Happy Boaties – DBY Client Testimonials Australia

Rod Waterhouse and the team at DBY in Newport have been very helpful in facilitating our boat purchase. I could reach out anytime for questions or assistance with the process and receive knowledgeable and professional advice. We are very happy with our purchase and feel that we have made a sound contact for the future.

Anthony, buyer of the Dehler 34 “CALYSTA””, February 2024.

 

I recently bought a Sabre 426 from the team at DBY Boat Sales in Newport. The process was easy and efficient. After travelling from Melbourne to inspect the boat Darren and Charlotte facilitated the lift out, survey, contract and insurance within a few days. Any questions I had were promptly responded to. I’m very happy with the boat and would like to thank DBY Boat Sales for making the purchase such a straightforward and trouble-free experience.

Peter, buyer of Sabre 426, “LION CHASER”, January 2024.

 

I can’t thank the team at DBY enough for getting us back on our own yacht again after a near 40-year break and doing it in super quick time over the holiday period. After Darren took my wife and I out on the water on New Year’s Eve to view a different boat, he suggested another he thought would suit us better and it has. We were out for our first sail on the Cavalier 28 on January 6, with DBY having arranged more competitive insurance cover than I could find and provided lots of other advice re boat maintenance, moorings, etc. We’re grateful for the prompt, efficient and friendly service that eased us through a process that had looked quite daunting.

 Nick, buyer of Cavalier 28 “NO NAME” – January 2024.

 

I recently purchased my beautifully presented 25ft sailing boat from Darren and his team Rod and Charlotte via the David Bray Yachts brokerage at Newport. While the sale arguably represents the least in monetary value of the many yachts on DBY’s brokerage, all my many questions, issues and concerns were answered in an efficient timely manner.Having owned more than a few similarly small to medium sized sailing keel boats over my decades of sailing, buying via a brokerage was a relatively new experience for me.

Normally I prepare, detail, and advertise my boats and eventually field the many questions of prospective buyers. “Hits and misses” sums up succinctly both the level of success and the ease of transaction I’ve experienced in my transactions.

However, after dealing with the seamless friendly professionalism of Darren and his team at DBY Boat Sales, come the time of me selling my sailing boat I’ll be certainly approaching them yet again.

Cleveland Rose. buyer of Spacesailor “REBECCA” – December 2023

 

“It was with reluctance that we decided to sell Moocooboola, our Bavaria 38. My health denied our ability to properly maintain and sail her and she was looking a tad tired. I spoke with Darren at DBY Boat Sales and was very happy to leave her with the team at DBY for an initial overhaul.

Darren, John and Rod project managed her return to beauty and Rod sold her within a day of her going to market. Darren’s team are knowledgeable on all aspects of boats – their maintenance and needs; are all a great bunch to talk with and we exceptionally commend them to anyone who needs to buy or sell a boat.”

Col Chidgey, Seller of Bavaria 38 “MOOCOOBOOLA” – December 2023

 

Korrie and I are very grateful and appreciate all the service, support and advice that we received from all the team at DBY! Darren is a wealth of knowledge and no question was too little to help with, and recommending trades who were fabulous & accommodating, who we would use again in the future. Which was very helpful as we were not familiar with Sydney.

Many thanks again, and we are so happy with our new home & endless adventures!

Best regards

Korrie & Vid, Buyers of CSY44 “SKALA” – November 2023

 

We sold our beloved Moody 425 “ATMOSPHERIC” through Darren at DBY. Darren was recommended by our boat friends on “PIT PONY” who had bought and sold with Darren.

Darren responded quickly to all our random email queries 18 months before we could even think of selling Atmospheric as we were still in Mexico. Once we reached French Polynesia, Darren was luckily able to meet us in Tahiti and see the boat and us firsthand which we felt really helped.

We listed the boat via email with Darren as we crossed from French Polynesia to Fiji. He and the team at DBY were in constant contact with us confirming advert specs as well as checking on our progress and the best place to sell. In the end we listed as located in Fiji. We had a buyer with an offer in 3 weeks and 2 other offers.

We met the buyer in Fiji and Darren was again there to help with the boat showing and test sail.

She sold so easily and at our asking price and we feel that could only have been done with Darren and the team at DBY.

During the transfer Darren was always available for queries and made all our responsibilities clear.

It couldn’t have been a better experience all thanks to Darren and the team at DBY.

Thanks!

Greg and Shani and Indy and Griff (Atmospheric Crew)

Greg Webber, seller of Moody 425 “ATMOSPHERIC” – October 2023

 

Darren and the team at DBY made the process smooth and relaxed in my recent purchase of a Northshore 33. The advert was a true reflection of the vessel condition, and they helped organise lifting for survey, which made my life easy. Thanks again, and see you on the water.

Simon Meares, buyer of Northshore 33 “USUAL SUSPECTS” – September 2023

 

This has been my 5th yacht purchase and it was most unusual as I was on a project in WA.

I was looking for a particular yacht when DBY advertised Cavalier 350 SL “Infinity”. 

Buying a yacht without a personal inspection was a bit daunting.

The professional service from Darren, and Liz made the process seamless and she is now happily sailing to her new home in Yeppoon.

Thanks again. 

Geoff Trewin, buyer of Cavalier 350 “Infinity” – July 2023

 

I would like to thank John, Darren and the entire team at DBY Boat Sales for their helpful and professional service in regard to my recent yacht purchase.

Although both the vessel and myself were located interstate, the entire buying process and transaction was accomplished smoothly and easily.

I have no reservations in recommending DBY Boat Sales as a reputable and experienced boat broker.

Kelvin and Mandy Oliver, buyers of Union Polaris 36 “Dazzler” – July 2023

 

I recently sent a picture of my new boat to a friend who commented, “Looks like a DBY boat; they renewed my faith in boat brokers.”   I had to agree with him.

 Rod couldn’t have been more friendly and accommodating throughout the buying process.  He returned calls punctually, facilitated my needs with regard to inspections and was honest and open when answering questions.  

 Everyone I spoke to at DBY during the purchasing process including Darren and Michelle, were fabulous. I was impressed enough with the service that I decided to list my old boat for sale with DBY. 

Tony Wade, buyer of Northshore 340 “Zen” – June 2023

 

The DBY Yacht Sales team led by Director Darren Parker provided excellent sales and marketing services and achieved the sale of my yacht.

Darren undertook the initial inspection and provided the market appraisal. The sale price was close to the listed price and the sale achieved within a reasonable time frame. A great result.

The overall service provided could not be faulted.

DBY Yacht Sales are highly recommended.

Alan, seller of Arends 33 “Fine Spirit” – May 2023

 

I have to say that Darren’s support has been always very professional and his promise that he would sell my boat was 100% respected, always informing me promptly of the developments in the ongoing negotiations.

It’s my second experience with DBY and, if I need to sell my boat again in the future, I don’t hesitate to contact you.

Thanks so much for everything.

Massimo Francioni, seller of Halvorsen 25 “Sarawana” – May 2023

 

Darren, Rod, John, and Liz,

I just wish to thank you for all you did for Tessa and me with regards the sale of Ballerina Girl, surely the finest boat ever listed at DBY. 😊  From the moment Tessa and I arrived at your office we were welcomed and treated royally. 

Rod, I wish to thank you in particular for being so helpful, showing us around the area in that lil ol’ Tesla of yours, taking us out for dinner, picking up Tess at 5.00am to take her to get the bus to the airport and taking me all the way to Sydney on the day I left.  And please pass our thanks on to Kerry for doing our laundry, folding it and returning it to us smelling like flowers for the first time in at least eleven months.  That was so nice of her. 

Liz, you were always helpful and efficient when we came into the office and as you know, I looked forward to that special smile of yours.  Thank you!

John, super salesman that you are… what can I say?  Well, I’ll just say a big “thank you”…. but you know I’m smiling!

And Darren, efficient and helpful always.  Thank you too Darren.

Our journey came to an end in Pittwater and I guess the sale of Ballerina Girl also brings our business relationship to an end, but I hope not our social one.  Should any of you ever find your way to Trinidad you have a couple of friends here that have loads of contacts and a boatyard at your disposal.

We wish you all the very best.  Take care.

Don and Tess

Don Stollmeyer, seller of Simpson 43 Catamaran “Ballerina Girl” – May 2023

 

The DBY team were fantastic from the first email enquiry to the last transfer of funds. They gave me a realistic idea of market value, what to expect from the market, they kept me appraised of offers and interest. At all times they have been professional and accommodating, I can highly recommend them.

Gordon Macdonald, seller of Ericsson 35 “Rhiannon” – April 2023

 

We were very pleased with the service we received from the whole DBY crew, and in particular the effort John put into the sale of our Catalina 309, Crystal.

They were at all times responsive to our requests and sold the boat in a very short time, for the price we had discussed.

This is the second boat we have sold through DBY, and they didn’t disappoint after our experience with the first sale.

We would recommend DBY to anyone wishing to sell their boat through a reputable dealer.

