Russ Schafer was the listing broker for the 54' Hatteras we purchased in 2010. It's rare to find a yacht broker whose commitment to service is just as strong after the sale as it is leading up to the sale. Russ is just that kind of salesperson.

We had been looking to move up to a larger boat for some time. When we first met Russ we knew we had found a different kind of yacht broker. Russ took the time to walk us through all the details of the boat before we made the trip to look her over. He made sure the captain was on board to answer any questions. When we decided this was the boat we wanted, he worked with us to bring the deal together.

It was a very tough negotiation process, but Russ stayed with it, and kept the deal together. His follow-up and follow-through was exceptional. His commitment didn't end with the sale. He worked with us to find competent vendors to handle the updates we wanted to make, and held our hand right up to the time we departed for home port. Russ is an excellent broker.

I have recommended him to several other Hatteras owners, all of whom have been very happy with his work. He carries our highest recommendation, and you can be sure that when it comes time for us to sell our boat, we will be calling Russ.

It has been approximately five years that my wife and I have known our yacht broker, John Zagorski - starting with the purchase of our Jeanneau 49DS. During the purchase of the boat we were so impressed with John's knowledge of the yacht market, understanding of the product and his patience in answering an almost unending number of questions.

As our transactions have been completed from out of state, John's attention to detail and excellent communication ensured a smooth and problem-free process. His professionalism is commendable and his friendship is valued.

My family has always appreciated John's timely/quick response to requests for information or advice regarding matters related to boats, travel destinations or local resources.

I met Russ six years ago, and since then he has sold 3 boats for me and helped me buy 2 others. Throughout all of that I felt like I was in very capable hands, and his integrity is first-rate. That's the most important thing I shop for in a yacht broker.

Looking at the next 5 boats is never a burden, even if it makes a lot more work for him. Going back to a prospective buyer many times with counter-offers was never a burden, and he always represented my interests 100% regardless of the effect it would have on his commissions or workload.

Russ' firsthand knowledge of the yachting industry and the specific boats in question was always top-notch. All in all, Russ just made me feel confident in whatever direction we ended up going.  I couldn't ask for any more.

Trust him, and you'll see.

I first met Nathan Dotson after he had recently sold a very successful service business, employing as many as 50 people. A mutual friend introduced Nathan to me as a guy that could fill a job opening I had for the First Mate/Second Captain's position on my 130' charter motoryacht Sojourn.  Why a successful guy would want to take a position like this was something I questioned. As it turned out, as a kid Nathan worked as a Mate on "Sportfishing Party Boats" and was yearning to relive those early experiences on the ocean, especially on a large motoryacht. So, he was following a passion, something we can all envy and respect.

Being an expert fisherman, seaman, and USCG Captain, with a can-do, pleasing attitude, and as a very responsible mature person he was a great addition to the yacht, and everyone was pleased to have him on board.

Nathan and I became very good friends, and after a while he accepted a land based position in the Project Management Department, at our full-service boat yard, Gambol Industries, located in the Port of Long Beach. Nathan's first job at Gambol was to enhance his general knowledge of all aspects of repairing and maintaining wood, fiberglass, and metal boats under the tutelage and direction of "Master Boat Builder," John Bridwell, Vice President of Gambol Industries. He became intimately involved with most of the jobs entering the boat yard and importantly, became skilled at knowing what quality workmanship meant in boat repair and construction.

Again because of his can-do attitude and other personal attributes, including his organizational skills, he served Gambol well in that position.  

After Nathan's "apprenticeship" in project management he became Director of Business Development and Public Relations for the yard. In this capacity he represented us to our current and prospective customers and also to the trade and community organizations. He excelled at his position and we attribute a lot of our success to having him on staff.

As you can imagine, at Gambol, Nathan is well liked and was much appreciated for his easy going manner. Everyone wishes him the best of luck in his new career in the boat brokerage and yacht sales business. I can sincerely recommend Nathan to anyone who needs to buy or sell a boat - he will work hard for them to accomplish their objectives and will do so in a most efficient and professional manner.

Knowing the type of boat we wanted, and the various makes under consideration, we began to visit various brokers in earnest and attend boat shows. We quickly realized that no two dealers are the same and every boat had their strengths and weakness - thus making the decision process that much more complicated and confusing. We are concerned: which make really was the most reliable and would provide us the most enjoyment; and which dealer would really stand behind the boat being sold and provide a high level of service?

After talking with numerous dealers and seeing numerous boats, we met Peter Quintal at a small regional Ft. Lauderdale boat show. The small show was the perfect setting for us to compare the various boats head to head; attendance was no where near as large as the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show or the Miami Boat Show, and we had time to go at our own pace and ask all the questions that came to mind. Peter was extremely patient and addressed many of the concerns we had.

After several follow-up discussions and visits with Peter, my wife and I decided to buy our Sea Ray.
We took delivery just in the time for the 2004 Memorial Day weekend. What I truly did not realize at
the time we bought the boat, was just how fast my family would take to boating and how much we enjoyed spending time together on the water. As a result, we wound up spending almost every weekend during the summer of 2004 on the Sea Ray.

This then lead us to ask ourselves the question, "why do we need to keep coming home at night on
Saturday just to take out again on Sunday?"

As Labor Day approached, and my wife and I continued to discuss the merits of owning a bigger boat, Peter began educating me on the ins and outs of larger boat ownership. Maintenance, dock space, handling, overnight usage, vacationing, fuel and other expenses were all part of the discussion.

We looked at the 341 Meridian and thought it was too small for us; we then talked to both Peter and other friends who had the 381 Meridian and thought that it would be just right for us (notice the continuous progression to larger vessels). I brought the family to see the boat, my wife liked it, the kids loved it! We began negotiating to buy the boat. Before finally agreeing to it, on a whim, I asked Peter to take me to see a 411 Meridian that was down in Miami. Once we saw it, my wife and I quickly agreed that the 411 was the right boat for us (although, somehow, by wife and kids did get a new dog out of those discussions). We negotiated the deal and took delivery right before the 2004 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show.

Unknowingly, it turned out that the 411 was a great "starter" boat for us - I say unknowingly, because at the time, I thought is would be the last boat we would ever buy. I enjoyed learning how to maneuver a larger vessel, I enjoyed learning to navigate the seas with it (we took it on several trips down to the Keys) and it solidified my family's view that boating was right for us. My wife became comfortable sleeping on it, cooking on it, and handling the lines. The kids had their own room and loved to dive into the ocean on a moments notice. The only problem was, there was no place for guests.

Fast forward a year and half later and we decide we needed a bigger boat, one with 3 staterooms. Based on numerous considerations (including the size of the slip that I had purchased in the past year). we determined that a 50 to 55 flybridge would make sense for us. During this time, we continued to build our relationship with Peter and his wife, not only did Peter sell us our previous boats, but he and his wife had become friends as well.

We looked at 50 to 55 foot vessels from Sunseeker, Azimut, Ferretti, Silverton and Sea
Ray. Again, like we did when we bought our first boat, we spent time touring the yachts and meeting with the various dealers and yacht brokers. As we did this, we continued our discussions with Peter and began settling in on a Sea Ray 52 Sedan Bridge.

After comparing the various yachts, performance, engine specifications, layouts, fuel consumption, air conditioning on the bridge (very important!) to name a few attributes, it again became clear to us that the Sea Ray was the right boat for us. Our realizations eventually lead us to make the ultimate purchase at the 2006 Miami Boat Show (they also gave me a good deal on the 411 trade).