About

 

 A mentor of mine from my Boston Whaler days, Paul Hureau (RIP), a well-respected, senior executive with Whaler's Commercial Products Division, and a United States Coast Guard graduate and retired Lt. Commander, once told me as he helped me refine my tour pitch, "Don't tell them everything you know Nick. You want them coming back for more - just the "Cook's Tour". I owe it to Paul Hureau that I am still in the boat business thirty-eight years later, but that's a story for another day. I had never heard that phrase before in my 21 years, but I can tell you, I have done hundreds, if not thousands, of tours since 1988. So, following is my abbreviated introduction to you about me - Nick Bischoff.

 

I am a second-generation, marine industry veteran having grown up in my family's marinas watching my father excel in yacht sales in New England, Hawaii, and South Florida. My father was the consummate sales professional, and he learned the boat business from the keel up, or more specifically, as the travel lift operator at Yacht Haven in Stamford, Connecticut. Dad would school me early on about the importance of relationship selling, which back then wasn't a "thing".  Relationship selling to him meant being genuine, sincere, empathetic, humble, and above all, ethical. Dad would remind me to never force my business card on anyone. "If you did your job Nicky, the customer will ask you for your business card, and always remember, if you invest more than 30 minutes of your time with the prospect, you owe it to you, and your family to ask them for their information. In the end, just be yourself." Dad taught me a lot of life lessons including how to dress for success, but mostly he led by example, and "walked the talk." I miss his constant advice and guidance.​​​​

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​​​​​Because of these experiences and teachings, my entrepreneurial drive and selling skills were developed early and refined over the years. Upon graduating from college in 1987 with a Bachelors in Business Management, I chose an iconic New England boat builder to perfect my craft: Boston Whaler.  I learned early what it was like to be associated with such an esteemed brand, and why it attracted the best dealers and customers. Three of my all-time favorite Whalers are pictured below.​

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​​​​​These defining experiences for me were used as a springboard to launch my career working for some of the industry’s most reputable brands: Allied Richard Bertram Marine Group, Caribee Boat Sales, Powerquest Boat Company, Hinckley Yachts, Tiara Yachts, Sunseeker, and Benetti Yachts. My passion for boats began as a five-year-old as I shadowed my father from boat to boat, and from dock to dock at our Connecticut River/Long Island Sound boat yard in Old Saybrook, CT. 

 

My first introduction to new boats was in 1970 at our boat yard as my father represented the line of Jack Leek's Pacemaker Yachts. Pacemaker at the time was transitioning from wood to fiberglass and my father was a believer in Jack Leek and his beautifully designed fiberglass boats (thank you Dave Martin for your beautiful designs). We also sold Holiday Mansion houseboats that we would often cruise the Connecticut River on. Growing up on the Connecticut River in Old Saybrook and living at the marina between the Baldwin Bridge and the Amtrak bridge are memories that have stood the test of time.​​

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​As a young boy, I could never have imagined what was in store for me as I followed my Dad from the bilges of a Pacemaker Yacht to the Norwalk Boat Show and eventually Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1978. Dad's connections to Egg Harbor, New Jersey brought Ocean Yachts to South Florida and Rendezvous Bay Yacht Sales where he worked for Tom and Bob Buckley, but these were difficult times with high inflation, fuel shortages, rampant drugs, and visible crime around every corner. This was the era of the Cocaine Cowboys that Sunny Crocket exposed to us in his hit tv series, Miami Vice. South Florida was not for the faint of heart, and being a yacht broker back then with no MLS system and no internet with ten mouth's to feed was an almost impossible task for Dad, but he was determined!

 

My mother, however, saw the writing on the wall, and with five boys and three girls to worry about, put her foot down and told my father, "we're moving back to New England".  So in 1981, my siblings and I packed up our house in Boca Raton, and moved to Hyannis, Massachusetts. Dad had struck a deal to purchase Hyannis Yacht Sales with a partner where he added Leek's Ocean Yachts,

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to the all-star line-up of Blackfin Yachts (led by CEO and founder Carl Herndon),

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the Jim Wynne designed Phoenix Marine products. I was a big fan of the Phoenix 29'. Loved that little flybridge. It competed head on with the Blackfin 29', which was also a tremendous seller in its day.

 

 

 

 

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And then there was the cult-driven Shamrock boats who had a loyal following. These single screw boats were popular with the died in the wool sail boaters (blow boaters as they were referred to).

 

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I can still smell the curing resin in the bilges of these fine craft, which later would make me feel nostalgic when I worked in Boston Whaler's Rockland, Massachusetts facility. Unless you have worked in a boat yard, or a boat manufacturing facility, the smell of curing fiberglass, to me at least, is like the smell of honey. Now, of course, we know just how bad styrene was and is! I went through a lot of clothes and I made sure never to wear a nice leather jacket to the office.​​​​​

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As a sixteen year old kid working for my father after school, on the weekends, and in the summer, I did all the tedious tasks that one must do to build character and grit, i.e bright work, bottom painting, pressure cleaning, boat detailing, taking out the garbage, and coffee runs for the sales guys and technicians. During my college years, I worked for Rantuccio Boat Works, a reputable craftsman and boatbuilder on Cape Cod that customized Down East, Maine built boats like JC, Jarvis Newman, Wilbur, and Northcoast. After that experience, I swore I would never grind, or lay fiberglass again. I owe it to Kevin Rantuccio for instilling into me the importance of always perfecting my craft, the same way he did and still does today. I have yet to meet Kevin's equal when it comes to building boats, painting cars, repairing engines etc...he could do it all! Remind me to tell you the story when I had to install an anchor windlass on the pulpit of a 48' Ocean Yacht!

 

I now find myself heading up the Americas for Cantiere delle Marche, the world’s preeminent explorer builder. I have always admired CdM’s reputation as a high-quality builder of steel explorer yachts. In my humble opinion, in the segment that CdM competes, there is no one better. I am also now afforded the opportunity to list, and sell pre-owned yachts, with a focus on CdM, and other high-quality, late model, superyachts. 

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This concludes my tour - thanks for stopping by.