Brad and Sandy Lester – sellers of Catalina 309 “Crystal” – April 2023

 

Just a note to thank DBY Boat Sales for the professional approach in assisting me to buy my first proper sailing boat.
I would have no hesitation in recommending DBY.

Dave Massey – buyer of Hunter 356 “Katherine” – March 2023

 

We bought and sold from DBY and both experiences could not have been better.

Darren and his team have a lot of knowledge with yachts and helped us make the right choice when we bought. Liz organised our insurance and everything went smoothly.

And when it came time to sell, they were again highly professional, preparing detailed ad materials, accessing the best websites and giving us confidence in the process.

We ended up selling quite fast, and their attention to detail was impressive as they managed the sale to completion. We would not hesitate in going back to DBY in the future.

Greg Economos, seller of Hunter 356 “Katherine” – March 2023

 

Darren Parker facilitated a smooth purchase and was very helpful in organising a test-sail as the owner was not local to the vessel location.

Amelio Pannaci – buyer of Com-pac 27 “Clearwater” – February 2023

 

DBY Boat Sales were great to deal with through the whole process of selling our yacht. We were able to engage in the selling process as much or as little as we liked and they provided great advice throughout. The knowledge of yachts and the industry from Rod and the team is incredible and you can tell that sailing and cruising has been a huge part of their lives. 

Thanks very much, DBY Boat Sales. 

James Wierzbowski, seller of Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 40.3 “Calino” – February 2023

 

I found the whole team at DBY to be very helpful when I was looking at purchasing a boat listed with them. The brokers, Rod and Darren are both very experienced sailors, and if they didn’t have the answer to (my very long list) of questions, they did the research to find the answer.

My experience was one of a valued customer, and I’ll definitely be using their services when it comes time for an upgrade to the next boat.

Peter Edmunds, buyer of Northshore 38 “Ebony” – February 2023

 

Thank you for making the process of purchasing our boat so straightforward and easy. We have owned trailer boats previously so purchasing a moored vessel was new for us and we greatly appreciate your guidance and assistance not just with the purchase but the extras including the survey and mooring. And Liz, many thanks for your help with the insurance information.

We were impressed with how quickly everything has taken place and that at no point was there a hard sell. Darren, your knowledge on boats is fantastic and we appreciate the time taken to assist us. Thanks for helping us get back on the water. We love our boat and will enjoy plenty of good times with family & friends!

When we are ready to upgrade we will not hesitate to call on your services again!

Miff and Stuart Page – buyers of Cuddles 30 Flybridge Cruiser “G’Deh” – January 2023

 

I’ve purchased our first boat for our little family with very little experience in boating from DBY and had the most smooth transaction, supportive and friendly service.

From the moment I rang and inspecting the boat, I had so much support throughout the process and even had the boat delivered to the mooring and a lesson for the kids while getting there.

 Most friendly and professional service I’ve seen in the boating industry in Sydney! Highly recommended and we will be using them again in future when we need.

Raquel Fargeat, buyer of Yamaha 25 “Saga” – January 2023

 

I have had the privilege of using DBY to not only sell but purchase my last 2 vessels.

The service I have been given has been absolutely amazing. They have guided me through both processes with ease and coordinated all services to ensure everything has gone smoothly.

I was extremely impressed by their after sales service.

I would not use anyone else to sell or purchase a boat from.

Thankyou DBY for your outstanding help over the last 10 years.

Thanks !!!!

Bryce Statis, seller of Yamaha 25 “Saga” – January 2023

 

We made first contact with DBY while we were in Papeete. As we approached Australia, we followed all of DBY’s advice and guidance on matters including the best port of entry, the selection of a customs broker to assist with the importation process, and preparing our boat for sale.

Within 45 days of DBY bringing their considerable expertise and experience to bear on the sale process, our boat was sold for a good price and the net sale proceeds were in our bank account. We couldn’t have hoped for a better process or outcome.

Tiro Clarke, seller of Roberts 44 Offshore “Genesis” – December 2022

 

We recently purchased a Cavalier 32 through John and the team at DBY. John was great and made the whole process very smooth. He was patient and helpful providing an un-pressured environment to ensure the best outcome for both buyer and seller.  I would highly recommend DBY.

Alex Bixley, buyer of Cavalier 32 “Tequila” – December 2022

 

I have recently sold my yacht through DBY Boat Sales, and just found their service to be amazing. Both Darren and John took a very keen interest in selling my yacht. And their follow up to complete the sale was outstanding.

They had an offer on my yacht in under a week. And the sale was completed within 2 weeks. An amazing achievement. I would thoroughly recommend DBY to anyone considering selling their boat.

Stephen Johnco, seller of Northshore 33 “The Office” – December 2022

 

We were most impressed with Darren and his team at DBY during the purchase of our Hanse. Darren gave us honest and practical information about the boat with no sales pressure. An added bonus was the continued support that we received after sale whilst we were organising to deliver the boat back to Victoria. We very much enjoyed and appreciated the friendly ethos of the DBY team. Thanks Darren, Liz and team.

Glenn and Vanessa Collins, buyers of Hanse 470E “Ghost” – November 2022

 

When I saw the Tashiba 40, Mezzaluna for sale by DBY on Yachthub I rang the DBY office to make an enquiry and to ask for further photographs if they were available.

Photographs were emailed almost immediately, and Darren Parker returned my call shortly after.

Darren was easy to deal with and very informative, particularly as the boat was a reasonably rare item and was USA registered.

Within 24 hours we had a contract on Mezzaluna subject to survey. Arrangements were made for a survey the following week. We flew to Sydney and travelled to Newport for the survey inspection. We met with Darren and his crew at DBY and the whole survey process and finalisation of the purchase went smoothly.

Darren was fully across the detail of the importation of the boat into Australia and the payment of duty which had been undertaken by the vendors. He has also been following up on the cancellation of the USA registration of the boat so that we can proceed with Australian registration.

Overall, dealing with Darren and DBY Boat sales was a relaxed experience.

Brett Harrison, buyer of Tashiba 40 “Mezzaluna” – November 2022

 

It has been great to deal with John and Liz on this purchase.

At the first inspection, John showed me 3 boats and gave me a very honest appraisal of pros and cons – no pressure to ‘make the sale’. He was extremely helpful guiding us through the purchase process, introducing us to surveyors, marine trades and insurers as well as negotiating with the vendor on our behalf.

Thanks so much team – expect us to be back looking for a bigger yacht in a few years!

Martin Le Grice, buyer of Northshore 27 “Siesta” – October 2022

 

I gave John and the rest of the team a hard task of selling an old Top Hat 25. I recently moved to Melbourne and wasn’t available in person to help them. They arranged and sorted out everything. Without them, I couldn’t have sold the boat. A great team, who went above and beyond to help me.

I really appreciate all the efforts made and glad we managed a good result in the end.

Harry Atkinson, seller of top Hat 25 “Sgian Dubh” – August 2022

 

DBY Boat Sales helped me throughout the purchase of my first boat and provided  

extra support when needed. The staff are very friendly and accommodating with no

pressure when purchasing. 

I would thoroughly recommend Darren and the team, many thanks. 

Simon Grant, buyer of Duncanson 34 “Sirocco” – August 2022

 

Overall we had a great experience with DBY, starting by the office who sent me additional photos of the boat, then Darren Parker who showed us the boat first, and then John Lamble who was amazing help during the whole process.

John responded and attended to any and all requests very quickly and very effectively; and even helped me after the purchased was complete. It’s been a pleasure to deal with him and we remain in contact.

I guess feeling comfortable as customer is very important to me, and at all times I felt very comfortable dealing with John and DBY..! Thanks all!

Sergio Garcia, buyer of Hunter 376 “Artemis” – July 2022

 

Thank you to John & Darren for a super-fast sale 

I purchased a yacht from Darren in 2017 & was pleasantly surprised with the smooth process so when it came to selling another yacht it was obvious to use DBY.

John set up the advertisement with photos and description overnight & kept in touch with me whenever there was a development, they really seem to have a good network because when a viable buyer appeared the moving of the yacht for survey from the mooring to the marina was seamless & considering I live interstate it was a quick efficient trouble-free process.

Once again thank you for making the sale of a yacht from interstate as smooth & quick as it was.

George Pavlou – seller of Adams 42 “Euphoria” – June 2022

 

I found DBY Boat Sales great to work with when purchasing my new boat and selling my previous boat.

Both John and Darren were very professional and helpful during the whole process. They both kept me up to date with regular contact on the progress of both my sale and purchase and were happy to go out of their way to help. 

I would certainly recommend DBY to anyone who is looking to buy or sell their boats.

Murray Oakley, seller of Compass 28 “Magic Bus”, buyer of Cavalier 975 “Altair” – May/ June 2022

 

The Team at DBY Boat Sales we’re excellent.

A sales period thwarted by consistent downpours of rain did not dampen their constant enthusiasm to find the Swarbrick an new home. This was achieved with professionalism and vigour.

