Customer: Bob Putz

“Upon my retirement in 1999, I purchased a Catalina 470 sailboat from Ed Massey, Massey Yacht Sales. Age has finally caught up with me. Try as hard as I could, I’m finally physically unable to be a competent Captain. The body just rebels. Time flows, happens to all of us. What a delightful life we had during those beautiful twenty-two sailing years! Family memory’s never to be forgotten. Many Martini’s consumed at anchor watching sunsets. So, twenty-two years later I reluctantly decided to sell my beloved Sailboat.

Since I had an such an excellent experience with Ed Massey when negotiating my 470 purchase, I called him again. That’s when I met and worked with Kelly Bickford, Ed Masseys St. Petersburg broker. Kelly knew Catalina 470’s intimately. He developed a marketing strategy that worked flawlessly. He structured every detail to present my yacht in the best light.

Unfortunately, a low life thug broke into my boat and stole navigation instruments. I guess that’s just life in the modern world. First bad incident in over twenty-years of sailing Maine to South Texas and many years in the Bahamas. Kelly informed me immediately and had the local police on the case, coordinated the police report, guided me with filing the required paperwork with my insurance people.

With little or no effort on my part the entire incident was settled quickly and satisfactorily, thanks to Kelly’s quick response and attention to detail! In my opinion he went way above and beyond my expectations. He performed as if he owned the boat! What a class act!

Kelly marketed the boat, showed the boat and sold my beloved Catalina 470 just as I expected. No fuss, no unreasonable requests, tied up al the little details and made the sale.

If you want a comfortable, easy to work with, smart salesperson to move your boat, call Kelly Bickford, you will not be disappointed.”

-Bob Putz
LtCol. USAF Ret
Former Catalina 470 Owner