Labor Day Weekend with Rusty Higgins and a SRL Photographer

He is bald like the Dalia Lama.
 
Bald Dalai Lama or not, this man helped the "poor" owner of the 2009 60' Sundancer that was having a problem, helped me get the lines and boats put together, helped set anchors and get boats in safely then turned into a diver to clear a set of props fouled by there own anchor marker. Besides being an active crew member without being asked, Rusty visited each and every boat to have open, honest conversations with each owner. He also served as captain of my Caribe and picked up Rodrigo before sun up and brought him back in the evening, running in the dark in unfamiliar waterways with no GPS (I have one but didn't have it mounted in the boat), and drove Rodrigo around for hours allowing him to get great shots from all around with different levels of sunlight. The coup de gras was when Rusty insisted in formally presenting Paul Sharps with his Sea Ray watch for his years in putting together the Circle Cruise for all to enjoy. Finally, Rusty pulled my boat away from the Circle to go anchor while I completed my task in assisting in the breakup but rather than anchor my boat, Rusty begins private lessons with my wife to teach her to be more comfortable with our boat. He tossed a plastic bottle in the water and had her maneuvering all around it. People in our club witnessed all of this and very much appreciated his presence and assistance during this event.
 
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Was the 60 footer part of your group or just a passerby?

In any event, you have just succinctly and accurately described what Rusty Higgins has done for Sea Ray owners for as long as he has been employed at Sea Ray; and it has been done without fanfare and without regard for personal recognition.

There are certain people who derive immense pleasure from assisting their fellow man. Rusty is one of those folks. When it comes to Sea Ray, Rusty Higgins epitomizes exemplary customer service for his fellow boat owners. This guy eats, sleeps, lives, breathes, and bleeds Sea Ray boats and I hope that Tim Schiek, Brad Anderson and their staffs recognize that and use his skills to help the company sell and market boats. If I had 20 Rusty's on my payroll, I could set the world on fire.
 
mistercomputerman said:
Was the 60 footer part of your group or just a passerby?

In any event, you have just succinctly and accurately described what Rusty Higgins has done for Sea Ray owners for as long as he has been employed at Sea Ray; and it has been done without fanfare and without regard for personal recognition.

There are certain people who derive immense pleasure from assisting their fellow man. Rusty is one of those folks. When it comes to Sea Ray, Rusty Higgins epitomizes exemplary customer service for his fellow boat owners. This guy eats, sleeps, lives, breathes, and bleeds Sea Ray boats and I hope that Tim Schiek, Brad Anderson and their staffs recognize that and use his skills to help the company sell and market boats. If I had 20 Rusty's on my payroll, I could set the world on fire.
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The 60 was there because they knew we were having this event and wanted to check into it. The owner stated that he would like to attend next year. He also voiced his concern about wanting a large Sea Ray, going to Florida since he had nowhere to purchase it here, shipping it through the Panama Canal and having it delivered to Ensenada Mexico then running it up the coast. With no service center locally, he has to fly a mechanic from Florida to service his engines! Too bad there are no people out here with money to keep a dealership afloat.
 
Cool pics,thanks for sharing them with us. :thumbsup:
 
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I tease, and I probably shouldn't in this thread.
 
This watch you keep mentioning...........and Rusty will kill me for posting this........it wasn't just any old watch. It was the watch that Sea Ray recently presented to Rusty for his 30 years of service to the company. He just felt is was appropriate to give it to the originator of your group for his loyal devotion to Sea Ray over the years. I haven't met many people in my life with the total lack of a personal agenda or the integrity that Rusty possesses and I am proud to call him my friend.
 
HUMPH said:
Finally, Rusty pulled my boat away from the Circle to go anchor while I completed my task in assisting in the breakup but rather than anchor my boat, Rusty begins private lessons with my wife to teach her to be more comfortable with our boat. He tossed a plastic bottle in the water and had her maneuvering all around it. People in our club witnessed all of this and very much appreciated his presence and assistance during this event.
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WOW, how great that must have been for your wife, he's just the guy I'm looking for too, as not very good at driving at all yet:) What wonderful pics and such a great feat of logistics and engineering! The Circle is really something! Looks like a lot of fun and attention to detail. Thanks for sharing, pleased you all had a great time and that even Mr. SeaRay himself was able to attend. It just looks so awesome, though personally have no idea how you manage to achieve such precision and the "dinghy movie" was really different, well done everyone involved and thanks again for sharing the pics!
 