A big thanks to Darren and the excellent crew at DBY.

Richard Lock, seller of Swarbrick S111 “Australia II” – April 2022

 

Rod, Darren and Liz have been a pleasure to work with and help me on my first yacht purchase! The wealth of knowledge and assistance has been amazing, highly recommend.

James M, buyer of Halvorsen Freya 47 “Innuendo” – April 2022

 

DBY we’re professional, personal and took care of everything. No hassle selling. They did their best to get a quick sale at a good price and were flexible with terms. Would use again.

Adrian Lombard, seller of Clipper 34 “Uffizi” – March 2022

 

We dealt with DBY Boat Sales over purchasing a Lagoon 440, we found them great to deal with, easy to get hold of, and their knowledge of the boat to be fantastic. Would recommend them to any-one looking at buying or selling a boat.

Brad Johnstone, buyer of Lagoon 440 “2 Drifters” – March 2022

 

Very friendly service and good communication.  Effective marketing to get prospective buyers. Also good at identifying a real buyer and closing the sale.

Noel Phelan, seller of Farr B30 “Magic” – March 2022

 

I recently bought my first boat through DBY boat sales. Being particularly interested in purchasing a Hallberg Rassy, I was in touch with members of DBY boat sales.
I found my dealings with DBY boat sales prior to my purchase extremely helpful, solicitous of my wants and respectful. Through them I did find my boat, and am extremely happy.
The icing on the cake was after the purchase, there popped up insurance issues, which they were able to navigate and it was all smooth sailing so to speak!

Judy Creighton, Buyer of Hallberg-Rassy 34 “Ellos” – March 2022

 

I was a little apprehensive about selling our boat.  It was a well-made, well equipped and well-regarded Swedish boat.  I was concerned that there might not be many buyers for a boat like that.  I need not have worried; DBY Boat Sales found a buyer almost immediately.  I was pleased to hear that they had a plan if that sale did not eventuate.

It did work and I was delighted that there was no “fuss” needed to complete the sale.  DBY Boat Sales handled all the detail and paperwork.  A happy seller!

Bob Hogarth, seller of Hallberg-Rassy 34 “Ellos” – March 2022

 

Darren and John and the team at DBY are broadly certified and vastly experienced sailors, straightforward and genuine, and this authenticity underpinned the trust we placed in them for guidance and advice through the process of purchase of our wonderful Bavaria 46 sailboat – for us, a quite serious and somewhat daunting investment.

Almost 12 months later and we’re loving the boat and the family experiences it enables us to share even more.

Rob Joyce, buyer of Bavaria 46 “Sortie” – February 2022

 

Persistence would have to be a hallmark! Covid knocked all of us about, but they kept their spirits up in the face of it and it paid off.

If you are thinking of selling your boat yourself DON’T! These guys make it hassle free. Thank you to Darren, John and the team, great job.

Ian McKay, seller of Marauder 27 “Tullawah” – January 2022

 

DBY Boat Sales have assisted me at every opportunity throughout my experience of purchasing a yacht through their organisation.

Myself being in Northern NSW and the yacht in Newport, Sydney, presented a few challenges! These were all taken care of by Darren and Liz at DBY, who handled the whole process with no fuss.

Out of water survey inspection, through to engine servicing and vessel delivery.

Nothing was too much trouble and I can confidently recommend DBY Boat Sales to anyone looking sell or purchase a vessel through a brokerage.

Paddy Quilty, buyer of Timber 30 “Paulina E” – December 2021

 

To Rod and Darren, 

I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for the professional manner you exhibited in handling the sale of Rhum Raisin 1.

You both consistently demonstrated excellent commitment to communication and follow-up as well as provided me with valuable insight into the challenges of selling my boat in a difficult economic environment.

I have no doubt your persistent and tenacious approach will serve future prospective boat buyers and sellers well. 

Thank you for your work.

Andy Sanders, seller of Catana 471 “Rhum Raisin 1” – December 2021

 

In 2021 we set out to buy a boat, in what was to be a challenging year as covid caused local lockdowns and international lockouts.

Rod at DBY boatsales created solutions for these setbacks to all but vanish.

We found a wonderful 44 foot Lagoon for sale in Fiji late last year on their website. Rod organised a chat with the owners and our plans to have our very own catamaran were starting to become a reality. ‘India’ was sailed from Fiji to Australia for our inspection and purchase just prior to Christmas.

We all found the process to be seamless. Thank you to the team at DBY boat sales.  

Karen and Peter, buyers of Lagoon 440 “India” – December 2021

 

Our experience selling our Lagoon 440 catamaran with Rod was excellent.

 

He identified a cash buyer almost immediately and helped in every way to make the transaction as smooth as possible.

 

Rod and his team have a wealth of knowledge and that was invaluable as we needed to sail from Fiji and import the boat into Australia before the sale could be finalised.

 

Great communications and always available, I would recommend DBY to anyone serious about selling their boat.

 

David Knight, seller of Lagoon 440 “India” – December 2021

 

 

The team at DBY Boat Sales came highly recommended by my cousin who had purchased his yacht through them earlier in the year, any nerves were settled during the first conversations with Rod and Darren, two absolute legends who made their time and knowledge available during the purchasing process and who continue to assist me presently.

If you’re looking to land yourself a vessel with confidence, you’ve most certainly come to the right place, the pleasant experience over the phone is more than matched by their entire team once you have walked through their doors. 

I couldn’t recommend them highly enough.

Izaak Smith, buyer of Eastcoast 31 “Crackerjack” – December 2021

 

I can highly recommend DBY Boat Sales based on my recent and previous purchases. All of my questions and concerns with regards to the purchase were promptly answered or resolved. The entire purchase process was made easy and effortless from my point of view. I will definitely use DBY Boat Sales for future purchases.

Pete Dubbelaar, buyer of Beneteau 473 “Meltemi” – November 2021

 

Our purchase experience through DBY could not have been better. 

John’s professional and friendly guidance through the inspection, survey and post purchase ensured we were fully aware of the yachts features to ensure we were comfortable with our decision.

DBY’s network of service providers gave us access to the best survey, rigging and maintenance people and John provided a wealth of knowledge in sailing and yacht maintenance. 

The sail with him up the coast to deliver the yacht was filled with tips and advice making the trip a highlight of the purchase. 

All the DBY team could not have been more helpful and a pleasure to deal with.  We will be engaging with them again.

Stephen Goodall, buyer of Bavaria 33 “Dolce Vite” – November 2021

 

I would like to thank Darren from DBY for the excellent service above and beyond the call of duty having bought and sold my last vessel through Darren I could not recommend him high enough to anyone interested in either buying or selling, nothing was ever a problem that couldn’t be fixed and always with a happy smile, and as he said  ‘ Pittwater is the place to sell boats’ I couldn’t agree more  thanks for all and it’s a pleasure knowing you. 

Graham Brown, buyer of Southcoast 36 “Jazztime” – November 2021

 

Darren is a professional through and through. My sale went through very smoothly, and very quickly. I would recommend DBY and Darren Parker, to anyone thinking of selling, or buying a boat.

Kevin Owen, seller of Southcoast 36 “Jazztime” – November 2021

 

When the Eastern States were in lockdown, Rod and Darren managed to find the exact boat for us and negotiated a smooth and hassle-free sale.  

We are now onboard our new craft and couldn’t be happier.  

Thank you for facilitating such an easy process and especially for always being available to answer all our queries and questions.

Extra thanks to Liz for organising insurance quotes.

Dave Clark, buyer of Lagoon 440 “Cat Nirvana” – November 2021

 

When you are buying a boat, especially for the first time, you really want to make sure you are buying from someone who knows boats!

It was a real pleasure to deal with John @ DBY. From our first phone call he guided me on what to look out for with the type of yacht I was buying.

John’s experience in yachting meant that I could really rely on his advice and first-hand stories. It made me aware that just because two same model boats are asking the same price doesn’t mean they will cost you the same in the long run.

True to John’s word, I haven’t had to fix anything. So far I’ve tightened one screw on my boat.

I felt like I could txt or call John at anytime to ask him how something worked. He even checked in with me on the night I sailed the boat down the coast to make sure I got in safely, and this was weeks after the boat was sold.

It’s this sort of service that is gold and made me feel very valued.

When I upgrade to my next yacht, John will be the first person I get in touch with.

Geoff Grace – buyer of the Northshore 27 “Starlight Express” – November 2021

 

DBY did an amazing job!  Everything was handled so professionally and they made it easy at every step.
Of course the main was that they sold my boat quickly, and for the asking price – it doesn’t get any better than that.

James Morrison, seller of The Tiny Houseboat – October 2021

 

Our small gaff-rigged cutter was an unusual boat to sell.  In spite of lockdown restrictions, DBY Boat Sales were able to find an enthusiastic buyer at the right price.  What’s more, they were so relaxed and helpful to deal with, as well as being capable and efficient.

