Buying a Catamaran with Expert Broker;

Brent Hermann
November 2024

Buying a used catamaran is a lot like crossing the Gulf Stream for the first time.  You know that there are significant hazards out there, and both your timing and execution have to be spot on for you to safely execute the crossing.  This is how I felt as we approached purchasing a catamaran, especially doing so from all the way up in Michigan. I knew that I needed a guide to help me with this journey however there is a sea of brokers out there, and how do you go about finding one that you can trust?  Fortunately for me one of my best friends is also in the market for a catamaran and had already met Brent Hermann.  My friend inherently distrusts brokers however referred me to Brent as he had earned my friend's trust.

As such, the search began.  Brent did a fantastic job of taking the leg work out of the equation for me, visiting boats and either showing me the boat via FaceTime or sending me videos.  When Brent found a boat that he felt was in good shape, he pointed that out but also carefully set my expectations.  I bought a plane ticket and headed to Florida hoping the boat would meet my expectations. From the moment I stepped aboard her, not only were my expectations met, but they were exceeded. I knew it was the right boat, and that it was time to move forward.

Working through the purchasing process things come up that seem like they could be a big deal.  One large value add that Brent provided was pointing out which of those things were actually a big deal, or not. This is very helpful as he used his experience in the industry to focus my attention and efforts on the items that mattered the most, and to calm my nerves for items that did not matter.  With that guidance we moved through the survey, sea trial, and final aspects of purchasing. We are now the proud new owners of a Leopard 40 and have Brent to thank for getting us to this point.