MEET CHARLIE
Charlie grew up in Ft. Lauderdale after his family moved from a small
farm in Indiana in 1956. His dad bought the family a brand new 16'
Lyman, and so began “the pirate’s life” for a 12-year-old boy. He
attended Ft. Lauderdale High School and graduated in 1962. He was
offered a swimming scholarship to the University of Florida, where he
was captain of both his freshman team and the 1966 varsity team.
After college he returned to boating, living on a Nova Scotia-built trawler
and running day and night cruises around Ft. Lauderdale. He signed on
to Sub Mare Inc. as a diver for a treasure hunting venture in 1970. Soon
after he and his crew were captured in international waters by a Cuban
gunboat and were taken into custody in a Cuban detention center. After
Charlie's release, with the help of the U.S. State Department convincing
the Cubans they were not spys, they moved on to setting up oil rigs off
of the Mosquito Coast for Occidental Oil.
LICENSED YACHT BROKER
[email protected]
C: 954.614.0242 O: 954.763.3971
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TOWN FORT LAUDERDALE
FIRST BOAT 1947 NOVA SCOTIAN
TRAWLER
FIRST JOB BEACH LIFEGUARD
FAVORITE
BOAT
MUSIC JIMMY BUFFETT
FAVORITE
BOAT
SHOW FORT LAUDERDALE
DENISON
OFFICE FORT LAUDERDALE
Several years, and many boats later, Charlie bought a 72' Belizean-built
ketch that he chartered throughout the Bahamas. He also enjoyed
spending time exploring the Mayan ruins in Belize and surrounding
areas.
Charlie became a yacht broker soon after his son Ryan was born in
1985 and settled down to raise a family and work in a field he knows
well - boats and the people who love them. In 1995 he went to work for
yachting icon Richard Merritt and left in 2013 after Mr. Merritt's passing.
Currently, Charlie holds a USCG 100-ton license and is also a licensed
pilot. He enjoys boating, adventure traveling, and hunting as well as
spending time with his son - his pride and joy. Ryan graduated from the
U.S. Air Force Academy in 2008 and is now an Air Force pilot.
Over the 25 years he has been in the brokerage business, Charlie has
earned a reputation for getting to know his clients and fitting them with
the right boat for their needs. Charlie would rather risk losing a sale than
put his clients in the wrong boat and is known throughout the industry
as an honest and straightforward broker. Though he specializes in long
range bluewater vessels, commercial vessels, sport fishing and live-a-
boards, he also has extensive knowledge of all types and sizes of boats.
With Denison Yacht Sales' reputation for honesty and ethics in brokering
and with Denison’s cutting edge innovation and motivated sales force,
Charlie feels that he has found the perfect team.
I
MY BROKER
Charlie, You are amazing! Always so concerned about our
welfare and happiness, regardless of your commission. We so
appreciate your professionalism, knowledge, honesty & is there
anyone in the boating world you don’t know? We are so excited.
4
-Barnacle “Bob” & Wench T. Lee