Why I Questioned Beneteau

Having spent the first 30-plus years of my professional career building semi-custom, high-quality, sail and power boats, I like to think I know a thing or two about marine manufacturing and what it takes to build a good boat. Many of us in the business around New England were pretty proud of our efforts and questioned the quality and reliability of the much less expensive production-built boats. So, when the opportunity arose to leave the manufacturing world and join the Cape Yachts team in 2008, I have to admit, I had my nose in the air about representing Groupe Beneteau. After all, how could a boat that cost so much less than boats I built be any good – right?

Experience New England's Best Kept Secret

It’s official. Padanaram has been voted Best US Harbor in a recent contest held by USHarbors.com. The Best Harbor contest kicked off in January with 1,278 harbors across 23 states participating with Padanaram winning the title, "Best Harbor in the US." If you've never been to our little corner of South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, you don't know what you're missing. Padanaram can feel like another world entirely. Walking or cycling the quiet streets of our village, you could almost forget you’re not in a small seaside village in Europe or on a Hallmark movie set.

Why Padanaram is the Best US Harbor

If you’re looking for hustle and bustle, this is the wrong place. With its old-country charm, this harbor village is where you might bicycle from art gallery to high-end clothing shop, drink coffee and eat fresh pastries, have a leisurely lunch or share a bottle of wine.

Believe it or Not, a New Boat Might be Cheaper!

You are thinking of buying a boat and believe that buying a used boat will be less expensive than buying a new boat of the same type. This can be true, but a broader view shows a new boat might actually cost you less.    The way we come to that is to consider the Cost-to-Purchase versus the Cost-to-Own a boat over time. 

So, You want to Buy a boat do you!

Great idea. What kind of boat should you get? That decision requires some soul-searching on your part. You need to ask yourself a lot of questions about what you want to do with a boat. Who will go with you? Where will you be boating – ocean or bay or lakes? How much money will you spend? Understanding in broad brush strokes the different types of boats available and how they answer your questions can save you from making a mistake and save money at the same time.

Having spent many years selling boats, I’d like to offer my thoughts and help you in the boat buying process. The first and probably most important thing, is to think about how you will use your new boat. Consider the following: location, crew, fishing, cruising, etc. Will you be overnighting on the boat? Will you be entertaining or fishing, maybe a combination of both? There is nothing worse than spending too much money or too little, only to find that the wrong boat is at your dock. So, we begin.

It’s safe to say I have seen many poorly-staged boats in the brokerage market since starting my yacht sales career in 1996. Our responsibility as listing agents representing a seller, is to advise on best practices and work to get the best offer possible. Below are a few critical areas where sellers can help themselves.

When the time comes to sell your boat, deciding whether to do so through a broker is an important choice. A broker can take a lot of the work out of the process for sellers and buyers alike. Certified brokers offer a layer of confidence and convenience to buying or selling your boat. With a reputation for success which stretches over more than 30 years, we know the process and how to get your boat sold quickly.