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Well………….. it finally happened, I bought a boat.
Nordhavn 50-20 "CONTINUOUS " has now a new proud 3rd owner.
My name is David Mayer.
We recently wrapped up a great delivery from Fajardo, Puerto Rico to St. Petersburg, FL arriving at first light Good Friday (4/6/12).
I would first like to thank Doug Danielson (2nd owner) & Kelly for making the trip with me on up to the Florida Gulf Coast.
A seven day shake down, out of the gate, is certainly one way to get hands on & in a hurry.
Hopefully, some of you will find may find my comments on the process of buying a used boat helpful.
My intent is to only pass on what has been my experience, in an effort to help others.
Buying a boat is a very challenging prospect, at least is was for me.
Although I come from a working seafaring background, I can't stress enough the importance of a GOOD broker.
A good broker should be well experienced in the practice & committed to a quality product(s).
The broker should spend the time to get to know you, your boating needs & aspirations.
During the somewhat challenging process, he should be able to give it you straight, good or bad, whether you like it not…….
This is no time for appeasing (telling you what you want to hear) but a time for doing (telling you what you need to hear).
A good broker has to be willing to work hard for his client (regardless of buying or selling).
The committed client needs to be able to push the broker & the broker eagerly respond.
Clearly, he is working for you (again whether buyer or seller).
Conversely, the client needs be pushed by the broker, but only when the experienced broker senses to do so.
Sometimes, during the process, the committed buyer may get fed up & need a break to regroup.
It happened to me a number of times, as most of us are still busy making ends meet, otherwise.
I chose a slow, methodical process to buy a boat, & the broker needed to be patient.
A good broker should be able to assist in providing his client an honest assessment during an initial inspection of a boat.
This crucial point gives the buyer the confidence to write up an offer, or not.
The realistic value of a boat comes into play here & the experienced broker, in touch with the current market, needs to be able to guide the buyer on the offer side.
It's not easy for the broker(s) to be caught in the middle of (2) sides trying to protect their hard earned money, so be prepared.
Once a deal is reached, the experienced broker has the resources to pull together a well qualified & accredited list of surveyors for your choosing.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A WELL QUALIFIED, ACCREDITED SURVEYOR FOR ANY SEAGOING MOTORBOAT CAN NOT BE OVERSTATED.
The good broker must be available & experienced in managing the many dynamics of a survey & sea trial that gets the job done & keeps the deal together, if possible.
Whether it be insurance, financing or service after the sale the broker needs to provide expert resources for his client.
The good broker acts as a conduit for the many boat systems resources that are required for the new boat owner after the sale is final.
Ok, so enough about my GOOD broker.
Thank you TED ROBIE for guiding me in all your wisdom & experience.
When I finally learned to keep quite & listen, it got a little easier.
You don't say as much as some, but what you do say is well chosen & very important.
I look forward to our next visit & a well deserved cheers over a smooth frosty one!
Ted Robie works out of the Stuart, FL Nordhavn office.
Don't hesitate to give him a call.
Dave Mayer
dmayer727@gmail.com
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I can whole heartedly recommend Larry as well. He is a super no pressure salesman. Unbounded enthusiasm.
Harris
Owner
Nordhavn 4738
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We are newbies to Nordhavn having purchased our N40 in February 2010. We
were at Dana Point on vacation (we live in Florida) and we met Larry
Gieselman.
When he learned what we wanted and what our financial status was
he put us in a gorgeous 2002 Nordhavn 40. We could not be happier and we
highly recommend Larry.
Curtis and Marcia Low
Owner Nordhavn 40
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Dear Dan and Jim,
I wanted to write and praise the professionalism of Jeff Merrill and Larry Geiselman in their role as PAE brokers. I put my boat on the market less than 6 months ago,
and despite the fact that Jeff and Larry were in the USA, I was in the UK, the boat was in New Zealand and the buyer was in Australia, the sale has now been concluded without a hitch.
I have great respect for the seamless way in which they overcame the considerable logistical difficulties involved, and managed to push through the sale.
My 62 never gave me any significant trouble, and she always felt as if she were hewn from a single piece of solid rock. I shall miss her.
Yours,
Ned Lambton
Previous Owner of N62 Lone Wolf
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Dear Jeff,
She is one of the best boats afloat and provided us with five years of an experience of a lifetime. It was painful to give her up and come back to land, but we felt we had to build our new home now while there were still good contractors in out remote area.
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Dear Mr. Leishman,
I have just purchased a used Nordhavn 46' ("Alcyone) with the help of a very professional guy, my new best friend, Larry Gieselman.
Just a short note on how this happened.
