Dan's Papers - March 7, 2008 - Hampton Tradition XXVII

Strong's Marine on Ole Jules Lane in Mattituck, with branches in Southampton and Flanders, has a tradition of being a hub of activity covering all recreational boating needs under their mantra, "The home of super service." With four generations of experience, Strong's offers boaters full service from rebuilding engines to detailing. The Strong family has long aimed at doing the best job possible in order to build relationships with its customers.

The story of Strong's Marine is one of a family legacy - a father passing life lessons on to his sons. In 1945, after World War II, Navy veterans Stuart Strong of Babylon and his buddy Sid Holland, established Strong and Holland in Lindenhurst. Stuart Strong preached business relationships to his son, and eventually his grandson.

David Strong, Stuart's son, had a technical talent and when the time was right (1965), he purchased the nine-acre James Creek Marina in Mattituck from Pete and Jim Kreh. With the help of his wife Dotti, who kept shop, David harvested scallops and clams from both the Peconic and Great South Bays. At night, David's son Jeff (the current owner of Strong's) held the work light while David repaired motors and everything else. The very early stages of Strong's Marine were "sort of like a farm," recalled Jeff. "My sister Nancy, my Mom and my Dad and I all had our daily chores."

Jeff purchased the business from his parents in 1992. The family has grown the business into a full-service, award-winning marine business. The original Strong's Marine had a capacity of 30 boats using the old cable and pulleys system. Today, there are 100 boats on floating docks in personal slips, with the capacity for 133 additional boats in land storage. Jeff calls this "valet storage," because, on demand, your boat is placed safely into the water, or carefully taken out and stored.

The company also sells both new and pre-owned boats, specializing in Cobalts (up to 46'), Pursuits (up to 37') and Southports (up to 30'). The top end boat they offer, fully loaded, costs $1.1 million. Strong's also sells outboard motors including Yamaha and Mercury, as well as inboard motors such as Mercruiser, Volvo and the legendary Cummins Diesel. Strong's Marine also specializes in water ski sales and products, often flying in the best skiers in the world for demonstrations and exhibitions. After adding a location in Southampton, Jeff said he now has 52 full-time employees, each of whom undergo an annual two-week retraining and continuing education class. Jeff also explained that the business has an affiliation in Flanders run by Carolyn and Vinny.

But his biggest surprise has been the growth and vitality of the Internet boat sales business. "The internet sales blow me away," he said. Used boats have been sold as far away as Croatia, Mexico and Poland. Jeff estimates that since 1965 the company has sold over 3,500 boats. The website, www.strongsmarine.com, also provides information about sailing classes, captain courses and rental information and sale items. But the trademark of doing business with Strong's Marine is what Jeff calls the commitment to high-end full service. "We do things we weren't even asked to fix when we see they need attention," he explained.

Jeff has come a long way from holding the nightlight and handing tools to his dad as he worked into the wee hours to get a boat ready by dawn. Now he and his wife Re, whom he calls his inspiration and best friend, run the show with their two sons, Jay and Ryan, the fourth generation of Strong's. Jay, a graduate of Babson College in Boston, is the sales manager and Ryan, who just recently completed his studies at Roger Williams in Rhode Island, has entered into the operations. In addition to his children, Jeff's sister Nancy is very active, having currently established a Lady Fins Boat Club.

Jeff is proud of the many honors and citations Strong's Marine has earned due to their commitment to excellence. It's rated in the top 20 of the 3,500 nationwide boat dealers. Strong's Marine is also a member of the Cobalt Top 20 group, allowing them to provide in depth information to customers. According to Jeff, the awards and citations are all a result of his grandfather's original goal. "We're a family oriented business with world-class service," he said. "Customer satisfaction is what moves us. We have always paid attention to every detail."

After World War II when Stuart Strong was sailing back from his Naval service in the Pacific, he dreamed of a better world - a better life for his future family. That dream was realized, not only for generations of Strong's but also for the many customers they have served.