Shopping For An Albermale

Do you ever struggle to find the right pair of shoes? Sometimes shopping for a new pair can be a total nightmare. Your foot measures one size, but then the size the store has doesn’t seem to fit right even though it says it should. Or perhaps, worst of all, you end up finding what might just be the perfect fit only to take the shoes out for a test run and discover your feet break out into blisters.

That’s how it can be shopping for a boat. Sometimes the vessel you are looking at just doesn’t quite fit all of the requirements you have in mind, and other times you think the boat you’re purchasing is the right fit only to take it home and discover you’re still daydreaming about the boat next door.

Jerome Dorlack recently went through the process of purchasing a new boat — an Albemarle 27 Express. Though Dorlack has purchased several other boats in the past, his experience with his dealer, Clemons Boats in Sandusky, Ohio, and with Albemarle made certain this boat matched exceptionally well to his needs.

Getting The Right Fit

Dorlack jumped headfirst into the world of boating when he was 21 years old. After purchasing a house on Sterling State Park in Michigan, the next most obvious step seemed to be to purchase a boat so he could begin to fully enjoy the many benefits Lake Erie has to offer. So Dorlack did, allowing him to participate in watersports and fishing tournaments and focus on developing relationships with his children while doing something his entire family enjoyed.

However, as the years went on, he found himself going through various boats to try and fit his specific needs. As his family increased in size, he needed something roomier, and as he grew more serious about tournaments, he found himself in need of a boat with more fishability.

These factors led Dorlack to search for a new boat that would make a better fit for his circumstances, which eventually led him to forming a wonderful relationship with Albemarle and Clemons Boats. Dorlack offers three things boaters should look for in their manufacturers and dealers.

1. Dealer & Manufacturer Relationship

One of the number one things Dorlack recommends buyers look for in a boat is its serviceability. He feels a boat is not only a one-time purchase, but that you are making an investment in the builder and the dealership. This means not only picking out a nice boat, but picking both a manufacturer and a dealer who will support you as you make this important decision.

“I loved my last boat, but I was always stuck between the dealership and the manufacturer. They didn’t see the dealerships as an extension of manufacturer. They just viewed the dealership as a distribution channel,” Dorlack stated. “So if I had a warranty issue, I was always between the two of them and with Albemarle I’m not. It’s a seamless relationship between the factory and Clemons.”

After recently purchasing his boat, Dorlack headed to a walleye tournament only to find out while on the water he was losing voltage to the house battery. In a panic, he called Keith Privott, president of Albemarle, who deftly instructed him through troubleshooting the issue in real time.

“This is the first thing I want you to do. Go to the stern,” Privott commanded. “I want you to pull your fish box out. You will see the main battery charging isolator, make sure you’ve got everything wired up and everything is tight. There should be a red wire and a black wire going into it.”

Privott then continued to troubleshoot the entire boat remotely until the issue was found. The ground of the main panel distribution box was loose, a problem caused by the people Dorlack had chosen to put in his electronics, not the factory. Privott’s expertise not only helped Dorlack in a desperate moment, but also built in a trust that only such direct access to a master of his craft could provide.

2. Accessibility

When it comes to accessibility on the boat itself, Dorlack feels it is a critical aspect to keeping a boat in top order at all times.

One of the things Dorlack finds valuable about owning an Albemarle is that all of the wear systems, such as washdown and macerator pumps, can be accessed without removing screws. This means you don’t disturb the original bedding process, and things can be changed out quickly equaling less downtime, lower maintenance costs, and more time on the water.

3. Attention To Detail

Overall, it’s the detailed work of manufacturers and dealers that make your purchase valuable. When the boat builder and dealer truly know what they are doing it becomes clear in the way he or she treats your outfit.

“Clemons came through on issues the other dealerships couldn’t and fixed it. They made sure when I picked up the boat it was in immaculate condition in both the detailing work they did, and the cleaning of it,” Dorlack explained. “With Clemons, there was no excess grease after the boat was serviced, they wiped the areas that are not in plain view. When they detailed the boat, they made sure to wax the outboard and they even cleaned props, which is a level of detail that led me to choose them as my next dealer.

Not Just About The Great Outfit

Having a well-crafted boat that can slice its way through poor-weather conditions and fit all your needs is certainly the dream; however, boating isn’t just for those who can afford boats as amazing as the ones Albemarle produces.

“I work in the Detroit area so the Detroit River is right there and a lot of people ask me about it and I tell them you don’t have to go and buy a hundred-thousand-dollar boat to enjoy the Great Lakes,” Dorlack advised. Before I could afford to go out and get an expensive boat, we went around in a 16-foot duck boat that I think we paid less than $2,000 for. And that’s what we fished in the Detroit River with and it was great fun.”

Get out on the water, whether you are able to afford “your perfect” now or are waiting until the time is right. Now is the time to enjoy boating on the Great Lakes.

For More Information:

Albemarle

252-482-7600

www.albemarleboats.com

Clemons Boats

419-684-5365

www.clemonsboats.com

Yamaha Marine

www.yamahaoutboards.com