Sheila Crosse – seller of Yarmouth 23 “Rummager” – October 2021

 

I purchased the Santana 30 in September. It was a very easy transaction, all done in one day! Darren is great to deal with. He knows boats, knows Pittwater and knows his job. Gave me some good contacts too for getting work done on the boat.

Peter Dulson, buyer of Santana 30 “Mystique” – September 2021

 

Very happy to provide feedback regarding Darren and his expertise in recently selling my cat. He provided helpful advice and strategies for selling the boat, kept me in the loop throughout the process and negotiated a good deal with the successful buyer. He was responsive in replying to any queries I had. Would thoroughly recommend Darren and his team for anyone considering buying or selling a boat.

Peter Richardson seller of Leopard 47 “Pussy Galore” – August 2021

 

In May 2021 I purchased a Woodward 47 on behalf of our family residing in Central Queensland. Because of circumstances at the time we had to rely heavily on DBY Boat Sales staff in the purchase  process.

We found their website specifications and condition statements to be detailed and accurate. They assisted with coordination of the vessel slipping and survey, facilitated establishment of contact with the owner and provided expertise to help in the delivery to the Queensland coast.

When we finally personally inspected the vessel we found everything in order and true to form making a possibly difficult remote purchase very smooth and a win/ win, I believe for all parties. 

I would like to specifically thank Rod for his efforts and integrity together with Darren and his staff. A business result that is only achieved through in depth experience combined with integrity.

Garnett Hollier, buyer of Woodward 47 “Cooinda” – May 2021

 

Rod came to me asking me how much we wanted for the boat and the week after the boat was sold. It was my first boat, that we cruised intensively around New Caledonia it was important for us to see her go into good hands and DBY listened and delivered! 

The boat is now owned by a happy couple planning on sailing up the coast of Aus indefinitely and we got the price we wanted. 

The end for me and the start for them of a beautiful story on a nice boat! 

Thanks guys!

Benjamin Roulant – seller of Beneteau 40 “Lola” – April 2021

 

We recently purchased a Northshore 38 from DBY Boatsales and the process was super easy. Darren was helpful always obliging and exceptional to deal with. I would gladly work with him and the team again. 

Jon Shaw, buyer of the Northshore 38 “Vamos” – February 2021

 

Rod and team sold my Colvic Countess 37 in record time! They made the whole process easy from meeting me on my boat when I arrived at the marina to drop it off to having a ready-to-go list of potential buyers lined up to confirming the money had reached my account.

Agatha Fox, seller of Colvic Countess 37 “Serafina”, January 2021

 

Recently I sold my share in a Catalina 320 with the help of DBY. Darren, who is very personable, was quick off the mark with the paperwork, advice on how to present the boat and the price I could expect to receive.

Within a day of advertising the share, there was a list of people wanting to see the boat.

The first person who saw the boat, bought the share at the expected price. You can’t do better than that.

I have no hesitation in recommending the services of DBY.  Thank-you Darren.

Geraldine Martin, seller of 1/5 share Catalina 320 “Five Stars” – December 2020

 

We first met DBY’s Rod Waterhouse in Fiji when he came aboard our British flagged 37ft Colvic Countess and gave us a rough idea of the market price we could expect in Australia, passage planning advice and information regarding clearance and importation procedures.  Rod was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable; it was because of him that we decided to place our boat for sale with DBY.

On arrival at Pittwater, DBY were fantastic, we simply left the boat on one of their secure and reasonably priced moorings, flew back to the UK and they took care of everything else. 

This included organizing the valuation and importation process as well as marketing the boat and carrying out routine checks.  They even provided a shuttle service between ship and shore enabling us to leave our dinghy lashed on deck.

Our arrival coincided with the 2019 – 2020 bush fires which devastated vast tracts of Eastern Australia, as if this wasn’t bad enough, the Covid 19 pandemic then brought suffering to every part of the world.  Throughout this difficult period of fire and plague, DBY continued to market the boat and conduct viewings – keeping us informed of developments at every stage. 

Throughout the service provided by DBY was second to none.

We can wholeheartedly recommend DBY as a friendly, professional and efficient brokerage who are more than able and willing to assist international clients in the sale of their vessel.

Roger Geary, seller of Colvic 37 “Serafina”, October 2020

 

From the first call it was all easy to get my boat on the market with DBY. They do everything in a totally professional way and kept me informed as the sale progressed.
We sold for a great price in record time – I wouldn’t use anyone else.

James Morrison, seller of Four Winns H310, September 2020

 

Our family had been looking for a suitable cruiser for some time and we came across the DBY website, made an enquiry and Darren responded with speed and grace.  In the blink of an eye were taking our prospective purchase for a spin on Pittwater and were instantly hooked – boat sold! 

 Darren has been just fantastic with instructing us on the boat’s operation and tech and answering our numerous questions; as novice boaties this gave us great confidence and trust in the boat we were buying.

The after-sales service has just been brilliant, many thanks to Darren and the DBY team! 

Good luck and thanks again.

Brad and Lorna Higgins, buyers of Bayliner 2655, September 2020

 

A very big thank you to Darren Parker and the team at DBY boat sales for selling our boat.
We knew DBY had experience with our type of boat so, after a chat, we engaged them on that basis and we are extremely pleased we did.

Not only are DBY friendly and professional but a sale was achieved quickly, (despite the economic times associated with Covid19)
and an excellent price was achieved.

A key feature of our relationship with DBY was the almost weekly feedback we got from Darren regarding the progress etc of the sale.

DBY knew exactly what the market for our boat was and achieved exactly that – just as they said they would.

Adrian Nicholas, seller of Fisher 37 “Mele Kai”, July 2020

 

Rod and David at DBY provided a great one-stop-shop service, from taking delivery of our Hallberg-Rassy 42F Aurora B off the delivery skipper all the way through to the final sale. As a British family based in Hong Kong and having sailed from the UK to Australia, we were looking for a broker who could look after every aspect of the sale process including ongoing care whilst Aurora B awaited her sale. DBY truly delivered! Clearly this past year has been a challenging time to sell a boat, with bushfires and the pandemic. DBY kept working throughout and achieved a result that worked for everyone involved. Happy to recommend them.

Ed Simmonds, seller of Hallberg-Rassy 42F “Aurora B”, July 2020

 

I recently purchased a 34ft Charlie Peel-designed yacht. The team at DBY Boat Sales was a pleasure to deal with, accommodating and made the process very smooth. I would recommend them as a great place to sell your boat, and to purchase your next boat. Thank you!

Mike Watson, buyer of Charlie Peel 34 “Charlie, July 2020

 

Darren and the team were very helpful during the purchase of our Lagoon 440. Always responsive and offering to help with anything that we had questions about. We organised insurance with DBY as well, and all was done without fuss. Darren even went the extra yard in assisting with Club membership so that we had a place to moor the boat after purchase.

We would recommend DBY to anyone looking to purchase their next boat.

Wayne & Jacqueline Sillick, buyer of Lagoon 440 “Aquilon”, June 2020

 

I have found DBY Boat Sales in particular David Renouf To be easy-going and friendly to deal with. They sort it out any issues quickly and efficiently and would have no trouble recommending them to my friends.

Luke Ratcliff, buyer of Grainger 38 Mystery Cove Mk II “Papillon de Mers”, June 2020

 

Dear David and Liz,

Just like to thank you, and in particular, Graeme Hedges, who listed and coordinated the sale of Ninja, my Yamaha 25 sailboat, and Darren Parker, who sold it to the new owners.  Selling a small sailboat is difficult at the best of times, and in the current COVID-19 climate, I expected a very long wait.  As it turned out, it was less than six months, and you sold it within my acceptable price range. I met the buyers at the surveyor’s inspection, and last weekend they and I had a sail on Ninja while I checked them out on her systems.  They are in love with her, and I’m so pleased that Ninja has found enthusiastic and loving owners.

 DBY has been most professional in everything to do with the listing and sale, and I would strongly recommend them to anyone wanting to sell or buy a sailboat.

 Once again, thanks.

Bob Fuller, seller of Yamaha 25 “Ninja”, June 2020

 

I recently sold my 34-foot sailing boat through DBY. Broker David Renouf responded quickly when I first contacted him, visited the boat, took the photographs and had the listing online in short time. David also made some suggestions about things we could do to the boat to improve the chances of a sale. He was also happy to include some extra comments I provided for the sales material.

The sale was somewhat complicated with the boat in Pittwater and me in Queensland, and restricted by the coronavirus restrictions, during the period of the sale. David kept me informed about inspections and the feedback from potential buyers. After one potential buyer commissioned a survey and responded with a list of items that needed attention, David went to work on the boat and rectified the items. The sale was completed. David’s efforts were more than I expected from a broker and a very clear example of making every effort and I am very grateful to him.

I certainly recommend DBY and David Renouf to anybody thinking of selling or buying a boat. DBY and David are very knowledgeable, experienced and professional, prompt with the paperwork and very pleasant to deal with.

