About Us
When we first opened our doors on Granville Island in 1992, the only thing we had was our drive and determination to turn our love of sailing into a viable business.
Fifteen years later, our integrity, professionalism and knowledge of the industry has carried us through. Today, we are a thriving yacht sales company specializing in the passionate pursuit of sailing.
Meet the Crew
Len Baronit, President
E-mail Len Baronit
Had I only known! I took up sailing in my early twenties by moving onto a CS27 with my future wife. I'm 6'2" and the headroom was 5'11". After two years of living aboard with a sore neck, we got married and moved into an apartment (500 sq. ft. of heaven with standing headroom, a hot shower and refrigeration). They say you should do what you love, and so I did, and here I am today.
After 15 years of being in the yachting industry, I still find joy in seeing the smiling faces of my customers. It's really why I'm still here. That, and I love boats.
In beautiful British Columbia, we have the opportunity to view and experience some of the best landscapes in the world. Cast off from the dock and set sail for any destination, entering a world of simple pleasures, the sun, the wind and a grin on your face.
Simon Cox, Representative
E-mail Simon Cox
My sailing experience dates back to a youngster sailing dinghies in Victoria. My passion for sailing and travelling has grown over the years, which has lead me to embark on a career in yacht sales.
I love meeting new people and am committed to service and developing life long relationships.
Debbie Baronit, Operations Manager
E-mail Debbie Baronit
Managing the marketing, advertising and overseeing to the daily operations of the company keeps me very busy. I love my job!
Sailing came early to me at the age of six, when I learned to sail on a Sunfish in the Great Lakes. My sailing experiences range from crossing the Atlantic on a 65' catamaran (sweet delivery), sailing down the West Coast, to local and long distance racing and cruising. I now spend my sailing time aboard our family boat, a beautiful 1968 C&C 41' which is aptly named "Bedlam".
Janet Kennedy, Accounting
E-mail Janet Kennedy
I love working on Granville Island. The environment and the people that work down here make me feel right at home. Working for Yacht Sales West these last five years has flown by. The customers and vendors that I deal with are a pleasure; everyone always seems so happy.
Brett Chapman, Service Coordinator
E-mail Brett Chapman
Brett's been in and around boats since he was a kid. Over the years, Brett could be found messing around in boats of all sizes. He, together with his brother, ran Crescent Beach Marina for a number of years. He also worked at Nikka and more recently Payne's Marine. Brett comes to us with a world of experience, knowledge and above all, professionalism. Call Brett and if he can't answer your question, you can be sure that he'll find out.
Richard Carrier, Senior Service Technician
E-mail Richard Carrier
Growing up in Chicoutimi, Quebec, I have always been drawn to the sea. Some of my highlights are building prototypes for ocean racing, racing Formula 40's in Europe, and racing a 60' catamaran from Quebec to Europe.
The faster, the better. I love big winds, big seas and big bottles of red wine! Enjoying life to the fullest. For a number of years, I was a captain for the Swan charter fleet in the Caribbean as well as a private captain for yachts.
All of my past experiences have led me to a well-rounded knowledge of all things boating. I am just as happy washing a boat as I am installing equipment, rigging, and delivering boats - where ever they need to go.
Sebastien Ragache, Junior Technician
E-mail Sebastien Ragache
During Sebastien's travels, he came to Vancouver and like many of us, just never left. Vancouver, being a coastal city surrounded by water, called out to Sebastien. He immediately took sailing and navigation lessons, bought his first little boat and started his job with Yacht Sales West as a junior technician. Sebastien's been with Yacht Sales West for over two years now and every morning, when he comes in, you always see his big, friendly smile.
Katie Cresswell , Yacht Detailer
E-mail Katie Cresswell
Katie's new to boats and the boating industry and we're happy to have her aboard. She used to sling coffee at Starbuck's and now she's slinging buckets of soap water. She must be liking her new job because even when it's pouring rain you can see her scrubbing the boats and smiling.
Abbie, Assistant to the President
E-mail Abbie
Loving life! I learned how to sail when I was only 10 weeks old. After a hard day of snoozing, ah, I mean sailing, my owners let me enjoy shore side activities like swimming and chasing ducks.
A true blue lab, I also love eating lots. Although, much to my dismay, my owners have now put me on a diet (which I'm really not too happy about). When you visit the office, you'll undoubtedly find me snoring by the front door.
I love visitors, especially kids!
