We met Jeff a few years ago at the Lake Union boat show in Seattle which is near our home. Jeff showed us around a Nordhavn 55 that was on display and we quickly made a connection that he was a good fit for us and really knew the product.
After looking at several models, we decided the 60 was the boat for us. Over the next couple of years we kept our eyes out for a 60 and found Castaway in Palm Beach Fl. We decided then to contact Jeff because he had been so helpful in the past. Jeff was very enthusiastic and sent us a lot of information to digest – pointing out other Nordhavns on the market for comparison. However, we were set on a 60 and the photos Jeff sent convinced us we should see the boat as soon as possible. We decided to make an offer and soon had Castaway under contract
Throughout the entire daunting purchasing process ie: survey, negotiations, closing, finding insurance, financing, moorage etc. Jeff was with us the entire way providing much information and keen insight. We had no idea how much service he provides – not only educating us about our choices and helping with negotiations, but the training after the sale (Jeff you need to let people know what an amazing job you do)!
On our Grand Banks 42 we have gone from Alaska to Mexico, but it was an adventure and intimidating at times to buy a much larger boat in Florida and use her in unfamiliar waters. We took the opportunity to learn the boat by making two trips over to the Bahamas before Jeff could join us for five days in February for some intensive training.
This worked out well because we had time to figure out a lot of things during our first couple of months, we also prepared a long list of items that we needed his help with, including figuring out how the backup nav/com computer worked and teaching us some of the tricks to docking a tall single engine boat.
Jeff’s calm and supportive approach to orientation was perfect. He showed us all about the electrical panel, bilge pumps, windlass, fuel system, etc. We also got a lot of practice in close quarter maneuvering in tight marina spaces. He also prepared a comprehensive training manual with dozens of helpful documents and check lists. It is incredible how much he shared and how much we learned in just a few short days. We will be forever grateful for his support and know he will be there for us in the future.
We have talked to a lot of brokers over the years, but never one as thorough, knowledgeable and supportive as Jeff. He has a lot of interesting observations, a fun sense of humor, and we truly enjoyed his company on board. Looking back, we now realize how important it is to find the right yacht broker. Jeff made it much easier to find the right boat and most important, how to enjoy it. For anyone looking to purchase a trawler we strongly recommend and enthusiastically endorse Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales.
Dick and Kathy Petrait – Nordhavn 60 – Castaway