Nigel McCarthy, seller of van de Stadt 34 ‘’Spirit of Biscay’’ – June 2020

 

Hello Graeme,
Thank you for successfully selling our boat WOMBAT in this difficult time. The service was prompt and efficient and above all successful. The new owners are very happy with the boat and have taken it to the harbour. Next boat I have to sell, I will call on your services again.

Robert Perey – seller of Clipper 30 “Wombat”, May 2020

 

When it became clear that deteriorating health meant I was no longer able to safely or enjoyably sail our Phantom 32 cruising yacht Kasper, we set about searching for a powerboat.

Though the internet we became aware of the Clipper 30 “Wombat” and we duly met the most affable Darren Parker from DBY Boat Sales in Pittwater.

From the moment we first spoke nothing was too much trouble and being aware of my health issues he was at pains to ensure that the boat would afford us, in a manageable way, the boating future we sought – weekend days on the harbour with family and friends and perhaps with help, the occasional jaunt up the coast.

His liaison with the seller and ourselves was first class – prompt, accurate and at all times diplomatic and polite. His knowledge of the boat he was selling was remarkable and certainly eased any concerns we had.

Needless to say, the sale was concluded in a very timely fashion and a week after purchase we motored south to our mooring in Middle Harbour very happy boat owners.

Since then the boat has performed faultlessly and more than met our expectations. It even prompted me, a life longs sailor to state that ‘we should have got a powerboat years ago!’

Thank you Darren and DBY Boat Sales.

Martin and Andrea Pryor, buyers of Clipper 30 “Wombat”, May 2020

 

The team at DBY was great for our boat sales. Friendly, helpful and very competent. Highly recommended. Thank you very much!

Heidi & Gerald Ulm, sellers of Freedom 38 “Silver Seas” – March 2020

 

With the recent purchase of a Gulfstar 44, nothing was a problem for DBY Boat Sales.

We could not be happier with the customer service.  All the team at DBY were friendly and answered every enquiry we had and gave us a deal we were extremely happy with.

Since the purchase, they have assisted us with arranging deliveries to the boat and purchasing items like a tender and stove which was above and beyond the legwork of the initial sale.  They really didn’t have to, but it shows that even after the purchase, we were important.  They even obliged us with multiple runs to and from the buoy while we were waiting for our tender to arrive.

If you are after fantastic service and you are lucky to receive the same level of service that we received when purchasing this yacht,  you will be one very happy customer who will continue to use, and recommend, DBY Boat Sales for a very long time.

Rod and Meg Bleasdale, buyers of Gulfstar 44 “Lode Star” – January 2020

 

The team at DBY was helpful, friendly and efficient in selling our much loved yacht. They provided us with the right info, contacts and advice when needed (i.e. importing the boat into Australia, gas certification, storage).

They know the market and will help you get a fair price for your boat.
They are professionals and they don’t waste anyone’s time. Our broker even had people lined up to view our boat the day it was ready to be shown. In fact the first person who viewed our boat put an offer on it straight away.

After we agreed on the terms, the process was fair and very quick. One thing I would say: don’t expect to get daily updated from DBY, but know they always work in the background and will make contact with you when they need you to make a decision.

Extremely efficient service all together.

Tiberiu Coroliuc – Sellers of Trintella 38 “Quo Vadis” – December 2019

 

Thankyou Judith, Ross, David,
We have found this process to be extremely well executed on your part. Based on my past experience with various brokerages I can honestly say that were we not dealing with yourselves we may have put this purchase in the too hard basket.

Look forward to catching up at Marsden Cove in the near future.

 

Mark & Kathy Power – buyers of Corsair 51 ‘’Mango Moon’’ – September 2019

 

Big shout out to Darren Parker and DBY Newport for helping us buy our very first yacht!  As we did not know anything about buying a yacht we were very grateful to Darren and DBY in providing us excellent, reliable support and all the knowledge and guidance we needed every step of the way. 

 Darren went above and beyond in providing after sale support since we were in Qld and the boat we purchased was in Newport.  The icing on the cake was a wonderful trip engaging Darren’s skipper services and expertise for an amazing, educational delivery of our yacht and us safely home to Mooloolaba, Qld.

Thank you, very grateful customers.

 Gillian and Jason Hooper – buyers of Catalina 42 ‘’Me Too’’ – August 2019

 

We have been researching our options to purchase a catamaran for nearly 2 years. Every time we dealt with a broker, we felt like they were trying to “sell” us a catamaran and never really listened to what our needs were.

David Renouf from DBY Boat Sales was totally different, and provided an excellent and professional service. He is very knowledgeable and worked with us until we found the ideal boat.

DBY’s after sales service was also professional and all the documentation was finalised promptly.

 I can highly recommend DBY Boat Sales.

– Pierre & Fernanda Skinner – buyers of Lagoon 440 ‘’Carpe Ventum” – May 2019

 

Just a quick note to thank the DBY team for their help in the sale of our Lagoon 440 Raftkin.

For us this was more than just the sale of Raftkin but the process from turning the cruising dream into a tangible plan that started nearly 20 years ago when we met Rod Waterhouse at a catamaran regatta on the north coast. The plan laid dormant for many years until we decided if we wanted to make it happen at what we felt was the optimum age for our kids then now was the time.

From that decision point in late 2016 to purchasing Raftkin in Turkey in May 2017 and returning to Sydney in late 2018 we were constantly advised by DBY on all parts of the process. This included finding the boat and visiting Turkey with David Renouf to assist with inspection, survey and purchase.

Financially the whole thing worked out more or less where we were advised and hoped it would. More importantly we met heaps of wonderful people, experienced many parts of the world in a unique way and have cherished family memories that will last a life time.

– Dave (Fisher), Tracy, Hayley and Megan – sellers of Lagoon 440 ‘’Raftkin’’ – March 2019

We had a great experience selling our boat through DBY Boat Sales at Newport.

We had interest from the first day our boat was listed on their website and it was sold in under two weeks.

Darren was great and kept me informed at all times with what was happening.

– Luke Basham, seller of Island Gypsy 30 ‘’Lupageo’’ – March 2019

Darren and Graeme provided excellent service during the purchase of my Island Gypsy Flybridge Cruiser, they were very helpful on both the technical and practical aspects. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to purchase a boat, they could not have been more helpful.

Steve Duckworth, buyer of Island Gypsy 30 ‘’Lupageo’’ – March 2019

I was extremely satisfied with the service I received when I approached Graeme at DBY Boat Sales in Pittwater about purchasing a vessel listed for sale. Throughout the sale process, Graeme kept me informed and up to date with a range of matters and questions about the vessel characteristics and sought explanations from the vendor when required.

The negotiation process was smooth and trouble free. I was overseas during the sale and my local adviser liaised regularly with Graeme and both kept me fully informed. 

A number of matters regarding the vessel were quickly resolved after discussion prior to the final settlement.

Sales documentation was handled professionally and promptly.

Overall my purchase experience with Graeme and DBY Boat Sales was most positive.

Ian Bone, buyer of Amel Mango 52 ‘’Karma’’, February 2019

Hi Darren,
Really thankful to have bought my first yacht through you and your team. DBY provides honest advice and ensure all your questions are answered. Their service well exceeded my expectations.

Zhiran Zhou, buyer of Wauquiez Gladiateur 33 ”Oso”, February 2019

Sydney’s yacht brokers was a mixed experience…. Our first choice was a Jeanneau, closely followed by a Beneteau and then a Bavaria. Some dealers were not there, phone calls (on a week day) were greeted with, “I am not working today, and so’n’so is moving a boat and might get back to you”. Others, who I had rung in advance, asking if the boat had any of the known problems, “all good, these boats don’t suffer from that defect”, only to find the deck cracking and mast sinking into the deck when we viewed the boat.

By comparison, DBY Boat sales were like a breath of fresh air, there was a receptionist and multiple sales staff. The staff had sailed the boat and were very knowledgeable of features and items that needed attention. They were very honest about the boat which gave us confidence in what we were looking at.

There was one boat that fitted our requirements, it was newer than other boats on the market. We put down a deposit and made an offer, and after a bit of negotiating with the seller, we agreed on a price.

We took advice from friends in Sydney for a surveyor and rigging inspector and had the boat checked out. That probably wasn’t necessary as DBY were well connected with all the local trades. And Liz organized a competitive quote on Insurance.

Overall it was a surprisingly straightforward experience, I found all the staff at DBY to be very knowledgeable, helpful and generous with their time.

Alan Barrow, buyer of Beneteau 40 ‘’Cést si Bon’’, February 2019

Dear All,
We would just like to thank the entire DBY team for the smooth selling of our Westerly Ocean 43, Kindred Spirit.

We have raced, sailed, sold and bought yachts for over 40 years and this was by far the quickest and easiest time.

 The team at DBY are very knowledgeable and know their market. Within a week of arriving we had multiple viewings and within 2 weeks an offer.

 We heard of DBY via the Down Under Rally and would certainly recommend their professional and friendly service to anyone looking to sell a yacht.

