MARCH NEWSLETTER

Dear Valued Customer,               

                I’ve got a good friend here in town that told me last week that he’s had enough of this weather and he’s moving to Florida where it’s warm!  We sure have had winter this year so for the snowbirds that like seasons, Florida is the place to be this year.  Fortunately we haven’t had to shovel any white stuff as our friends in the Northeast have.  The first week of March is typically the turning point in the weather and is either the last blast of winter or the first signs of spring and summer.

                Regardless of the weather there was plenty to do around here in February.  Between the Miami Boat Show, Grady Bunch events, charity events around town, and another active month in the sales department we held a pretty good pace.  When the weather warms up watch out…it’s going to really get busy!

                March will be a big month for the Grady Bunch.  First up will be our 3rd Annual Fishing Seminar on Saturday the 6th (presented by Brian Williamson and Jack Jackson of Vero Tackle).  These guys know their stuff and are entertaining in the process.  Join us for coffee, donuts and fish stories (some of them will be true) at 9:00am this Saturday.  On Tuesday the 9th will be another one of our famous Secret Destination Luncheon trips to a “local” restaurant.  Then one of our biggest trips of the year… “The West Coast Loop”.  Many of you knowledgeable cruisers have heard of “The Great Loop”, well this loop stays right here in Florida but is just as great.  We leave March 12th for a run down the East Coast to the Keys before cutting through to the Gulf of Mexico at Marathon then back up the West Coast cutting back across the state through Lake Okeechobee then back to Vero Beach.  In many ways it really is a great loop!  For all the details call us or visit www.veromarine.com.  Time is tight so if you’re thinking about joining us on this adventure, don’t delay.

                For all of you Grady Bunchers another important event takes place this month.  The second annual Grady Fest on March 19th, 20th and 21st in Ft. Myers Beach will be a get together of Grady White’s and Grady White owners from all over the East Coast.  The folks from Grady White, Yamaha, Garmin and many other related companies will be on hand to talk Grady.   Of course Grady Fest will be one of the stops on our West Coast Loop so those of you who might be land cruising will have a chance to catch up with the Grady Bunch there.

                A tip of the hat is in order to Woody Boarman and John Spillman from the Vero Beach Power Squadron for their time and education this past month.  These two gentlemen braved the cold winds (as did many of our customers) and did courtesy safety inspections on more boats than even before.  In fact they did a few more the following week.  This worthwhile venture is a good way to make sure your boat is up to snuff and is educational as well.  If you would like to get your boat inspected either contact us or the Power Squadron directly.

                March will prove to be another busy month in the sales department as Mark and Artie continue to help you find the right boat for you and your family.  We welcome aboard Chris and Kathleen LaCroix as they enjoy their new 209 Grady White Escape, Bob and Jane Boonstra as they patiently await the delivery of their custom ordered 258 Grady White Voyager and Bruce and Pat Wardell as they prepare to take delivery of their new 360 Express!  Also this month Jeff and Barbara Feldman will take delivery of their third Grady White. This time it’s a 330 Express, we know they’re going to have fun!  We also need to welcome aboard Mike and Ellen Behrle as they make ready for their 273 Chase.  We thank you all for your business and we look forward to having fun on the water with all of you!  Yes, despite what the papers say, boaters will go boating and whether it be a Grady White, a Hurricane, a new or used boat, or a Yamaha Re-Power we aim to please, so join us as we have fun on the water!

                As we get into these transition months, we will be contacting many of you in regards to your plans regarding storage, departure dates, and even return dates.  So as Boo contacts you, please let him know what you’re thinking.  Whether we are storing your boat in one of our warehouses, your garage or on your lift, the more organized we are the smoother it will go for all concerned.  Thanks in advance for your help with this.  We truly want to make your boating as convenient and hassle-free as possible.  With the cold weather our workload in the shop has been a little lighter than usual so if you’re in need of maintenance we can make it happen pretty quickly right now.  As it warms up our lead times will get longer.  I saw a great sign at one of the local auto shops recently that said “We do maintenance at our customers convenience, we do repairs at our customers inconvenience”.  How true!               

                Don’t forget this month brings daylight savings time so don’t forget to set your clocks ahead on March 14th.  This is one of my favorite days of the year as an extra hour of daylight is always a good thing to all of us boaters!  Also St. Patrick’s Day (my day of heritage) is March 12th.  I’m pretty sure Bruce will be having corned beef and cabbage for lunch at Kelly’s that day!

                We thank you all for all you do for us throughout the year and we look forward to helping you with all of your boating needs.  We believe in boating…it’s an investment in happiness, so join us on the water…go boating, be happy! 

 

See you on the water,

 

 

Brian Cunningham

 

P.S. DON’T MISS THE VERO BEACH BOAT SHOW ON SATURDAY, MARCH 27th & SUNDAY, MARCH 28th.

 

 “Life is what you make it.  Opportunities are always there.  But if you snooze, you lose; and if you snore, you lose more.” ~ Phyllis George