Maritime Services Company Sues British Virgin Islands Yacht Owner to Foreclose on $285K Lien for Repairs and Storage of M/Y Gambit
Taylor Lane Yacht and Ship, LLC, a Florida-based maritime services provider, has filed a federal lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida to foreclose on a maritime lien against the 55-foot motor yacht Gambit and recover nearly $286,000 allegedly owed for dockage, project management, and vessel maintenance services. The lawsuit, filed on November 25, 2025, under Case No. 0:25-cv-62417-MD, names the vessel M/Y Gambit in rem and her documented owner, Dos Rios Enterprises Co. Ltd., along with Fernando Manuel Medina Carmona, in personam.
Florida Boat Repair Company Seeks to Enforce Maritime Lien for Necessaries Against 55-Foot Yacht M/Y Gambit
According to the complaint, M/Y Gambit is a 2001 Sea Ray yacht bearing British Virgin Islands Official Number 744184. Plaintiff Taylor Lane Yacht and Ship (TLYS) alleges it provided “necessaries” under U.S. maritime law—including dockage, haul-out, dry storage, utilities, and project management—to the vessel beginning in February 2024, under two signed agreements. These services were rendered at the Playboy Marine facility in Dania Beach, Florida, where the yacht remains stored today.
The company alleges the total unpaid balance for these services amounts to $285,794.80, supported by detailed invoices and a statement of account attached to the complaint. Despite repeated demands, the defendants have allegedly failed to make any payments toward the outstanding debt.
Lawsuit Seeks Arrest and Judicial Sale of M/Y Gambit to Satisfy Outstanding Charges for Yacht Repairs and Storage
Taylor Lane Yacht and Ship has brought two counts in the complaint: a maritime lien foreclosure action under the Commercial Instruments and Maritime Liens Act (46 U.S.C. § 31342) and a separate count for breach of maritime contract under general maritime law. The plaintiff is seeking an arrest of the Gambit by the U.S. Marshals Service, judicial sale of the vessel, and a judgment for the full unpaid amount plus pre-judgment interest at 18% annually, attorneys’ fees, and costs, including custodia legis expenses associated with vessel arrest and storage.
The lawsuit further requests that the court declare TLYS’s lien as superior to any other claims on the vessel and allow TLYS to credit bid at any eventual marshal’s auction up to the amount of the judgment it secures.
Contract Dispute Involves Alleged Nonpayment by Yacht Owner and Holding Company with British Virgin Islands Ties
Defendants Fernando Manuel Medina Carmona and Dos Rios Enterprises Co. Ltd. are alleged to have entered into written service and project management agreements with TLYS in February 2024. Those contracts, attached as exhibits to the complaint, include clauses for venue in the Southern District of Florida and for the recovery of attorney’s fees by TLYS in the event of litigation. TLYS alleges the defendants materially breached those agreements by failing to pay for services rendered on the Gambit, resulting in ongoing damages to the Florida company.
TLYS contends that the services it provided qualify as “necessaries” under maritime law, entitling it to a preferred lien on the vessel. The complaint also states that no other liens or mortgages were recorded against the Gambit as of February 2025, according to the yacht’s Transcript of Registry from the Virgin Islands Shipping and Maritime Authority.
Florida Maritime Law Firm Files Suit Seeking Enforcement of Yacht Lien in Federal Admiralty Court
This case highlights the types of remedies available to maritime service providers when vessel owners fail to pay for services deemed essential under maritime law. The suit was filed by Fort Lauderdale-based Stroup & Martin, P.A. on behalf of TLYS. As of the filing date, the Gambit remains docked in Dania Beach, subject to potential arrest and judicial sale depending on the court’s ruling.
Maritime lien enforcement and breach of contract lawsuits such as this are common in federal admiralty courts, where service providers can pursue remedies not only against vessel owners but against the vessel itself in rem.
Contact a Florida Maritime Lien Attorney if You Are Owed for Yacht Repairs, Dockage, or Management Services
Florida-based marine service companies, shipyards, and yacht management firms may assert maritime liens and seek judicial enforcement when owners of vessels—including foreign-flagged yachts—fail to pay for dockage, repairs, haul-out services, or other maritime necessaries. If your business is owed money by a vessel owner and needs assistance asserting lien rights or pursuing recovery through federal admiralty litigation, contact our experienced maritime law team today.
Contact us now to speak with a Florida yacht lien foreclosure attorney.
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.
