Florida Yacht Brokerage Sues Marine Manufacturer After Defective Electric Vessel Deficiencies Disrupt Brand Reputation and Operations
Rubber Duck Holdings, Inc., doing business as YachtSalesInternational.com, Inc., a Florida corporation, has filed a maritime lawsuit against multiple foreign defendants and a vessel in the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed under Case No. 0:26-cv-61468-DSL, seeks the immediate emergency arrest of the vessel M/Y Deep Silence. The plaintiff alleges that the defendants refused to pay an outstanding maritime lien of USD 177,283.36 for providing necessaries such as repairs, storage, dockage, and electricity over the past year.
Maritime Lien Claim Filed Against Foreign Corporation and Electric Hybrid Vessel in Southern District of Florida
According to the original verified complaint, the action requires immediate emergency relief to preserve the interest of the plaintiff in the verified maritime lien and to prevent the vessel from leaving the jurisdiction. The plaintiff asserts that the defendants initiated a scheme to secretly repair and transport the vessel to Europe without resolving the outstanding maritime lien. Consequently, the plaintiff requests an ex parte order for the issuance of a warrant of arrest on the vessel, along with a summons and garnishment for the in personam defendants, which include Silent Straits Ltd., doing business as Sialia Yachts, Pandanus Enterprises, Ltd., and Stanislav Szadkowski.
Breach of Maritime Contract Alleged Due to Defective Batteries and Severe Yacht Construction Defects
The dispute arises from a distribution agreement between the plaintiff and the manufacturer, Silent Straits Ltd., which intended to market the Sialia electric brand as a groundbreaking alternative to standard combustion engines. Under the agreement, the defendants provided the vessel to the plaintiff for marketing and sale. Although the defendants represented that the vessel would be salable, marketable, and seaworthy, the plaintiff claims this was far from true. Upon delivery in late 2024, the vessel suffered from major design and construction defects. The roof was unable to close without repairs, the generator fuel receptacle allowed water into the system, the hull was deteriorated, and the hybrid batteries died while in the water.
Emergency Vessel Arrest Sought as Defendants Allegedly Plan Secret Escape to Europe from Fort Lauderdale Marina
The complaint states that these defects caused multiple sea trials to fail miserably, resulting in extreme embarrassment to the brand reputation of the plaintiff and causing potential buyers to lose interest. The plaintiff remained in close contact with the technicians and representatives of the defendants, who authorized the plaintiff to incur the costs for repairs and necessaries under the promise of reimbursement. Despite this ongoing consent, the defendants refused to pay any of the outstanding invoices after multiple formal demands were made starting in February 2026. On May 14, 2026, the plaintiff discovered that the defendants were attempting to restore the vessel to a seaworthy condition to depart from Port 32 in Fort Lauderdale to Europe to avoid payment.
Plaintiff Demands Damages for Unpaid Invoices, Interest, and Attorneys Fees Under Federal Maritime Law
The lawsuit brings two primary counts against the defendants, including breach of maritime contract and maritime arrest of the vessel under Count I, and breach of maritime contract and maritime attachment and garnishment against the in personam defendants under Count II. The plaintiff asserts a right to enforce the maritime lien pursuant to federal maritime law and asks that the vessel be seized by the United States Marshal to be held as security. The plaintiff seeks a final judgment condemning the vessel to be sold free and clear of all liens to satisfy the outstanding principal amount, along with accrued interest, costs, and applicable attorneys fees.
Contact a Maritime Lien and Vessel Arrest Lawyer Today to Protect Your Marine Business and Recover Unpaid Fees
Marine businesses, yacht brokers, and vessel repair facilities that have provided necessaries, dockage, storage, or mechanical repairs to a vessel and remain unpaid may be entitled to assert a maritime lien under federal admiralty law. Yacht manufacturers and vessel owners have a strict legal obligation to fulfill their contractual agreements and cover authorized repair expenses. If your company is facing a non-payment issue or needs to file an emergency vessel arrest to keep a ship from fleeing the jurisdiction, contact our experienced team of maritime lawyers today to protect your financial interests.
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Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the plaintiff in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.
