February 2012 Newsletter

Dear Valued Customer,        

            It’s hard to believe that January is behind us.  2011 flew by and now 2012 is starting off the same way!  The warm “winter” we’ve been experiencing has been a boom for the waterfront and the proof is everywhere.  From attendance at boat shows to water oriented activities, boaters are in high gear.  Of course “The Busy Marina” is no exception, take a look at our Grady Bunch calendar and you’ll get the picture.  As Bruce loves to say “we’re on a roll”! 

January is known for many things around here but first and foremost is our Annual Grady Bunch Banquet.  Once again we gathered at the Vero Beach Yacht Club for fun, food, fellowship, and some crazy awards.  The world famous “one of a kind” foul weather mink was awarded this year to Mary Weisbaum.  This prestigious award stays with the recipient for one year and is then passed to the next worthy Grady Buncher.  The same goes for the “Jim Picciano Guiding Light” award, which was presented to Dennis Makielski for navigational “excellence”!  In between the food and fun we gave a rundown of this year’s Grady Bunch activities and so far there has been great response.  As always we try to provide something for everyone regardless of the size of your Grady White.  From lunch excursions to long-range open water trips, we want to help you have fun with your boat and we look forward to seeing you get involved!  February kicks off with three events with the first being a 2-night stay at Pirate’s Cove Resort on February 10th – February 12th.  All size Grady White’s can do this trip and accommodations are available for those who stay ashore.  Next up is one of our Secret Destination Lunches on Tuesday, February 21st.  Once again this is a local trip and perfect for all size and style boats.  Finally on Saturday, February 25th is a free safety inspection right here at Vero Marine Center.  Our friends from the Power Squadron will be here at the marina from 10:00am to 12:00pm to make sure your vessel is in ship shape!  On all of these events please let us know if you will be joining us ASAP so we can make the proper reservations.  Also on Thursday, March 1st we will be doing our Sebastian River Cruise with a raft up for lunch.  All the Grady Bunch information can be found at www.veromarine.com.

                        Over in the sales department January started off a little on the slow side but certainly gained momentum as the month went on!  This month we would like to welcome aboard Mr. & Mrs. John Abodeely (2nd boat), Mr. & Mrs. Ray Suttles, Mr. John Rossi, Mr. & Mrs. Tom Smith, Mr. & Mrs. Marshall Harris, Mr. & Mrs. Mac Singleton, Mr. Peter Connelly, and Mr. Oscar Garcia Pineda.  As always we thank you and we truly appreciate your business!  Mark Anderson and Artie Olson in our sales department continue to do an outstanding job assisting you in making sound recommendations to help you and your family have fun on the water.  Their experience is second to none and they work hard to make sure you get maximum value out of your boating experience.  Right now all three of the brands we represent have a program in effect that adds even more value to buying a new boat or motor.  Contact Mark or Artie for all the details.

                        February is also Miami Boat Show time.  This year’s dates are February 16th through the 20th.  On Thursday the 16th Grady White will be hosting a press conference and will be unveiling the all-new 335 Freedom.  The success of the Freedom Dual Console series is universal.  From 19 feet to 33 feet, these open designs make sense for those looking for a true multi-purpose boat.  The new 335 Freedom will be the industry’s largest dual console boat in its class at 33 feet of length with 11’7” of beam; these boats have already been selling, sight unseen!

                        For those of you who are afflicted with golfers disease, on February 20th we are once again proud to be a sponsor of The Moorings Habitat for Humanity Charity Golf Tournament.  This is a great event and certainly one of our most favorite charity organizations.  Also, on the 25th the 1st Annual Florida Craft Brew & Wingfest is right here on Royal Palm Pointe from 11:30am to 5:00pm.  The Rotary Club hosts this and we are proud to be a sponsor of this noble cause as well.  More information on this can be found at www.floridacraftbrewandwingfest.com. 

                        Warm weather and fun, busy times are with us!  Enthusiasm is contagious and this newsletter is proof that we’re here for the long haul and enjoy what we do.  We continue to grow and move forward thanks to your kind referrals and word of mouth recommendations.  We thank you for your support and sincerely appreciate your business.  After 55 years of service on the waterfront, we look forward to 55 more!  As always we thank you for your business, your loyalty and your trust.  We’ll see you on the water!

Happy Boating,

Brian Cunningham

“When I was 5 years old my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life.  When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I wrote down ‘happy’.  They said I didn’t understand the assignment, I said they didn’t understand life.”  ~  John Lennon