct helped create the problem, courts may bar recovery, but the standard is high and the conduct has to relate to the dispute. We close with a vivid story about emergency help at sea in hurricane-force winds, the question of what a fair award looks like, and the practical reminder that collectability and time can matter as much as being right.If you found this useful, subscribe so you don’t miss the next yacht law conversation, share the episode with someone headed into refit season, and leave a review to help other owners, brokers, and yards find it. Have a yacht law question? Email it to [email protected] or [email protected] for your chance to have it answered on our podcast. All requests for confidentiality and/or anonymity are respected.Hiring a lawyer is a big decision. Visit Moore & Company for the legal team's qualifications and experience.  And, to learn the latest about superyacht launches, shipyards, designs, and destinations, visit Megayacht News.