Bernie Jakits & Kate Christensen

Bernie helped us clarify our needs, and found us a boat that meets them perfectly. He pre-screened the boat himself before we ever saw it, and he got it just right. We also relied on his advice at every step in the process as we completely trust his judgement and expertise. We couldn't be happier with our new boat. Thanks Bernie!

Bernie,

I am the one to be thanking you.  You're a good man and have worked hard to make this happen.  You've been very helpful and I couldn't have done it without you.

Bernie,

Ann and I wish to thank you for all your efforts, time and devotion that you put into selling our Bristol 51’ sailboat. As you know the first two sales fell through. However you stayed with us all the way with guidance and encouragement.
When we start looking for that next boat you will be the first call we make.

Thank you,
Jim and Ann Dugan

I chose Bernie Jakits and his support staff in Annapolis to represent me when I bought a Nordic Tug and then returned to Bernie again when life's surprises unexpectedly made me have to sell her a few years later.

If you are looking for a broker who does what he says he will do, does it honestly and fairly, immediately returns calls, has years of ocean/coastal/local and life experience your choice is Bernie Jakits because he backs up his words with action and results.

Bernie's support staff in Annapolis is a definite plus too. Diane Ilg manages all of the details, and with her comprehensive knowledge of brokerage operations nothing is left to chance.

Dear Bernie,

Thank you for helping us find our Nordic Tug "Mystic," and especially for mentoring us in support of our boating adventures after the sale. From the moment of our first conversation, we knew that we were in expert, capable hands. You listened to our “wish list” and “needs list” while adding valuable insight and advice. You took the time to understand how we planned to use our boat, and your enthusiasm and encouragement were invaluable. Bernie, you valued our time by not showing us boats that were out of our price range, and you vetted every boat you suggested, saving us time and heartbreak by steering us away from boats that would have been unsuitable. 

Throughout the buying process, you negotiated on our behalf, arranged for an amazing surveyor, and scheduled a thorough sea trial in the dead of winter; all we had to do was show up. Every aspect of the sale was professionally handled, the process was stress-free, and your office staff was detailed and knowledgeable in preparing our documentation.

The biggest surprise for us though came after the sale when your extensive cruising experience was put to the test as you helped us deliver our boat from Connecticut to our home port in Maryland. You helped us provision, rig, navigate, dock, and completely enjoy our first voyage, graciously answering every question with patience and zeal.

Every day our boating journey gets better! 

Thank you, Bernie, for starting us on the adventure of a lifetime.

When I was looking for a blue-water cruising sailboat, I saw a lot of boats and talked to a number of brokers. Bernie really stood out from the other yacht brokers I encountered. He's experienced, knowledgeable, straightforward, enjoyable to work with, and genuinely committed to his clients and the boats he sells. Several similar Valiants and competing boats were on the market when I was looking, but I bought Morning Stars through Bernie in large part because he is such an enthusiastic owner of a Valiant himself, and it was reassuring to buy a boat from someone who knows the boat intimately and who I had confidence would stick with me after the sale to help with upgrades and gaining experience with the boat. I wasn't wrong. After buying Morning Stars, he stayed in touch and made himself available to help me bring the boat up to its new home in Portland, Maine from Cape Cod. I also appreciated the back office support from the staff at David Walters Yachts. They are a great team to work with. Thank you!

I've had other deals with Bernie and count on his knowledge and honesty. 

Bernie - There are no words to thank you for all you have done for us in acquiring Lone Star! Your willingness to help has been invaluable and we are greatful for it all! You are a wealth of knowledge and experience... thanks for sharing.

Here's to new adventures!

Gayle & Dan

"Dear Kate & Bernie - Thank you for showering us with gifts in honor of our wedding! Every boat needs a bosun's chair! We had a lovely month long honeymoon on Cadence. Thank you for helping us with her!"

Best - Marcie & Rob

"For the past several years my wife Laura and I have been searching for a ‘new-to-us’ family cruising sailboat.  We wanted to upsize from our current Tartan 37 to a somewhat larger vessel that will safely and comfortably take us through the Caribbean, the South Pacific and points beyond.  We are experienced blue-water sailors and had spent many days and thousands of driving miles looking at yachts along the east coast.

Last July we met Bernie Jakits at his office in Annapolis.  Unlike every other yacht broker we have talked with Bernie started out by asking a lot of questions and listening to us very carefully.  After several hours of discussion and a lot of time on Yachworld he strongly recommended a Norseman 447 laying in Seattle, WA and encouraged us to place a sight-unseen but highly contingent offer on the boat.  We were highly skeptical of this approach but trusted Bernie’s judgment.  Bernie walked us through the offer process and within a few days we were planning our trip to Seattle.

A week later Bernie joined us for three days in Seattle at his own expense.  We spent the first day with Bernie aboard Maaji Re.  Literally within the first few minutes Laura and I had decided to make the purchase.  This Norseman 447 is truly a perfect boat for us and she is in almost new condition.  Bernie then arranged to fly an outstanding marine surveyor in from Annapolis to survey the boat on our third day in Seattle.  So the survey began late in the afternoon on the second day and continued on during the third day.  We completed a successful sea-trial with the previous owners and a haul-out to complete the survey that Bernie had arranged.

Bernie treated us to dinner that evening where we worked out the final details for our purchase of Maaji Re.  During the next week Bernie was a great help making arrangements for me to decommission the vessel for trucking back east.

Our experience with Bernie was outstanding and very enjoyable!  While a bit unorthodox he went out of his way to listen to us and worked hard to find a boat that meets our needs and was within our budget.  He made the entire process easy and went well beyond my expectations, even spending three days with us in Seattle.  He continues to be very helpful with details and questions that we have."

"I've known Bernie and Kate for quite some time. They're both fun to work with and make buying a boat a fun experience. They know their stuff and most gratifying is that long after the sale they still help out with advice and any type of help needed."

"This was our first major boat purchase and it can be a daunting process to say the least. Bernie's industry experience and sailing knowledge gave us the confidence to navigate through the boat buying process with ease. He was there for us day and night to answer questions, and we felt like he made our interest his own. He worked relentlessly to find us exactly the boat we wanted and secured a great deal on it. We couldn't be happier with the outcome! David Walters Yachts also has a very knowledgeable and efficient staff. If you are considering purchasing a boat, look no further. Thanks Bernie!"

"Bernie Jakits is like no other person we’ve ever met. We explained what type boat we were interested in and our price range, that was about all we needed to do. He was like a blood hound on a search, and didn’t stop until he found it. Only took him a couple of weeks. Once we decided to buy the boat, DWY did everything necessary to complete the deal. Thank you for what you do."