My first contact with Phillip Berman and the Multihull Company was in May 2002, when I asked for information on one of the catamarans that they were listing on the web. Other contacts followed, because it seemed that when I came across an interesting cat, behind her there was always The Multihull Company. I was looking for a fast catamaran for world cruising, it was the first multihull for me, but I came to this decision after loving fast monohulls and still owning an open 50. I don’t like sailing competitions, but I love to have boats with pace. Now I wanted also more comfort and safety, that is to say – a cat.
I did not really think that I needed any dedicated advisor like Phillip Berman, I have always relied on myself, always been self-employed. I have founded, owned and managed a sizable hi-tech company in Italy, I was at ease dealing with top managers, lawyers and big corporations around the world. On the Internet I can find all the information that I need on boats for sale. I have good technical knowledge of boat design, so I did not see the advantage of having someone represent me as a buyer’s broker. If it was a matter to sell my boat, sure I needed a broker – and surely he works better with an exclusive. But in order to buy… and then was this Phillip Berman the right person? I was not yet so sure I needed him.
At that moment, even before my formal commitment to work with him, Phillip Berman called me. “A boat that is perfect for you”. We discussed at length the pros and cons of the boat and since it did seem to fit all my dreams he advised me to act as soon as possible. So I did, and after two days I gave him my offer, after that a counter offer was accepted. Following Phil’s guide, I wired the deposit and flew from Italy to the US for a personal inspection and survey. The boat was even better than Phillip had described, making the final decision a “no-brainer”.
Since I came from Italy, I prolonged my stay in Philadelphia to arrange things for boat ownership. Being a European, I knew nothing of US laws and the tax system and I found of invaluable importance the help that the team of The Multihull Company – Marilynn, John, and Dennis – gave to me to gather information and arrange things in only two days. They helped me with – and in most cases did for me – everything, from choosing the flag to founding a US company, from finding a US bank to an insurance company, from documenting the boat with the USCG to arranging for winterization. Finally, Phillip also found for me a project leader for the refit and upgrade I want to do. In just one week and a single trip to the US everything was done.
I must heartily thank Phillip, all the team of the Multihull Company and in particular Marilynn for what they did for me. I will have no doubt next time to choose them as my exclusive buyer’s broker when the moment will come to choose another boat – but I am afraid for them that this will not happen before many years, because it is difficult for me to dream a better boat.
I can honestly say that The Multihull Company really made it easy for me to achieve my goal and in doing so saved a lot of my money!
Your team delivered on every mark. You’ve got an amazing broker in Mark Wattrus and I’m confident you will have continued success moving forward together. He was available 24/7 whenever I had questions. We had a great initial visit on the boat and his marketing plan and photos were superb
I bought a yacht that I had never seen. I did this because I trusted my broker Andrew Holland. It was not an easy job for Andrew, as I am an experienced boat builder and owner of previous yachts, but work in West Africa. Imagine how hard it was to communicate what I was looking for. Andrew came up with exactly what I wanted. He dealt with time delays, all my questions at odd hours, and was there for the survey. He reported honestly and professionally. After buying the yacht, I arrived at the boat on a Sunday night, after dark, after travelling from West Africa to the Caribbean, and found it was better than expected. He never pulled punches and made me aware of shortfalls. I expected to spend my one month leave working on the boat, but actually spent less than one week, and was able to spend 3 weeks sailing – wonderful bonus.
Thank you Andrew for putting up with all my questions, all my worries and all my crazy out of the time zone concerns – you were totally professional, but also I know that if and when we meet up, it will be like a friend finally meeting. You are always welcome on Aseka.
Outstanding company with professional subject matter experts. If I were to buy or sell cruising sailboat, particularly a catamaran, Andrew would be my go to broker.
I have been sailing since I was a child and attended Massachusetts Maritime Academy. But when my wife and I began the process of purchasing an ocean cruising/racing catamaran, I realized that this is a world unto itself. Obviously, we needed to find someone knowledgeable to help us make an informed decision. More importantly, we needed someone honest and willing to put our interests before his or her own. I was lucky to work with Phil Berman at The Multihull Company. He repeatedly shunned the fast buck, choosing instead to work the long road to connect us with the “perfect boat”. I would be glad to recommend Phil and his company to anyone planning to purchase or sell a performance sailing machine.
Andrew Hodgdon was our broker when we bought our 2018 Lagoon 450F in Antigua in April 2922. He provided great service and was very attentive to our needs. We would highly recommend Andrew and the Multihull Company.
Successful relationships cannot exist without it. At The Multihull Company we base every relationship on a firm commitment to earning and retaining our client’s trust.
Advice of any kind is valuable only when grounded in hard-won expertise. It too, must be trustworthy. Trust and expertise define the heart and soul of The Multihull Company. We are a team of skilled professionals who thrive on providing expert, trustworthy advice and service to catamaran and trimaran sailors around the globe.
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