Geoff and Bernice Holden, sellers of Westerly Ocean 43 ‘’Kindred Spirit’’ – February 2019

We recently purchased our first yacht through DBY Boat Sales Newport and are so grateful to Graeme, Darren and Liz for making it such an easy and enjoyable experience. They provide a wonderful service and have continued to give us help and support even after the sale went though. They well and truly exceeded our expectations and we would highly recommend them to anyone looking to buy or sell. Thanks again guys for everything 🙂

Nathan Truscott & Kate Tarnawski – buyers of Fraser 41 Merrion, January 2019

Hi there,
Thanks so much for everything it was a quick transfer and smooth sale … I’d recommend DBY to anyone wishing to sell their boat. 

Sanne van der Duin , seller of Radford 50 ‘’Lightwave’’ – January 2019

DBY have sold a vessel for us personally and have helped many people we know both sell and buy monohulls and catamarans. They have in our experience have always acted with integrity and honesty.

John Hembrow, Organiser – Go West/ Go East Rallies, January 2019

I recently purchased a Hans Christian 33 from DBY boat sales at Princess Street Marina, Newport. The broker I dealt with was Graeme Hedges. Throughout the process I found Graeme and the team at DBY to be friendly and helpful. Graeme’s easy going and relaxed manner certainly helped me through the process and it became clear he had both the buyer and sellers interests at heart. Having purchased the boat and spent a considerable amount of time aboard I have found all representations as to its history and condition to be accurate. I am happy to recommend Graeme and DBY to any potential client.

Peter Schultz, buyer of Hans Christian 33 “Pau Amna”, December 2018

Hi David, I just wanted to say thanks to you and your team for achieving such a prompt sale at a good price. The whole process went without a hitch from my perspective and I just wanted to say how pleased and impressed I am. I think Simon and Kate are perfectly suited to Audacious and I hope they enjoy the boat as much as I have. See you out on the water.

Thanks & regards

John Priddis – Seller of Pawtucket 35 “Audacious” – November 2018

Hi Darren, Just wanted to say a big ‘thank you’ for all your assistance with my recent purchase of Audacious. For my first foray into the world of yacht buying, your honest advice and help over the last couple of weeks was really appreciated. Will definitely pass on the good word for DBY Boat Sales

Thanks again.

Simon Gray – Buyer of Pawtucket 35 “Audacious” – November 2018

Our DBY experience.

 We came to DBY, not because of the company, but because they had particular boat for sale.

 In the past I have had a couple of very poor experiences with other companies which gave me a very jaded view of brokers in general. However my experience with DBY was totally different and has changed my view completely.

 For a start there was no pressure during the sales process. We were given as much time and space that we needed to inspect the boat. David’s management of the negotiation process was excellent, as was his management of the sale. There was never any attempt to sell the boat as anything other than what it was, and he kept the process moving along at a comfortable pace.

 There is an integrity with this brokerage in that they stand by their word. If something about the process isn’t right, they will make it right. I know everyone says “don’t use the surveyors on the brokers list”. Well, they had the same surveyors on their list that were recommended by my sailing friends.

 Another good thing about using DBY is their industry knowledge and contacts. When I was preparing the boat for the delivery trip and needed anyone for work or advice on the boat, they were able to get someone or put me in touch with people at very short notice. They just know the business.

 Who would expect after sales service from a broker? I didn’t expect it, but DBY went way beyond my expectations to make this whole experience easy. The team at DBY are professional and friendly, as well as having a wealth of knowledge. I should also point out that they are very hardworking. We watched these guys continually ferrying potential clients out to boats, putting paid to the idea that brokers just sit around waiting for sales to happen. I shouldn’t mention that they sometimes worked on their days off, but they did.

 I have no association with DBY and get no reward for writing this. I bought a boat using their services and was very happy with that experience. I would say, if buying or selling a boat, do yourself a favour and let them be your first port of call. I am happy to be contacted if anyone wants further information.

Phil Gray – buyer of Feeling 416DIOceana 1” – April 2018

All the staff at DBY in Newport were most helpful and flexible when I came to look at and eventually purchase a boat through their agency. I was especially grateful for the local advice and after sales assistance they gave me when I moved onto the boat in an area unknown to me. Thanks again Graeme and the folks at DBY.

Hans Sipsma, Buyer of Duncanson 35 ”Blythe Spirit” – June 2018

We recently purchased a Lagoon 440 catamaran through DBY boat sales. This came after months of searching for the right boat for our family. Graeme and the team at DBY boat sales were fantastic through all facets of the sale. We couldn’t have had more help during this period and are delighted with the outcome, Steve and Lou.

Steve & Lou Smith, buyers of Lagoon 440 ”Sioux” – May 2018

Hello Rod, we got the money for our boat and wanted to say thank you for helping us.  I am very happy with the amount, we got almost 100% of the money we spent on the boat including boat purchase in 2015 …   We probably wouldn’t have even sailed to Australia if we hadn’t met you in French Polynesia.  We are going to do a trip like this again and will contact you about which boat we need to buy.  Already told some friends crossing the Pacific about you guys.  Take it easy, Adam

Adam Southerland, seller of C & C 39 ”Black Watch” – May 2018

Greetings fellow sailors,
When the decision was made to sell our catamaran, we were finishing another season of cruising in Fiji and were debating whether New Zealand or Australia would be the best venue for marketing the yacht.  Several Australian cruising friends encouraged us to continue west but the decision was made easier by a personal meeting with Rod Waterhouse of DBY Boat Sales and his charming wife Kerry during the Musket Cove Regatta Week.

We were immediately impressed by their warmth, enthusiasm and impressive sailing backgrounds.  They explained in depth the process of selling a foreign yacht in Australia, made recommendations as to ports of entry and suggested an itinerary for enjoying the coastal cruising en route to their headquarters in Pittwater.  After hearing about the ease of inbound clearance, DBY’s prime location just north of Sydney and the present strength of the Australian economy and market for yachts, the decision was made.  Australia it was!

Our positive experience with DBY Boat Sales continued once we arrived in Pittwater and were immediately made to feel at home by the fine staff.  David Renouf, their resident catamaran expert with extensive international experience, took the lead in helping us price our yacht appropriately and, along with all the others, made sure our yacht would be enthusiastically marketed and well looked after while we travelled home to the States.

Ultimately, our yacht sold in a timely manner and completing the formalities of the transaction and hand-over to the new owners was a smooth as could be.

Based on our very positive experience, we are happy to offer our sincere recommendation of DBY Boat Sales to others that may be selling their yachts.  When you get to Pittwater, please give Rod, Kerry, David, Darren, Graeme and Liz our warmest regards.

Mark McClellen and Anne MacDonald – seller of the Dolphin 460 Catamaran “Three Sixty Blue” – April 2018

Hello Darren,
I have really appreciated the expert help from you and all of the DBY team over the last year in connection with the purchase and overhaul of Blue Goose. I always enjoy your friendly, cheerful approach to life, coupled with your vast knowledge of the whole boating scene, especially local information. All of my interactions with DBY have been smooth and timely and the after-sales service has gone well above and beyond what I expected.

I highly recommend DBY as the first choice boat broker in Australia.

Margaret Pidgeon, buyer of Fisher 37 “Blue Goose” – February 2018

Hi Darren,

As a first-time boat buyer I wasn’t sure what to expect in dealing with a boat broker, having read a lot about them and the industry. Thankfully I came across Darren and DBY on my searches.
From the outset Darren was honest and helpful, spending time pointing out the bad and good bits about the boats I looked at, he seemed to genuinely care and his passion for boating was obvious.
After finding the boat that I wanted, Darren helped me through the buying process and things went smoothly, communication was great as he was always on the end of the phone or quick to reply to emails.

During the handover of the boat he went through everything, going through all the boat’s intricacies and after a few teething problems I was out on the water cruising and enjoying my new purchase! I have been so grateful for the follow up service I’ve had from Darren… He’s been a point of contact and knowledge, and has helped me immensely as a relatively inexperienced sailor. On a number of occasions I’ve had to call Darren to get me out of trouble and he’s come to my rescue! The most recent was after we fouled the prop on a mooring line in a strong southerly – on a Friday evening… diving under the boat in these conditions, and at that time, to free the line would not be thought of as part of the regular broker service? But that just goes to show that Darren’s a genuinely good bloke who cares about people and would go out of his way to help the boating community. Looking forward to sailing down to Sydney with Darren’s help, I’ll miss Pittwater and his ‘on call service’! I will be back though and if I’m lucky enough to upgrade in the future there’s no doubt I’ll be giving Darren and DBY a call! Cheers!

Micheal Tame, East cost 31 ”Hustler” – February 2018

I have received confirmation of the sale of Monark and wanted to thank you three and the whole DBY team for your excellent service.  I have no doubt that our boat would not have sold as quickly or at the same price were it not for your expertise and time.  Thank you very much, we will highly recommend DBY to any and all prospective buyers within our realm of influence. 

