Mark is a straight shooter. I called about a couple of listings, and he did not hesitate to let me know they probably weren't the right fit for me, and how I intended to use the boat, saving me a good deal of time and money in flying up to see the boats, or paying someone else to look at the, for me. I would not hesitate to do business with him in the future. read more

Had an experience buying through these guys awhile ago... We were relatively new at the process and trusted them more than we should have. All I can say is beware of any broker that's directs you to their favorite surveyor. Seemed like nice guys. They even bought us a sandwich. Cost us slot of money for items surveyor forgot to mention. Major conflict of interest... read more

Mark is incredible. He was fantastic to work with and went above and beyond his role as the seller's broker to help us (the buyers.) My husband and I live outside of CA and made a purchase of a sailboat from afar after traveling in for the survey and sea trial. I couldn't imagine buying a boat anywhere else because Mark was so organized and on top of everything. I highly recommended working with Mark of Marotta Yachts. 10/10 experience. read more

Mark at Marotta Yacht brokers was extremely helpful with our boat purchase. Using his experience as a broker, he patiently walked us I through the rather extensive process. In the end, we were pleased with the results. The office is located right on the Sausalito harbor and is an interesting place to check out. read more

Best broker ever! Captain Robert, in just hours, had an accepted offer for me on a boat I fell in love with...and at a GREAT price. He sailed through the process like a seasoned Captain. Really feels great working with a professional who has your back. Most important, you can trust Captain Robert. read more

We've dealt with a lot of different brokers in the bay. I felt like Mark and Robert were the most professional, reliable and helpful. If you want to sell your boat, I'd definitely go with them. read more

These guys were great! They made buying a boat very simple. I had been looking in the want ads for months and had so much trouble making contact and verifying that the boat was actually 'as advertised.' I was having lunch in Sausalito and saw the brokerage and walked in. They dropped everything and showed us a few boats at the dock. Slowly and patiently explaining the plus and minuses. I told my partners about this one boat, 3 weeks later we were sailing our 'new to us' Catalina 38! read more

We were moving to the area and new to boating... when we happened upon Marotta and are glad we did. Mark Cattell showed us a fabulous 53' Hatteras, which we are fortunate to now call ours. Before making our decision, Mark carefully explained the pros and cons of the boat. That it had been customized as a live aboard so it was less ideal for real crusing (to Mexico, Seattle, and such). As our cruising will likely be only in the Bay Area, he couldn't scare us off. As we worked through the process, both he and Robert Marrota armed us with the info we needed, introduced us to surveyors and mechanics and local captains (all of whom we now call friends), and helped us through the steps with the harbor master and insurance broker. Being new to boating, we could have easily been steered wrong, but instead, we were taken great care of. They both know boats and know all the local resources you'll need as search for yours! read more

Rip off artists-"tried" to sell our sailboat for about 10 months, but couldn't. Claimed there were 60 people interested, but we never got a call. We took the boat back (after paying $5,000 in dock fees). They removed much of the safety equipment including mandatory flotation devices (6 nearly new PFD's ~ $700), a relatively new LifeSling ($180), and a throwable horseshoe bouy. They claimed this was all personal items and we should have taken them, then told us to pound sand. Approach them with caution. 1 star doesn't do them the 0 stars they deserve read more

I think they know a reasonable amount about boats as most yacht brokers do, but in my opinion their boats are over priced. Further the owner seemed racist. If you are a person of color, you can do better. I have never experienced this before with a yacht broker. I did not appreciate being questioned as to why I was there and parking when I had an appointment. My husband and I were looking at a fairly high priced boat and it seemed the owner couldn't get his head around the fact that it might be us coming to look. read more

Planning to sell my sail boat, I signed a sales agreement with Robert Marotta. We discussed the process if I was able to sell the boat myself, but did not write it into the agreement. We agreed that several hundred dollars to cover their efforts would be fair. I returned to my boat where I asked a slip neighbor if he would like to purchase my boat. He did and we closed the deal right there. I returned to Robert's office to inform him not to market my boat as I had just sold it. When the $20,000 sale was funded I contacted Robert in good faith. He charged me $1000. BEWARE read more

I had to choose as good as it gets in the review here. Five stars. This was my first boat purchase and it was a significant one. Italian Riva 50. It included sea trials, surveys, lab tests, plane flights and haul outs. I didn't know how many steps were involved, especially transporting it from San Diego to Sausalito. Mark and crew made this as easy as it could be. The whole thing was an adventure I look back on with a smile. They won't just find you any boat. They will, in fact, steer you clear of things that won't fit the bill. Once Mark knew what my wife and I were looking for, and our design sense, he charted a clear course. When we found our Riva he said, "That's it." Our final choice has brought us a lot of joy - perfect for this family. It takes about two years to find a slip in Sausalito - longer on the boardwalk, and that's if you're lucky. Mark is well connected to the community, the harbor, and found us a slip on the boardwalk by the time our boat needed a home. Within a month. Not to say this will happen every time, but they know what boats are moving, and it's a perfect spot. I love talking boats with the visitors, and the boat beside us has a great, helpful crew. To top it off, he set me up with the right people to keep the boat pristine year round, divers, and a captain to show me the ropes. All just do their thing at a regular cadence which means I can focus on the really important stuff - cappuccino's and music. If you're looking to make boating a lifestyle, go to these guys. read more

