Broker of the year
2007, 2008, 2009
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
"I do believe it's time for another adventure." These have been words to live by for this home-grown Indiana boy. Growing up as the third youngest in a family of six, Brent Hermann has that unique “Midwestern” mentality of hard work. He gets that trait mostly from his father, who was a Chiropractor in their small town for over 50 years. His family was raised on the water so it is no great surprise he inevitably chose a profession that involves as much “hydrotherapy” as possible, but more on that later.
His deep-rooted work ethic, and profound sense of adventure led Brent into the Boy Scouts, which opened this young boy’s mind to unending possibilities. Hunting and fishing were and continue to be a large part of Brent’s life. Another passion that he holds dear to his heart is flying. Brent will readily tell you that one of his greatest accomplishments was earning his pilot’s license over two decades ago. “Flying just gives you a different perspective, and greater appreciation for life.” He has proudly owned three airplanes, including a VariEze by Burt Rutan, and an amphibian that he built himself!
Going back to his early years, Brent set his sights on college after high school, and attended Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois. After completing two years, he decided to step out into the real world and open his own business. The high-end custom clothing industry allowed him to call on clients in their own office, providing them with the nicest suits and convenience of not spending precious time shopping. What an innovative concept! This was met with huge success in the tri-states of Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, and the next ten years proved to be one of the greatest learning experience of his life thus far.
With this vast entrepreneurial experience under his very fashionable belt, Brent said to himself “there has to be more”. The toughest decision of his life was to pack up everything he owned for a drive south to Florida to start the next chapter of his life. But it would prove to be the decision of a lifetime!
Re-inventing one’s self is no easy task. Brent found this out once he began working side by side with his brother in the marine industry. BH Marine later became the main contractor of The Catamaran Company (Catco). As Catco grew, so did Brent’s experience in the industry, which would prove to be his next challenge.
With his successful sales background, becoming a yacht broker was a natural fit. His knowledge of boats and being naturally service-oriented were attributes to his initial success. Yes, he hit the ground running, and there was no surprise that he became the leading salesman within the organization in his first two years. He remains at the top of his profession to this day. This, coupled with being Lagoon Catamaran’s top producer for the past ten plus years catapulted him into one of the premier catamaran salesmen of all time. Being involved with literally thousands of transactions on a worldwide basis, Brent decided to begin sharing his knowledge and has trained over a dozen others on his successful “system” that he and the President of Catco, Hugh Murray, have created.
If you’re looking for the best, most knowledgeable, and highly experienced broker to assist with your Catamaran search, contact Brent today. You having nothing to lose and a world to see.
My Guest Testimonials
1/31/2024
To Future Boat Owners,
Two years have passed since we purchased our sailing catamaran. 10,000 nautical miles later,
we still pinch ourselves now and then just to remember we are indeed living our dream. The
process of buying a boat can be a challenge, especially if you want to find a vessel that truly fits
your experience level, budget and is well equipped for your sailing plans.
We would have definitely bought a boat that was too big, costly and ill equipped if we did not
enlist the professional assistance of a boat broker. It really does seem like something you could
handle on your own, but you soon realize you are in over your head. We had spoken to many
brokers prior to this point and we had the “expected experience”. All brokers are not created
equal.
True story: We made an offer on a 50 foot sailing catamaran in a foreign country. The
boat had been on the hard for years, stripped of all its electronics and would have
needed hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless hours to return it to a seaworthy
state. Luckily, our offer was not accepted.
After nearly a year of trying to find the right boat, we found a catamaran listed by the Catamaran
Company. We promptly received a call back from Brent Hermann and our relationship began.
What distinguished Brent was that he seemed to be the one who interviewed us. He spent a
least 20 minutes asking questions about our prior knowledge, skillset, location, and sailing
plans. Turns out the boat we had called about was already under contract, but Brent agreed to
take us on as clients.
Brent breathed a sigh of relief when he learned we were unable to close a “For Sale by Owner ''
deal on the foreign boat that would have left us years away from sailing . Brent ensured us he
would find a boat that would provide longevity to our sailing plans. He even listened to our long
wish list of extras. Our first meeting with Brent was not about finding a boat to buy, rather he
used his expertise and experience to find out what boat, for sale or not, would fit us. This was
different from what we were trying to do on our own; we would look at boats that were for sale
and see how we could fit them. Instead, Brent encouraged us to find the type of boat that fit us
best and then act when that boat was for sale.
In the meantime Brent connected us with finance professionals, and we began to get our budget
in order. Brent utilized his professional connections, vast knowledge and expertise to rule out
problem boats. Many boats listed were hurricane damaged, not really for sale or abused charter
boats. Brent encouraged us to continue to look at catamaran listings. When we sent him these
listings, Brent knew or researched the history of every boat which shielded us from buying a
catamaran with undisclosed issues. You would be surprised how many there are.
Well, when “that boat” came onto the market, Brent was the first broker to know. He did not
hesitate to contact us. An offer was made immediately on that boat; we were the ones making
the offer. This is the moment when Brent’s professionalism becomes the most valuable. We had
already secured financing, deposited money into an escrow account and were ready to make an
offer, which was accepted! Brent had set all of these components into place over the several
months leading up to finding the right vessel. That was the difference Brent Hermann made for
us. We own a boat that fits us.
Brent continued his supporting role throughout the purchase process. He flew to Virginia to
represent our interests during the boat survey and finalize the acceptance of the vessel. This is
what proved to be the most difficult and intense part of the buying process. This is definitely
where you want Brent Hermann on your side.
You may wonder why we are writing this two years later? It is a testament to the longevity of the
relationship we have maintained with Brent. Brent is not just your broker for “the sale.” He
continues to be a valuable resource regarding all aspects of boat ownership. I am sure we call
him with more questions than he anticipated, but he always answers and provides help or
insight. In the beginning, Brent stated that he would be more than just your broker; that could
not be more true.
As we reflect on our buying experience, from an anchorage off the white sand beach of
Huatulco, MX, we are truly thankful for Brent’s role in making our dream a reality. If you are
contemplating boat ownership, the services offered by Brent Hermann are truly priceless, and
come with our highest recommendation.
If you have any further questions, we are glad to share our experiences,
Lela & Steve Schober
S/V What IF
boatlifeexperience@gmail.com
Experience Boat Life