...from a BUYER and a SELLER
Whether buying or selling one’s boat, it is an emotional time and Scott has a knack for providing just the right guidance and counsel to help owners like us thread our way through this tricky period and keep our perspective. All the personnel in his office embody this same blend of experience and personal attention that make Waterline Boats our first choice for buying or selling a boat in the Pacific Northwest.
~Fred & Stephanie Kaufhold, Annacortes, WA
Scott Helker
~Cofounder
~President
mobile - 206-915-0276
scott@waterlineboats.com
Waterline Boats / Boatshed Seattle / Boatshed Everett / Boatshed Tacoma / Boatshed Port Townsend
WLB Cofounder Q & A Session -
What is your boating background?
My intrepid parents were inclined toward pursuing new and unconventional things. This included (but was not limited to) building a houseboat for family cruising in Wisconsin — on Lake Winnebago, Green Bay and Lake Michigan. I absorbed every aspect of this, and resonated with the self-sufficiency and pleasure of life afloat. Since that young age boats and the water have placed prominently among life’s essentials. I was fortunate to find, in my very own high school, the girl who would enable this lifestyle and accept it as her own. Lisa and I have owned a variety of boats in a variety of places, have raised our children amid a boating lifestyle, and recognize that most of our very best memories together involve boating. As the textbook example of “follow your passion” decision-making we landed in the boat business in 2008, and are happy to have shared our love of the boating lifestyle with many many others over the years.
Do you currently own a boat? What kind?
Of course! Eight boats currently, counting dinghies, kayaks, sailboats, and a small trawler, in addition to our cruising boat and floating home — a 54' motoryacht.
What is your favorite boating destination and why?
We’ve been fortunate to experience boating in many beautiful places. But the simple fact is that I enjoy anchoring overnight in nearby Andrews Bay the same as I enjoy the “big” destinations. For me it’s less about the sights and more about being unmoored and untethered.
As co-owner of Waterline Boats, how do you feel the brokerage services you provide stand out in comparison to those of other brokerages?
Much of the boat business is made up by people who, like us, are following their passions. Unfortunately management and customer-service experience are not requirements for launching a business, though they are essential for its survival. So boat businesses come and go. Professionally, and prior to starting this business, I served as a naval officer aboard nuclear submarines, and then as an operations and plant manager for a major consumer products company. These experiences help in running a company that attends to details — the basic element of good customer experiences. We’re proud of our many testimonials testifying to our customer satisfaction.
