What's happening around the Marina
  I'm already excited about 2000! Over this "off-season" we're putting set processes in place in all facets of the business designed to make your experience with us more predictable and pleasant. Of course, we can't keep up in the spring, everyone knows that. What I want to get to however is a point where just about anyone you talk with in the marina can get you an answer. We got better at this in 1999. The main thing is that although I'd like to personally handle each customer the sheer volume of phone calls I take in season precludes this. Besides, what happens if I drop dead :) The marina has to function well no matter who you talk to. Maybe it takes a call back to get your answer but you should get one promptly and accurately.

Sam loaned me a book
Our tech foreman Sam Childress is thinking about buying an RV. He checked a book out called "How to Buy an RV Without Getting Ripped-Off!" In it, the author J.D. Gallant states some very good basic tenants of purchasing:
 
Determine the type of product that will fit your needs before you heavily shop
Prepare a few test questions that help you judge the professionalism of the salesperson- if the sales person is not a good fit get another

Visit a few dealerships before you buy

Go for quality- choose a used quality boat to get the features you need rather than a cheap low quality boat

Get a standard and optional equipment list and ask about any discrepancies before buying
  There are of course some things I disagreed with:
 
Pay attention to MSRP: nothing could be more wrong in the boat business except to compare standard equipment from one builder to the next. The problem? There is no standardization between builders as to the spread from list to dealer net, therefore you can't tell what the discount should be.

Prep costs more IF DONE CORRECTLY in the boat business than in the RV business. Author rightly speaks of inflated prep costs in RV's.

The author characterizes trial closes as a selling tactic that has sleaze factor. I disagree. If you are paid to sell boats it helps to know if a buyer is leaning towards purchasing- otherwise the close is too abrupt.
  Overall I think it's a good book. It meets the promise of what the buyer needs to do to avoid paying too much. I decided to review it here as a help to future buyers-our customers pretty much practice the recommendations of the book when they buy.

Boat Sales

We will be displaying Chaparrals at the Chantilly Boat Show Jan 27-30 and Chris Crafts Feb 17-21, 2000 at the Washington Convention Center show. We already have several boats on order presold so it looks like another busy one!

The Chaparral 350 will definitely come late spring/ early summer. I'll have pricing by the end of February. The Chris Craft 39 Roamer will come this summer.

 

1214 Swan Point Rd. * Woodbridge, Va. 22192
Phone 703.494.7161 Fax 703.494.8786
Open 8-4 M-F, 10-4 Sat, 12-4 Sun