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Mike and Lori Bloom

Mike Bloom likens his Grady-White Freedom 335 to a Ferrari on the water, a floating piece of art, and a place where you can wash all your stress away. His wife, Lori, says there’s no place better to spend time with family and friends.

For many years Mike eyed the Grady-White boats he passed on the waterway close to his home near Cape Cod. He knew they were known to be a superior boat that delivered the best ride, top-notch customer service, and high resale value. Now he’s experiencing that first-hand. “We traveled by boat to Martha’s Vineyard with friends who own a Grady-White Freedom 335,” recalls Mike. “When we got out into the sound there was a 2 – 3-foot chop and the boat just killed it. The ride was spectacular!” It was Lori’s first experience on a Grady-White and she too was impressed.

At the time the Blooms were building a house in Florida, and they knew they wanted to have a boat there. Even after the exceptional ride he experienced in his friend’s boat, Mike still wanted to do his homework. He started by going to the boat shows. But it was his interaction with Mariner Marine dealer, Ron Lees, that sealed the deal. “Ron was patient, not pushy, and seemed to genuinely care about helping us get in the boat that was just right for what we wanted to do,” said Mike. This was during the pandemic, and since Mike had already been on his friend’s 335, he ordered the boat over the phone, sight unseen. From that day forward, the exceptional service Grady-White and their dealers are known for came through. On delivery day Ron sent them a video of the boat coming into the dealership and he constantly communicated with them as the boat was prepped for delivery to the Blooms new home.

Since then, Mike and Lori have enjoyed entertaining family and friends on the new boat. Some days they take the 25-minute ride to the Intracoastal Waterway for lunch at their favorite dockside restaurant, The Cove, other times they enjoy grilling at the local sandbar. They’ve also done some fishing and experienced the excitement of actually catching fish, something that never seemed to happen in Cape Cod. “The Grady brought me luck!” says Mike who notes that they now catch lots of fish, some mahi that they keep, and other species that they release. “The Grandkids love it!” he adds.

No matter where they go, Mike loves driving the boat! In fact, he would like to ship it to Cape Cod for the summer. Fortunately, that’s not necessary. The Blooms have several friends that own Grady-White’s in Cape Cod and they gladly entertain Mike and Lori when they’re up North. Then, when the couples are in Florida, Mike and Lori reciprocate on their boat. It’s a win-win for all!

As fall begins to set in, and many are buttoning up their boats for the winter, the Blooms are waiting with anticipation. Come November they’ll be back in Florida where long days get rewarded with glorious boat rides.