We've had a great experience working with Mark while trying to find the right sailing catamaran for us. Mark worked with us for 8 months, amidst many challenging situations (dishonest sellers, dishonest selling agents...), to find the right cat and he was incredibly helpful and patient throughout the process. You absolutely want your own buyers agent - the boating world is much more risky than real estate, with less regulation and oversight and (in our experience) a significantly higher likelihood of misrepresentation and purposely withheld information. Mark was great throughout and the people he recommended to assist, such as the boat inspector, are top notch as well and they definitely saved us from pouring thousands into a lemon. We made offers on about 4 boats before the one we have now came together in the right way and Mark was helpful and patient throughout. The first offer we made on a boat that appeared meticulously maintained and cared for ended up a being a hot mess. Turns out the boat had been crashed and capsized in the past and this information was not shared in advance. Luckily for us the inspector Mark recommended caught this right away. The seller denied it and had a tantrum, yet we noticed the listing was pulled the following week - whatever you do, don't skip the inspection! The next boat we made an offer on had again been misrepresented - the "new" sails and "new" engines were not. They were over 8 years old, but the selling agent felt they were "like new so what's the difference...". This fellow is a primary seller in the bay area, so another reason to be diligent. We had two other offers that didn't come together on price, and one was being negotiated when our current boat was listed in Puerto Vallarta. For the price we were able to negotiate on the PV boat (which was in significantly better shape than the other one we were in negotiations with) and even with paying a captain and crew to bring it up to Sausalito, it was still less than the other, same model cat we were in the midst of negotiating. Mark did a great job working with the PV agent to secure the deal, pending buyer and boat inspection and we ended up with a cat we really love. Mark's help didn't end when the sale went through - even now we know we can call him for great recommendations on anything sailboat related - he's put us in touch with great folks for upholstery, sail repairs, line work and general TLC for our cat. If you are a buyer I strongly recommend you work with Marotta as your buyer's agent. They'll work diligently to help you get the best deal on a quality boat. Our experience has been nothing but positive and we recommend them without reservation. read more

I just took possession of a beautiful yacht in Sausalito Yacht Harbor that I purchased through Marotta Yachts Sales, and I could not be more pleased with their company and the outcome! Robert Marotta and his partner Mark Cattell lead me through the whole complex process with expertise, customer orientation, no pressure consultation, great connections and referrals, sensitivity to my needs, reliability, transparency, highest ethic standards and outstanding diligence and follow through. Their local connections and insights not only enabled me to make a bid on a pre-market boat, get all the necessary support system lined up, but also got me a rare liveaboard permit. I could go on, but in short and as an entrepreneur and business owner myself, I can say that this was probably one of the best professional experiences I have had in purchasing a large ticket item. If I ever sell this boat, Marotta Yacht will be my broker! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and thank you Robert and Mark for everything! read more

They made selling my "beloved" boat a painless experience. Robert and Mark took care of everything in the most professional way possible. And the whole process took far less time than I anticipated. They're knowledgeable, personable, and a pleasure to work with! read more

Mark Cattell at Marotta is wonderful to work with. He helped us buy our first boat -- a Catalina 36 from 1987. We absolutely love this boat and are grateful to Mark for walking us through the ins and outs of purchasing our first boat. If we ever want to upgrade, we'll definitely be going back to Mark. If you're looking to buy a boat here in the Bay area, Mark is your guy. read more

Great guys to buy a boat from. Mark led me away from a few boats as he knew I wouldn't be happy with them. Not many brokers are honest like that. All in all they were friendly and answered all of my questions quickly. I will buy from them again! read more

I purchased a 35' cutter rigged sailboat from Marotta Yachts in October 2014. They were very professional and helped me through the entire process. They went above and beyond! read more

Mark Cattelll was a tremendous help in the purchase of our boat, 27' Cheoy Lee Offshore. He told us straight up about all the potential issues and did not sugar coat the future upkeep. He has a great deal of knowledge about boats and he spent the day assisting us with the haul out and sea trial. If you are looking for your first or fifth boat I would recommend Mark to assist with your yacht purchase. He was great! read more

I purchased a Beneteau 331 through Marotta Yachts Sales last fall. They did an awesome job in all aspects of the purchase, and getting me good referrals for sources of insurance, and mechanics. I would not hesitate to work with them again. Jim M. read more

Bought a Chris Craft Commander from Marotta Yachts. They are extremely knowledgeable, detail oriented and great negotiators. I highly recommend them! read more