Robin Urquhart, seller of Dufour 35 ”Monark” – February 2018

Hi Darren,

We would like to thank Darren and all the team at DBY Boat Sales for the exemplary way they have helped us through the buying process for our Bavaria Ocean 40 yacht.  Darren was incredibly friendly, helpful and professional in understanding our needs and achieving a successful outcome for us – we just love the boat.  Darren is very knowledgeable, was responsive to all our questions and also provided us with lots of useful information to help make our boating experience enjoyable.  Not only this, but we have also had lots of practical support from DBY after completing the purchase so we can use the boat with confidence – including some challenges with a tangled mooring line! This is far and away over and above what we expected and we know we can get local help and advice when we need it which is very important for us.   Thanks to the DBY team.   

Andrew and Ali Staal, buyers of Bavaria 40 ”Tahaa II” – February 2018

Hi Rod,

I just want to thank you and Darren for you efforts in selling the boat so quickly and efficiently.  Although a bit of sadness that the boat is gone, once I decided to sell the boat it was good to get it sold quickly.   As previously it has been a pleasure dealing with you……

Ted Culley – Seller of Bavaria 40 ”Tahaa II”

Thanks Rod, you have made this easy for us we will definitely contact you if we look for another boat someday….

Adam Southerland, Owner of the C & C 39Black Watch” upon leaving his boat in our care to sell – January 2018

Hi Rod,
You and the others of DBY made my stay in Australia very enjoyable. Moving out of a boat is similar to move to another house, in another country…complex.
Your support exceeded the attributions of a boat broker, and I left with the feeling of new friends.

Thank you.

Best regards
Julius

Julius Weber, Owner of the Dehler 39 ”Trinidad” upon leaving his boat in our care to sell – January 2018

Hi Darren, Thanks for your great work to sell our boat so quickly. The payment has gone into our bank account. We appreciate your kindness and consideration during the process.

Kind regards,

John and Gersha Staal, Sellers of Compass 29 ”Saskia II” – January 2018 

We had been keeping an eye on the boat market for around a year and struggled to find any boats that ticked all the boxes – everything was a compromise.  We first met Darren after inquiring about a boat he had listed and after a couple of inspections we decided that it wasn’t quite for us.  Darren was really understanding, patient and friendly – he listened to us and had a clear idea as to what we wanted from our next boat, and it was obvious from the start that he genuinely wanted us to find a boat that worked for us and not just sell us a boat that needed selling.  It was for these reasons that he stood out from all the other brokers that we had met.

After a couple of weeks following the last inspection, Darren contacted us about a boat that was yet to be listed, he said that it might just be the one for us, however it was located in Rockhampton.  Darren met me at the airport, drove me to the boat and let me spend as much time as I wanted looking through the boat and answering all the ridiculous questions that you can ask about a boat.  He was right, this boat genuinely ticked every single box, we agreed the sale on the inspection.

Darren did everything he could to make the sale as smooth as possible – talk about going above and beyond he even delivered the boat with one leg in plaster while he was on crutches!  He has since helped us after delivery with a mooring and lots of sound advice to get us started on our new boat.  We certainly didn’t expect this from him, it has made a huge difference and has been greatly appreciated.

We would wholeheartedly recommend Darren and the team at DBY, we would without a doubt use DBY to sell our boat if we were ever in that position.

Andreas & Christian Smith, Buyer of Bavaria 32 ”Rhonda” – November 2017

After spending a few months on our yacht sailing from Port Macquarie up the east coast of Australia, we had pretty much decided that we needed a bigger boat, perhaps a motor cruiser.

We spent quite a bit of time surfing the internet looking at what was about and came upon a listing of DBY’s and decided to make an inquiry and to also find out if we could trade our yacht.

Upon meeting Darren, we found him to be knowledgeable and easy to get along with.  We emailed Darren some photos and the details of our yacht and before we knew it, it was sold!  It was that easy.

Darren communicated well via email and phone, we were kept informed at all times as to the progress of the sale.

We would highly recommend Darren and DBY to assist you with your boating needs.

Col and Rhonda Taylor, Seller of Bavaria 32 ”Rhonda” – November 2017

I am delighted to write this little story of my experience at DBY Boat sales in Newport. Proir to this I had no experience with Yachts so I called DBY Boat Sales as I had Interests in a TopHat Yacht. There, Darren Parker Guided me through the purchase and helped me in every way, even in securing a mooring.  Being a chef I know how customer service works and he went beyond that and made me happier than I can remember. 100% recommendation to Darren and The team at DBY Boats.

Yours truly John Hofma, Top Hat 25 ”Atacama” – August 2017

Dear Rod, now our Franchini 47 has been sold it’s time to look back. In 2015 we contacted several eastern Australia based  yacht brokers, DBY (David)  answered within 24 hours and we got in touch with you.

Being international sailors we needed a lot of information from you. First we were not ready to sell, but in mid 2016 we decided to sell anyhow. In December 2016 we arrived in Pittwater. Selling an unknown Italian Franchini mono hull is not an easy process, we went through difficult times but at the end you found a new owner of the boat. Thank you for your patience, perseverance and open communication. I want to thank Liz and Katie for their endless support while being in Australia and in Europe, the men are lucky with you! Darren thank you for taking customers from known boats to our unknown boat and the dive. I keep very good memories of the time I was in contact with DBY…

Bert Boerema, Seller of the Franchini 47 ”Luna Azul”, July 2017

I would like to pass on my sincere thanks for the excellent service I received following the purchase of 30′ yacht “Aqua C” through DBY Boat Sales.

In particular the continued follow up by  Darren Parker who greatly assisted with sound advice following vessel survey  on recommended contractors in which to provide vessel upgrades.These proved to be excellent and work was undertaken and completed to an excellent standard and in a timely manner.

Darren also followed up and assisted with vessel move to appropriate mooring and checked vessel on a regular basis. Nothing was too much trouble and his experience within the boating market proved invaluable.    

Also the initial and continued follow up by Liz Guthrie whom greatly assisted with boat insurance through Club Marine. This process ensured that policy was adjusted accordingly and accurately reflected yacht condition noting full replacement of running and standing rigging. All enquiries were handled in a prompt and professional manner.

I have no hesitation in recommending DBY Boatsales to any prospective boat purchaser noting the excellent service that I received and again a sincere “Thank You”.

Ian Rushton, Buyer of the Traditional 30 ”Aqua C”, June 2017

I have had some mixed experiences with boat brokers over the years but Darren Parker at DBY bent over backwards to help with the purchase of our yacht. Being interstate makes things even more complicated but even post purchase Darren helped out with advice & all the last minute arrangements, even giving us a loan of his own car! No problems recommending Darren & DBY Pittwater & their friendly service.

Steve Cartlidge, Buyer of the Cavalier 395 ”Amante”, March 2017

Darren, thank you for finalising the sale of ‘Amante’ –  you achieved in no time what others were not able to do in over a year.

Eugene O’Brian, former owner of Cavalier 395 ”Amante”, March 2017

Thanks for all your awesome work on making this happen – far faster than we anticipated and at the price better than we’d hoped for.

Wayne Seitz & Dana Greyson, former owners of Journey, Pearson 365 Ketch, February 2017

Dear Graeme and David … We did appreciate all the wonderful support and kindness we received from you and the team. We can’t thank you enough!!!

There is always a bed for you at … our house …

Neville and Sally Kidd, purchasers of the Beneteau 46 now called Hau Koruhi.

Hello David,
Happy New Year!  We would like to thank DBY for excellent work.
Lidia and I were most impressed by your crew’s service, attention to detail, professionalism and creativity. 

 In particular, Angela and Graeme took care of everything from arranging the mooring at a short notice, valuable advice, friendly and supportive attitude, creating beautiful marketing material with pictures and video, bringing many potential buyers and finally selling our boat in less than 3 weeks. 

 We hope the new year will bring a lot of good business to your team.

 Best regards,

Dmitri and Lidia Ishchenko, former owners of Beneteau Cyclades 43.3 Brizo, 3rd January 2017.

Thanks Rod, we appreciate everything you have done for us.

If/When we sell Manali you will be the first on our call list!

Thanks for all your assistance – your help has been outstanding and it has been an absolute pleasure dealing with you.

– Erwin, Beneteau 42 Buyer, December 2016

I would like to record our appreciation and thanks to Darren for the professional and skilful work over the sale period.
Due to the circumstances it was a difficult sale. I was in Queensland, the boat in Pittwater.
Darren arranged for several trades to work to prepare the boat.
During the sale period he kept me fully informed of progress and gave good advice and showed perseverance and patience until he made the sale. I am grateful for his help and wish him well.
Dennis Rowan, seller of Southcoast 36 Nankeen, July 2016.

Hi there
As you know I purchased recently an Amel Mango via your brokerage. What you may not know what was preceding that:

But more or less by coincidence I contacted Darren Parker, who showed me a few boats the next day. I was impressed by Darren’s demeanour, knowledge of the boating scene and his personal and professional traits.