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Having never purchased a boat in the States before, I was a bit apprehensive about the procedures and what we would have to do. I called the Rhode Island office and spoke to Ben Sprague, who very quickly assured me that he could act in our best interest and that he could guide us through the procedures of the purchase. He acted as the negotiator with the owner’s broker, who was Andy Hegley with the Southeast Nordhavn Office in Florida. Basically there were two Nordhavn brokers – one acting for the seller and one acting for me as the buyer. Ben really held our hand through the offers making sure that we were able to transfer ownership and reregister her in the UK. He basically guided us through the purchase.
I liked that he was very patient and very tactful while handling the negotiations with the seller. He is a very solid individual and I would recommend him to anyone – in fact I would not have wanted to purchase this boat without his guidance.
Peter Dyball
Owner Nordhavn 62 Ocean Quest |
When we found that we were going to be in the market for a Nordhavn, we went to Seattle, WA and met Barbara Lippert out of the Nordhavn Seattle office. If there was a question to be asked, she had the answer. She knew everything we needed to know
Between my knowledge of vessels, my wife’s business savvy and getting paired up together with Barbara, we all worked out quite well as a team. We looked at several Nordhavns, but this 43 really met all of our needs.
Dave Miner
Owner Nordhavn 43 Navigator |
Unless a broker is with Nordhavn, he won’t have the knowledge necessary to give a new owner the proper training these kinds of boats require. This is also very important for the seller. Nordhavn Brokers can articulate how these
boats are built in terms of engineering and construction as well as the quality of the components – important information that makes these proven Nordhavns a much better value for a potential customer.
I had our Nordhavn 40, Amanda Lynn, on the market the entire summer of 2007 listed with a local trawler dealer. They just didn’t know enough about Nordhavns to explain the features and benefits of my boat. If I had to sell Amanda Lynn again,
I would go straight to Nordhavn. I would have saved a lot of time and frustration.
Paul Leep
Former owner Nordhavn 40 Amanda Lynn |
After looking at several other yachts, the timing, my personal needs and my expectation
of quality led me to Nordhavn and broker Dave Balfour…If it wasn’t for Dave Balfour’s expert guidance through the sale and comprehensive knowledge of the boat, the sale would have never happened.
Since my family and I will be splitting our time between Boston and Paris, there will be unique issues that we will encounter. Balfour made me comfortable with everything about the boat and most everything else we’ll be dealing with.
David Edwards
Owner Nordhavn 47 Miro |
Dear Sirs,
I am sending you this letter to let you know how much I have appreciated the services of Andy Hegley and my whole buying experience with him.
He has gone above and beyond his role in the process, helping me out at every step of the way. I would highly recommend him to anybody who wants to buy a boat, and hope to stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Alain Dijon
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PAE Support
It is not often when a company steps up to the plate when they have no legal commitment to do so, but PAE has done this for us time and time again and thought I would share the latest example of why I will come back for Nordhavn #3.
Earlier this week I received an email from the owner of N4050 who purchased "La Maria Elena" through Jeff Merrill from us in 2006. He had recently discovered a letter from PAE talking about an electrical recall issue and asked me if it had been complied with. While I was 99% sure it was taken care of I didn't want to chance it and I replied back explaining that I would ask Jeff to see if he could help us out. I copied Jeff on the email. In typical fashion Jeff responded to the email within minutes (yes his BB is tied to his hip like mine) and advised he was on it. He said he would forward my email the Tommy in the warranty department. The next day Tommy sends out an email letting the new owner he will check it out and get back within a couple of days. All this on a five year boat and for the second owner. While this is the norm for us and PAE I could only wish all my business dealings with suppliers were this good.
John T
N4050 & N4061 (previous owners)
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Our Nordhavn Purchase - How It's Supposed to Work
Yesterday was a great day and saw the delivery of our new N40. Having decided a couple of months ago to 'move to the dark side' and leave a lifetime of sailing for the comfort and utility of a passagemaking trawler, we met with Ted Robie - a senior broker with Nordhavn in Stuart, Florida. Ted has a hugely impressive background in yachting, including tenure with Hinckley (our current boat - now for sale - is a lovely Hinckley Bermuda 40) and many years of bluewater racing. He also has encyclopedic knowledge of the Nordhavn line and helped steer us to the N40. Listening to me, he got a good idea of my goals and expectations for an offshore trawler. Importantly, he also spent time with my wife and got the 'other side' of what would make us happy as a couple.
While it hadn't registered with me, Ted picked up from Claudia that a flybridge was an important feature for her. In her mind, this would be a gathering place for family and friends, and Ted realized that for this to be a successful boat for us, a flybridge would be important. As it turned out, there were no N40's with a flybridge that met our other specifications on the open market. Using his extensive contacts, Ted located an owner who at one time had expressed a possible interest in selling one day.
