On April 1st CharlestonFishing.com welcomed aboard a new advertiser to the offshore discussion page, Sea Island Yacht Sales. Sea Island, an established brokerage with locations here in town as well as in Florida, has over 23 years experience in yacht brokerage and has most recently become a Venture Marine dealer. A few weeks ago I received a personal invitation from Mark Hipps and Ed Barteet of Sea Island Yacht Sales to come down to the Charleston in Water Boat Show and take a 34-Foot Venture for a test ride.
While I was waiting at the end of the dock with Sea Island Yacht Salesman Gary Early, he told me about a recent plant tour he took at Venture’s facility in Riviera Beach, Florida. Gary said the facility was immaculate; and the staff was extremely professional and knowledgeable. Gary also said he was very impressed with their product and was excited to be able to represent a top notch manufacturer like Venture.
When Captain David Smallback of Venture Marine rounded the corner with the 34-foot center console to pick up Gary and I the first thing I noted was how sleek this machine looked in the water. To use a real estate term this boat has plenty of “curb appeal” with its bold lines. Everyone on the end of the dock turned to check it out, and I bet we could have filled the boat with folks wanting to go on the test run. David eased up to the dock and Gary and I hopped on. From moment one I could tell this boat was solid.
As David engaged me in conversation I quickly realized he was not just a “salesman” he was a salesman with experience. As it turns out David had fished the tournament trail for several years out of a 31-foot Contender and he also had worked with several high end flats and bay boat manufactures as part of the design and sales team. In other words David not only sells boats, but more importantly David knows boats.
Our test boat was rigged with twin 350 HP 4-stroke Yamahas. Just as with Yamaha’s smaller 4-stokes all I could hear from the engine was the water pumping out