After the nearly 3 months’ courting process I became the owner of a boat I never had considered 3 months earlier. Although it is very early days, and I have barely taken possession of the boat, I am happy with the purchase.

And here is the reason of the letter: without Darren I would have never completed the purchase, would have walked away after my first or second visit, not to return again.

And maybe to sum it up, and I said this to Darren as well: “You made it so easy for me to buy this boat”.

Of course when all the paperwork has been done, the brokerage fees will be split etc. Although technically I am not contributing to such fee, I hope I can change that by including some lotto tickets with this letter. I will leave it up to you how to split the winnings (yes, I asked for 2 winning tickets…..), as the other staff I met were all helpful and courteous: Dave, Graeme, Liz and Katie.

Unfortunately the tickets are WA based, but I am sure there is a way to cash in the winnings.

Again, thank you all for your help, and may your company enjoy fair winds.

Regards
Hank Rosendal

– Happy new owner of the Amel Mango 53 Tempest, June 2016

Dear Darren,
I would like to say a big thank you for your help and support when I purchased my Vancouver 34. It was a particularly lengthy process, because I was selling my house in order to fund buying a boat. Well, it wasn’t just buying a boat for me, it was the beginning of my dream project and I’m so glad that you were involved in this journey with me. And you are still continuously supportive and encouraging me!

You shared so much of your knowledge when it comes to boats and sailing, above and beyond any ‘customer service’ I would normally expect. In fact, everyone at DBY has been incredibly friendly, helpful and above all professional, which why I would never hesitate to recommend you to anyone looking to buy/sell a boat.

Thank you very much!

Regards,
Kayo Ozaki
Vancouver 34 Nausikaa buyer, Kayo Ozaki, June 2016

From our first impression, to the clear explanation of the buying process and the follow up, we could not have better customer service. Darren went the unexpected mile in supporting our purchase. Belinda and I are more than happy and would recommend DBY to anyone for either selling or buying a yacht.
Challenger 41 buyers, Malcolm and Belinda King, March 2016

Thanks to you and all the staff at DBY for making the purchase of our yacht so easy and trouble free. We are particularly grateful for all of the local knowledge passed on, the aftersales assistance, and for babysitting our dinghy whilst we flew back to Melbourne for a little longer than expected.
Kind regards Jason and Marie .
Walker H28 buyers – February 2016

DBY went to great lengths to show us a number of yachts – and in the end knew what we really wanted even more than we did! They found us our dream yacht and continued to assist us through our purchase and even provided after sales service and advice well after the deal was done. The friendly team all worked together to this end, and we now consider them as friends as well as business associates. We have listed our old yacht with them – and recommend them to anyone, whether buying or selling a yacht.
– Najad 34 buyers – Laurie and Eden Smith, Mitta-Mitta, VIC, January 2016.

I entrusted the sale of my Space Sailer 24 to Graeme Hedges of DBY Boat Sales with confidence given their long track record of successfully selling boats on Pittwater. I had previously sold another boat through DBY some years ago.

My Space Sailer 24 was listed on a Friday and sold the following Wednesday. This sale was entirely due to Graeme’s skill in redirecting a buyer who was looking for a larger boat to consider looking at my boat which was more suited to his needs.

A very speedy sale was the result.

– Spacesailor 24 seller – Don Rees, December 2015.

DBYclients

David,

What can we say. Bloody brilliant. You are just bloody brilliant.

Thank you so much for everything you have done. I had no idea there was so much at stake.

We sure as hell owe you a beer – which of course isn’t enough. We will sure be recommending you to anyone who needs a damn good yacht broker.

– Lenny and Gina, “Feijao” Jeanneau Sunkiss 47, November 2014

From an August 2014 press release broadcast by McIntyre Adventures on the Youth Program ‘The Voyage of Imagination’ with Jessica Watson –

My ultimate little Ocean cruiser is a Tradewind 35. This 1993 model had been for sale 11 months before in New Zealand, for US$123,000. Built and fitted out in the UK by the designer builder for his own use, it was in excellent condition.

It was bought by an Australian, then sailed to Australia late last year.  Duty and GST were paid and it was put up for sale with David Bray Yachts shortly after for $95,000. I mentioned it to Jessica and was surprised to learn she had fallen in love with the design when originally considering a boat for her own solo challenge.

It had dropped to $75,000, then all of a sudden just days before I saw it, to $68,000. Current new build price is $500,000!!. I made a move on it at $58,000 all sight unseen, with no survey, or slipping done, but with excellent service from the broker who I trusted.

It took one Phone call and about  six emails. I got it. Opps? It was just seven days since I saw that $17,000 bargain. Now the budgets are around $90,000. We renamed her ‘Betty” after my Mum!

Best of luck Don McIntyre and Jessica on your project and thanks heaps for the kind words!

– Follow the progress and read more on the Voyage of Imagination here

Hello Naomi,

We have just sold our Beneteau Oceanis 461 ‘QuickStar’ through Rod Waterhouse at David Bray Yachts.  

Since the time we first contacted Rod while we were in Fiji, he has been responsive and pro-active. He gave us great advice to enter Australia via Coff’s Harbour rather than Brisbane. Once we arrived in Pittwater, Rod listed ‘QuickStar’ for sale.

We then flew home to Canada and he took care of everything since then.

Our sailboat was a unique custom configuration that didn’t have mass market appeal, so he needed to work hard to get showings to the more limited potential client base.

We have been more than satisfied with the professionalism, email updates and extra effort that he had to put in to selling our boat to maximize the sale price.

Their mooring rates were also very reasonable and we appreciated the guardianship of ‘QuickStar’ while we were halfway across the world.

Once sold, they recommended a foreign exchange company that got us a better rate. They even took care of this for us and we received the proceeds immediately. They went above and beyond and we would highly recommend Rod and David Bray Yachts.

Please send our thanks once again to Rod and the team.

Cheers.,

 -Diana Young and Peter Bruckmann, “Quickstar” Beneteau Oceanis 461, September 2014

Hi Ian,

I just wanted to say thank you for the very efficient way the team at DBY managed the sale of my yacht, and the purchase of my new vessel. You made the whole process easy and stress free.

It was particularly pleasing that the whole DBY team got involved with advice and assistance as and when necessary.

So thanks to all at DBY. I will certainly recommend you to friends and anyone I meet who is looking to buy or sell a boat.

Regards,

-Charles, “Provocateur” Catalina 270 and “My Way” Triton 24, August 2014

Naomi and Wayne,

Once again thank you and thanks also to David for sticking to the agreement.  We have purchased a waterfront property on Pittwater and will be relocating shortly.

I will have no hesitation in recommending your brokerage to all I come in touch with.

 Am sure the business will grow and grow with the great crew that you have there.

 Thanks again,

 -Ian Walton, “Dreaming” Northshore 27, June 2014

Hi Rod,

Finally getting around to writing to thank you for all of your help in purchasing Divided Sky and preparing her for transport to WA. Since she arrived here we have been busy upgrading and replacing various items.  Our three month trip up north began yesterday.

Once again thank you for recommending an excellent surveyor, guiding us in the selection of a company to ready the boat for transport and going out of your way to provide transport until we picked up the hire car.

Warm regards,

Nick and Robyn Walker, “Divided Sky” Catalina 400, April 2014

Dear Wayne, Rod, David and Naomi,

I’d like to express my sincerest thanks to you all for your work over the past few weeks.  Everything from the abandoned purchase of Divided Sky to the sale of Avalon was done with absolute efficiency and speed, and your friendly and professional manner made the process painless for me.

In all respects you made the experience everything one could wish for in working with a broker.  I’d like to give a special thanks to Naomi for getting insurance cover through for my new boat on a Friday afternoon and to David for dealing with last minute banking problems.

I trust you’ll understand I hope I won’t need your services again for a while, but I will strongly recommend you to anyone who is looking to list their boat.

lulu– Murray, Catalina 36 MKII, Feb 2014

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you Rod for helping us into ‘Lulu’ as painlessly as possible.

We felt so at ease dealing with you, that you even made parting with all the money easy!

Your help in getting us through was outstanding as I was not sure what to expect, so thank you very much.

– Colin & Glenys from New Zealand, “Lulu”, Hanse 470, Feb 2014

We bought our Corsair 37 through David.  After only a short time, it became apparent that both he and his delightful wife Linda, are experts in multihulls.

Their depth of knowledge is enhanced by their boundless enthusiasm for the subject and is mirrored by their expertise as multihull sailors.  Their impressive racing performance speaks for itself.  There was great after-sales service.

We were new to this type of multihull and they gave us a lot of coaching which was most welcome.  With accomplished expertise, David also fitted the depth gauge, the radio, the EPIRP and the automatic steering system.

The package included his knowledge of the marine insurance industry – not always the easiest to get with these crafts, however, David managed to arrange full insurance at a suprisingly good premium.

See you on the water – if you can keep up!!!