Gary Travis

Gary and Will took over the Boatshed Norfolk franchise in September 2006 both having come from completely different backgrounds, Gary in building surveying and Will a Chartered Accountant. 16 years on we are busier than ever and this repeats year on year and "Boatshed Norfolk" is one of the most succesful brands year on year within the entire Boatshed group. 16 years on and Will has since taken over the Boatshed Suffolk Franchise and also owns a very succesfull Accountancy Pratice in Norwich and surrounding areas.

“Unlike a lot of the brokers in the group we did not initially hold boating qualifications etc nor had we done any Blue water sailing, we were simply passionate about boats in general both owning small Fairline sports cruisers on the Norfolk Broads” says Gary.

We looked at various options of how we could best become more involved with boats whilst maintaining an income and it was obvious to us that being a broker would tick all the boxes. “

As Gary had just relocated to Norfolk at the time, the Norfolk Broads was the obvious area to set up a Used Boat Sales business.

“We had a look at the various options and it soon became very apparent there were a lot of existing Yacht brokers in Norfolk and Suffolk already. Most were very well established and providing a very good service.

“It was evident that in order to survive we would somehow have to provide an unprecedented level of service to our potential customers, both boat owners and buyers alike in order to compete and survive in this extreemly competetive market.

After considering several options we noticed that the Boatshed Norfolk Franchise had become available and we made enquiries as to ascertain whether this would be a viable option.

After months of talks and discussions we decided to “take the plunge” and invest in the Norfolk franchise. There were several advantages to this the main one being that the business was already reasonably well established and we “inherited” a stock of used boats for sale from day one.

We have a wide range of boats for sale, the majority of which are on the Norfolk Broads and come under the heading of Motor Cruisers.

“We felt that we were not concentrating enough on promoting our business in North Norfolk and as a result we have taken on the services of Steve Biggs and Geoff Jaquest so we are now able to provide a much needed service throughout Norfolk to marina’s, boat owners and boat sellers alike".

"Anyone thinking of buying and selling a boat should take a look at the Boatshed Norfolk website to see just how well we market our boats for sale. There are up to 150 pictures of each boat along with video and 720 degree images and an honest and accurate description and appraisal of each boat we list for sale".

I have seen a steady increase in boat sales year on year and I am confident that 2022-2023 will again be a good year for us given our coverage of the whole of Norfolk.
Since the outbreak of Covid the demand for boats has seen an unprecedented upturn in sales due to "staycation" holidays becoming so popular".

"We have good relationships with marinas on the Norfolk Broads and as a result we find that marina owners recommend Boatshed for customers who are looking to sell or buy a boat".
As we do not have the luxury of a marina dedicated for boat sales the relationship with marina owners is paramount to the success of our business.

“This is very important to us and we endeavour to keep marina owners involved and informed as to the progress of the sale or purchase of a boat either in their marina or by their customer” We will always respect the marina owner by calling in advance to advise of any potential viewings" and inform as to when we are on site.
We carry Public Liability insurance which covers all our customers on marina premises whilst viewing boats with us.

"Similarly for boat owners we will only carry out accompanied viewings on a boat and again we will always ring the owner in advance to advise of any viewings".

"For boat buyers we try to be as flexible as possible in arranging viewings as we appreciate most people have to work and often they are having to travel to come and view a boat".

Again this is where I feel we score highly in so much that we will always be as open and honest in describing any of the boats we have for sale before the customer makes the journey to view. This along with up to 180 photographs, video and 720 degree images will give the potential buyer a very accurate idea of the boats condition.

If you are interested in buying or selling a boat in Norfolk please give Gary a call on 07990 801862 or Steve on 07786 665043 or Geoff on 07707 668282.
The office number is 01603 717989