Lee’s interest in boating began at summer camp in the Adirondack Mountains of New York on Lake George. He purchased his first boat in May of 1982 and has been hooked ever since. He is a NAUI Dive Master and is certified for Cave Diving and Normoxic Trimix. His diving and boating interests have taken him all over the Caribbean, the northern lakes, and as far west as Utah’s Lake Powel. During his tenure as the Managing Director of The Sagamore Resort, Lee teamed up with Steven Colgate to open the first Colgate Sailing School on Lake George in the Adirondacks.
Lee moved to Vero Beach in May of 2016, attended classes at the Chapman’s School of Seamanship and obtained his 25 Ton Master Captain's License. Lee purchased his Boston Whaler 28 through Manatee Pocket Yacht Sales and decided to become a member of the team.
Since then, Lee has become a member of Indian River Sheriff's Department - Marine Division and runs one of the patrol boats. He is also Fleet Captain and Board Member for the Vero Beach Yacht Club.
He lives in Vero with 1st Mate Mary Stuart Tilt and their three dogs! They both enjoy diving and shooting sporting clays!
Please let Lee's experience with boats guide you and make the process as smooth as possible!
Testimonials
I wanted to thank both you and Lee for a relatively seamless sale of our Mako 284 in October 2020. We truly loved that boat, but just were not using it enough to keep it.
The listing effort was easy and Lee took many photos of every aspect of the boat for the listing. Since the first potential buyer that was shown the boat made an offer and ultimately bought it demonstrated that the listing and showing were first quality. Additionally the closing was effortless because Lee had all the paperwork completed needing only buyer/seller signatures.
We have bought and sold boats previously and working through your company made the transaction much easier. Again, thanks for your quality support.
Can't say enough about my experience with Lee Bowden and Manatee Pocket Yacht Sales. I was an out of state buyer and Lee set up everything to ensure a smooth and efficient process to complete the purchase. Thank you Lee, I'll send anyone interested in a boat your way!
Manatee Pocket Yacht Sales was very helpful with the sale of our boat. It was a pleasure to work with this company. They were very knowledgeable. They were able to handle showings without me being there.
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We have sold two of our "last boat" and purchased two of our "last boat" with the assistance of Capt. Lee Bowden of Manatee Pocket Yacht Sales. All the transactions were completed in a professional manner, in a timely fashion and an enjoyable setting.
We would recommend Capt. Bowden and Manatee Pocket Yacht Sales to be your yacht broker of choice when considering the purchase or sale of your "last boat" as we did on numerous occasions.
Just want to take a moment to express my sincere thanks and appreciation for the tremendous job done by Lee Bowden. He was extremely professional and so helpful in all aspects of the purchase. I am an out of state buyer and he made everything simple and painless. He went way out of his way to make the sale happen and was extremely helpful in lining up all the loose ends that I need to get the boat ship shape and ready to ship. Thanks again Lee, it has been a real pleasure.
Dear Captain Bowden:
As I may have told you, I have bought 10 or 12 boats over the past 50 years, having acquired them from a variety of sellers including boat brokers, retail boat dealers, and private individuals. Dealing with you as the seller/broker, certainly ranks as one of my most pleasurable boat buying experiences. As a buyer, I can't remember ever dealing with anyone who had more product knowledge, or in the absence of same, was willing to get the answers to my questions in a timely manner.
In short, your helpful, positive attitude made the entire buying process, including the price negotiation, a pleasant experience. You were forthright and up front throughout, and did exactly what you said you would do, when you said you would do it, without any BS excuses. From a buyer's perspective, that was very much appreciated. You stand as a positive role model for the sales qualities that a successful boat broker should strive to emulate. I believe you are an asset to Manatee Pocket Yacht Sales and wouldn't hesitate referring potential boat buyers to you and your firm.
Thank you again for your services.
Manatee Pocket Yacht Sales made buying my first boat a professional and fair experience.
Capt. Lee Bowden was informative and professional. The boat was as advertised and is the perfect boat for my family and I. They went above and beyond to make sure I was happy with the outcome of my purchase.
I highly recommend them for a fair smooth purchase.
Lee Bowden and Manatee Pocket Yacht Sales sold my boat with no effort for me. The advertising was great and Lee was available to meet prospective buyers. The boat sold within a few months and Lee took care of all the paperwork; I just had to sign and get paid. I would recommend Manatee Packet Yacht Sales to anyone who wants to sell their boat with an effortless process. Thanks to all the staff for a great job.