Almost 40 years ago, while living in Vienna, Austria, I was introduced to a friend’s Sea Ray Sundancer from the late 1970s. The moment he let me take the helm on the Blue Danube River, I was hooked. Soon after, I earned my Austrian boating license (Motorboot Führerschein), which allowed me to navigate not only rivers but also the Adriatic Sea and open waters across Europe. From Italy and Slovenia to Croatia, boating quickly became a passion wherever I traveled.
By the late 1980s, Southwest Florida had become my vacation spot, with boating always at the center of my visits. After a career in the European financial world, I moved permanently to Southwest Florida about 20 years later, became a real estate broker, and founded 100 Pro Realty in Cape Coral. That venture later expanded into vacation home management under 100 Pro Vacation, specializing in waterfront properties for European guests—most of whom wanted access to a boat. This demand inspired the launch of 100 Pro Boats in 2012.
In 2015, I also became a yacht broker, further deepening my connection to the boating world. After selling 100 Pro Vacation, I moved to Fort Lauderdale, not planning to rent boats again. Still, I kept a small boat on the river downtown for personal use and listed it on Boatsetter, the “Airbnb of boats.” To my surprise, it was booked so often that I rarely got to use it myself. The demand in Fort Lauderdale was overwhelming, and that’s when I decided to relaunch 100 Pro Boats in South Florida.
Today, 100 Pro Boats has grown into a diverse fleet, offering everything from easy-to-handle self-captain boats to luxury crewed charters. I look forward to welcoming you at our docks in downtown Fort Lauderdale—and soon, in Hollywood Beach.
