LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

9 Jun 2014

Cleveland, Ohio

Sunset on the Chesapeake Bay

After renting a Penske 12' moving truck to take tools, dinghy, dinghy outboard, etc., we made the 10 hour trip from Vonore to Cleveland.  The weather was nice for the drive up and we had just a little trouble finding a hotel close to the boatyard.  The boat was on the hard at a local Cleveland boatyard located right on Lake Erie. The boat was as Dahleen had described (pristine condition) and I was very pleased with what I saw.  The bimini had been completed and installed and it was very high quality material and craftsmanship (both the frame and the canvas).

Soon after arriving we began unloading the truck and storing things on board.  It wasn't easy hauling things up the ladder, and it would have been much easier to do so after we got the boat back in the water, but because of their tight schedule relaunching all the boats that had been stored for the winter, we would only be allowed a few minutes the slip after splash.

We would end up spending a couple of days loading the boat, returning the rental truck before splashing the boat and heading east a few miles to a local marina.  We would then spend a couple of nights in a slip there prepping the boat and waiting for a weather wind to cross Lake Erie for the first leg of our trip to the Chesapeake.

Just a word about our broker on this boat…..before I begin, let me first tell you that our experience with brokers has generally not been all that great.  Most of the brokers that we have dealt with talk a good game, but come up short with performance.  We had prior experience, both buying and selling, with a previous broker and we were underwhelmed with his performance….both times.  This time around we had actually contacted a different broker to be our 'buyer's broker' and assist us in finding a boat.  After finding several boats that met our criteria and hearing nothing but crickets from our broker for months, it became apparent that we were better off finding our own boat.

I saw the boat we eventually bought, contacted the selling broker, Terry Freeman, and he has been nothing but professional, responsive, and a life-saver for us.  Because I was on the other side of the world, and Dahleen was going to have to handle most of the legwork, it was imperative that we have someone who would be prompt and responsive when we contacted him.  Terry was super.  He answered my emails and Dahleen's emails, texts, and phone calls almost immediately.  If he told you he would do something….he did it.  He was personable, dependable and professional.  If you have the need for a broker, as a buyer or a seller, we highly recommend Terry at Freeman-Eckley Yachts
(440) 653-1083.

 My First Look at 'the Boat'

 In the Travel-Lift Heading for the Splash

 Always Un-Nerving to See Your Boat in Slings

Approaching Splash in Lake Erie

Hanging in the Slings

 Almost Back in the Water