After a number of phone calls, arrangements were made, a visit to the boat scheduled, and inside of two weeks a deal completed for an N40 that has everything both of us wanted. Ted took the time to really listen, and then work tirelessly to find the right boat at a price we were comfortable with. Even more remarkably, Ted attended to every conceivable detail, and spent many days ensuring that the boat was ready for our delivery day. And on the day he accompanied us on our delivery, he brought lunch, drinks, and snacks for everyone - and even repaired a blown high-pressure hose that ruptured halfway to the new marina.
That kind of above-and-beyond service is extremely rare these days. Having owned a number of boats in my life, never have I had the kind of positive experience that Nordhavn's Ted Robie provided us. No matter where you are in the US or overseas, if you're thinking about a new or used Nordhavn, I strongly recommend you talk to Ted. His office number is (772) 419-0862.
This experience shows us that not only are their boats very special, but so are Nordhavn's people!
Kim Petersen
m/v Tropic Explorer
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Just wanted to introduce myself. I've been watching the messages for awhile now and wanted to post but have been a little tentative. This group seems very welcoming to new people which is great. That isn't always the case on some message boards.
Well, I live in Surprise, AZ and have been dreaming about being a Nordhavn owner. My parents are live-a-boards on a 50'r in Ventura so I spend a lot of time on the water. I spent Memorial Day out at the channel islands and I must have stared at the N40 anchored aways North of us in smugglers for hours. It could have been an N43 since we were a decent ways away...
While it hadn't registered with me, Ted picked up from Claudia that a flybridge was an important feature for her. In her mind, this would be a gathering place for family and friends, and Ted realized that for this to be a successful boat for us, a flybridge would be important. As it turned out, there were no N40's with a flybridge that met our other specifications on the open market. Using his extensive contacts, Ted located an owner who at one time had expressed a possible interest in selling one day.
My goal is to retire like my parents on a boat and travel up and down the coast and hopefully even to Hawaii. I've seen several Nordhavns up close in the marina but only been inside the one at Aprils Lido boat show. That was one beautiful Nordie.
My experience at the boat show was outstanding. I'm in my 30s but look young. My families tour was given by Jeff Leishman's son (whoops, maybe it was Jim's son). Anyways, even though some people might not take me for a serious buyer, and some salesmen at the boat show were obviously snooty, Nordhavn sales never made me feel that way. I was given the CD about Nordhavn and issues of circumnavigator. I was put on the mailing list and really had a great experience. I doubt that I could ever afford the 4 million dollar yacht at the boat show, but an N40 to N52 is definitely possible in the future. Unfortunately, I was not treated as respectfully by Nordhavns main competitor at the show who not only didn't have a yacht to tour, they didn't want to give brochures out unless the person was seriously in the market that day. There is way more to that story but I'll just say that even if a purchase is 5-10 years out, customer service from Nordhavn sales is excellent.
I will be at the open house in July. I can't wait to see some of the more affordable models and to tour the 56MS. It would be great to get to meet some of the other Dreamers there.
Jay
Surprise, AZ |
Hi all
Just thought I might echo Jay's comments. I am in a smilar situation to him and recently went to the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show. While there I met Peter Devers from the Australasin PAE office. He was more than happy to show us through the boat and discus ideas I had for a layout that would suit us if we were to spec a new boat. Even though I am of simmilar age to Jay and a purchace of a boat may be some years away nothing seemed to be a problem.
What an awsome sales techniqe. Lets just be nice and speek to people like they are human beings! There's something to learn for other boat yards there. I will oneday buy a Nordhavn and my experiance at Sanctuary Cove has only strengthened my resolve. So it doesn't matter which side of the planet you are on, the experiance with Nordhavn staff is the same all over.
Cheers,
Glenn
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To whom it may concern,
We would like to take a moment and brag on our fantastic Nordhavn sales rep, Ray Danet. Ray sold our boat, Three@Sea almost a year ago now, and we have put to close 6500 nautical miles uder her hull.
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Hi Dan, Jeff and Jim
I am not one to sit down and write letters to the owners of a company that I have never met with but in this instance, I thought it was important for you to hear some customer feedback.
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Jim and Marge Fuller's Comments on the commissioning process in Stuart
Summer Skis - N43-09 arrived in Stuart on June 3, 2005. It was originally scheduled to be delivered in April. The April date was a guestimate given to us when we signed our contract in '03. I drove to Stuart from our home in Rhode Island arriving on June 5 with a number of items to be installed during the comissioning rocess.
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Dear Dan and Jim,
Alot of water has passed under the keel since we last saw you. The experiences we shared on the NAR 2004 continue to be some of the most memorable times of our lives. Thank you again for your leadership and good humor.
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