HUMPH said:
The 60 was there because they knew we were having this event and wanted to check into it. The owner stated that he would like to attend next year. He also voiced his concern about wanting a large Sea Ray, going to Florida since he had nowhere to purchase it here, shipping it through the Panama Canal and having it delivered to Ensenada Mexico then running it up the coast. With no service center locally, he has to fly a mechanic from Florida to service his engines! Too bad there are no people out here with money to keep a dealership afloat.
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Here is an interesting addition to that comment:

I was looking at 60/61DA's a while back and considered the black hull boat in the photo. It was a brokered boat in Clearwater FL. listed with Marine Max. I was ready to make arrangements to go look at it when my local broker said it was sold and was going to the West coast. So here it turns up at your gathering. Shipping that boat by water thru the canal then running her up from Mexico means your guy out there probably paid as much for it as a new one would have cost. To add insult to injury, MM made 10% on the transaction and has no investment in selling or servicing Sea Ray boats in your area having determined that you guys won't support a store. Something just isn't right about that equation.....................
 
I haven't met many people in my life with the total lack of a personal agenda or the integrity that Rusty possesses and I am proud to call him my friend.
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AMEN to that!
 
fwebster said:
Here is an interesting addition to that comment:

I was looking at 60/61DA's a while back and considered the black hull boat in the photo. It was a brokered boat in Clearwater FL. listed with Marine Max. I was ready to make arrangements to go look at it when my local broker said it was sold and was going to the West coast. So here it turns up at your gathering. Shipping that boat by water thru the canal then running her up from Mexico means your guy out there probably paid as much for it as a new one would have cost. To add insult to injury, MM made 10% on the transaction and has no investment in selling or servicing Sea Ray boats in your area having determined that you guys won't support a store. Something just isn't right about that equation.....................
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Absolutely Frank, he could have bought a brand new boat for what his adventure set him back and I know he would have. I have to say, there are thousands of people in the Bay Area that drive cars that are worth what my boat is work, have houses from $2M to $20M+ and could write a check for a brand new Sea Ray with their interest income in a year. That's what I don't understand about the lack of a market idea that Marine Max has. They left when the bottom dropped out but we have rebounded very well. There is more building and money being spent here than anywhere in the USA. I guarantee that. The new "secret" Apple headquarters is about to begin and the electrical package (power, lighting, telecom, security, etc.) is worth ..... drum roll please.... $500,000,000! Facebook went IPO and made a couple of thousand millionaires overnight. The medium home in SF has hit $1M. There are so many buildings being built in SF that we are asking developers to hold off a couple of years because the resources will not be available. Bad economy? Not here people, not here.
 
HUMPH said:
Absolutely Frank, he could have bought a brand new boat for what his adventure set him back and I know he would have. I have to say, there are thousands of people in the Bay Area that drive cars that are worth what my boat is work, have houses from $2M to $20M+ and could write a check for a brand new Sea Ray with their interest income in a year. That's what I don't understand about the lack of a market idea that Marine Max has. They left when the bottom dropped out but we have rebounded very well. There is more building and money being spent here than anywhere in the USA. I guarantee that. The new "secret" Apple headquarters is about to begin and the electrical package (power, lighting, telecom, security, etc.) is worth ..... drum roll please.... $500,000,000! Facebook went IPO and made a couple of thousand millionaires overnight. The medium home in SF has hit $1M. There are so many buildings being built in SF that we are asking developers to hold off a couple of years because the resources will not be available. Bad economy? Not here people, not here.
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I sure hope if and when there is a new dealer in Northern California, it is not Marinemax. That model failed a few years ago in this area and should not be resurrected. I too believe there is more than enough "wealth" to support a good dealer in this area. I would have moved up a few years ago if there had been a support network in place to service and warrant the purchase. If Sea Ray is going to let them keep the market, I will look elsewhere for my next purchase.
 
SR400DB said:
I sure hope if and when there is a new dealer in Northern California, it is not Marinemax. That model failed a few years ago in this area and should not be resurrected. I too believe there is more than enough "wealth" to support a good dealer in this area. I would have moved up a few years ago if there had been a support network in place to service and warrant the purchase. If Sea Ray is going to let them keep the market, I will look elsewhere for my next purchase.
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From what I have heard, you are not alone in this thinking...
 
carterchapman said:
That is exactly the scenario that MM has executed in Atlanta, Georgia...
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Carter, are they still there at least? Not sure which would be worse, having a dealer that isn't very helpful or not having a dealer/service center? Have fun with Rusty down there. Be careful, he may be a bit cranky with all of the travel!
 
At MarineMax today in Bald Ridge GA. Quite different from Northern Cali.......I assure you. But a common denominator that is quite the same.......that's right, your boat. It's a Sea Ray, isn't it?


Truly hope to see you soon,

Capt. Rusty


Ken, tell Ms. Susie I wish she was here!
 
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HUMPH said:
Carter, are they still there at least?
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They closed two of their 4 stores in 2009. Abandoned Lake Allatoona completely - lots of Sea Rays there. Times were tough, but they made a lot of promises (mobile maintenance trucks, etc. that they did not keep). They would send a mechanic over to work on 5 separate boat work orders in a day and they would charge five $300 trip charges instead of splitting them up...
 
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