--- title: Bruce and LaRae Brown - Owners of Navigator 51 | David Walters Yachts description: My wife and I decided we wanted to spend time in our retirement cruising We knew we were not interested in sailing andwere looking for something large enough for... image: https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/hubfs/Navigator%2051.jpg --- # TESTIMONIALS ![Principal image of the post](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/hubfs/Navigator%2051.jpg) 26 Apr ### Bruce and LaRae Brown - Owners of Navigator 51 Amanda Noon 0 COMMENTSs My wife and I decided we wanted to spend time in our retirement cruising.  We knew we were not interested in sailing andwere looking for something large enough for my wife to live on during the last years of her employment in the San Francisco Bay area.  We also wanted the ability to take our grownkids on weekend trips.  Therefore, it didn’t take us long to realize that what we were looking for would be around 50 ft.  We wanted 3 staterooms; baths with separate enclosed showers; duel engines; a functional engine room; and a hull design I can take out the Gate not just up the Delta. We spent two years researching, and looking for a boat that fit our demands, tasteand budget.  The first day we walked on to our Navigator 51, we were in love.  Theopen layout with the great visibility and functional design fit ourneeds/tastes perfectly. We had seen poorer workmanship on many higher pricedboats. It took me an hour to get my wife off the boat the first time.  This is when we first met John Kuony of Cruising Yachts, Inc. We found John to be extremely helpful, knowledgeable, and sincere throughout the buying and delivery process.  We took off shore delivery at buoy 8 and I took the boat up to the Puget Sound Area to save the sales tax.  In addition, this was a big step for us, moving from outboards on lakes into a 51ft  twin engine cruiser.  I doubt most sales people would have ever provided us as good as service, guidance and friendship as we received from John. After bringing the boat back to the San Francisco Bay area, my wife spent several years living on the boat.  During that time we accompanied John on several cruise out around San Francisco Bay, Half Moon Bay, Sacramento delta, and Petaluma. We found that even after the sale John was always a pleasure to be around and willing to spend time with us.  Anytime we needed information or help, John always went out of his way to be there.   After LaRae retired, we moved to the Puget Sound and live on Whidbey Island, WA.  One of the few regrets we had at moving to the Pacific North West was not being able to cruise with John anymore.   I had a friend up here in Washington who was looking for a boat and he found a boat on-line in the San Francisco Bay area that looked interesting.  I phoned John and asked him if he could checkthe boat out before my friend spent the time and effort to travel to the Bay Area.  John, knowing there was no sale for him, checked out the boat and reported his findings directly with my friend. John has a knack for building and maintaining strong, enduring friendships and we consider him a friend and we are so thankful for all his help over the years.  We have always said that if we should decide to upgrade the first person we will call will be John. Now that John has moved to the East coast, we sincerely hope our paths will cross again. ###### LATEST POSTS [![Image of the related post](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-03-19%20at%2010.09.38%20AM.png) ](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/testimonials/beneteau-40-seller) [ Beneteau 40 - Seller ](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/testimonials/beneteau-40-seller) [![Image of the related post](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/hubfs/Hull-Port%20Side.jpeg) ](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/testimonials/kelland-sewell-buyer-of-hylas-44-penn-station) [ Kelland Sewell - Buyer of Hylas 44 Penn Station ](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/testimonials/kelland-sewell-buyer-of-hylas-44-penn-station) [![Image of the related post](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/hubfs/Maria%20Christina.jpg) ](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/testimonials/xavier-a.-seller-beneteau-49-maria-cristina) [ Xavier A. - Seller: Beneteau 49 Maria Cristina ](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/testimonials/xavier-a.-seller-beneteau-49-maria-cristina) ###### Share [![Facebook](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/hubfs/Website%20Images/facebook-color.png) ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/testimonials/blog/bruce-and-larae-brown-owners-of-navigator-51/778) [![Twitter](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/hubfs/Website%20Images/twitter-color.png) ](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/testimonials/blog/bruce-and-larae-brown-owners-of-navigator-51/778&text=Bruce%20and%20LaRae%20Brown%20-%20Owners%20of%20Navigator%2051) [![Email](https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/hubfs/Website%20Images/email-color.png) ](mailto:?subject=Bruce%20and%20LaRae%20Brown%20-%20Owners%20of%20Navigator%2051&body=https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/testimonials/blog/bruce-and-larae-brown-owners-of-navigator-51/778) ##### TELL US ABOUT YOUR DREAM YACHT #### SEND US A MESSAGE Purchasing a bluewater vessel can be a daunting prospect, especially if it’s your first boat. 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