Dear Mr. Brewer,

My wife and I are currently aboard our Grand Banks 46 Classic and we are cruising the eastern part of the US. Last summer we were traveling east in Long Island Sound on our way to Maine and we were experiencing difficulty with a few items on our boat, FOLLY. A good friend of mine who has been a client of Brewer Cove Haven Marina for some time suggested we head up their way to have the repairs done. To make a long story short we ended up in their yard for a few weeks last summer and on our way back from Maine we decided to secure winter storage for FOLLY indoors at Cove Haven. That is the reason for my letter.

I had extensive work done to the boat this past winter which covered just about every aspect form mechanical to brightwork to canvas to polishing the boat. (Based on the bills I had better be on Mike Keyworth's Christmas card list this year). Hopefully you are as aware as we are of the exceptional staff and management you have at Cove Haven. From Mike, to Dave Smith (Do they get any better?), to Pat,, Frank, Dave Jr., Larry, Ray, Rose, and everyone I came into contact with over the last year there was not one person that could have done their job any better and done it with more professionalism. Although the checks were hard to write, it was never difficult to come to a reasonable decision on every aspect of the work performed. It doesn't just stop there.

This spring we put the boat back in the water and took a couple short shakedown cruises to make sure we had all systems working. When we finally began our voyage toward the Hudson River we encountered some unexpected problems. When I spoke with Dave Smith about the problems he made arrangements for us to go to Dauntless Shipyard and Doug was there to help in any way he could.

As we traveled closer to New York City another minor problem arose and we ended up at Post Road Boat Yard. Paul got us situated for the night and the next day had one of his crew look into the problem and quickly found the cause. I know things were very busy in the yard but still he was able to squeeze us in.

Currently, we have just finished transiting the Erie Canal and are about to enter Lake Erie at Buffalo. Since we began our trip in April '06 we have stayed in several marinas along the way and we are the true definition of transients. We don't have a home marina or harbor and everywhere we go we are introducing ourselves to the staff and reviewing history if there is an issue to address. This is what makes the Brewer group so unique. Each and every marina we visited that is part of your group gave us the best service and they were nothing short of being very accommodating. We felt like part of the Brewer family and were received as though it was our home port. It has become even more apparent that you have figured out the concept of running a good marina and also good boat yards. From NYC to where we are today we haven't had one place where we have stayed that could hold a candle to the services you offer. And as for staff... what can I say? We began our trip in Charleston, SC and believe me the marinas along the ICW could also take a few lessons from you and your team.

Again, I want to compliment the entire staff at Cove Haven and the work they did for me in the past year. I have been asked by untold numbers as to who did the varnish and other work on FOLLY and everyone is very impressed. The other managers at Brewer facilities we have visited in the last year also deserve accolades. It is a shame we will not be returning to your part of the country anytime soon.

I know you are proud of the people who work with you and you have good reason to feel that way. I have tried to express my gratitude to those at Cove Haven but I felt a letter to the boss and a pat on the back from him would be the best way to truly get my message across. Please feel free to share this letter with them.

Thanks for your time and I wish you the best of luck in the future.

Sincerely, Shon M. Barnett Aboard FOLLY