We are used to hearing how much our clients enjoy going fishing and cruising on their Pursuit Boat, but we're not used to a client telling us about how he loves using his Pursuit Boat to swim with some of the ocean's most impressive and dangerous predators. There's a first time for everything!
In this blog, we introduce you to Bryan Leist, the proud owner of a Pursuit S 328 and the teller of many swashbuckling tales about life both above and below the water. Read on to find out more.
From Warzones to Classrooms and Cosmetics
Born in New Mexico, Bryan eventually found his way to Russia where he spent time teaching English. When the war in Bosnia later broke out, Bryan leaped into action and began assisting with delivering humanitarian aid in the Bosnian war.
Back in the US
When he wasn't braving an active warzone to help those who needed it the most, Bryan took advantage of his location and spent some time traveling southern Europe, before ultimately returning to the US and getting married. He and his wife called Colorado home for many years until the mid-2010s when they packed up and moved once again. This time they put their roots down in Florida and have remained there together ever since.
For the past 23 years, the couple has owned and run a successful skincare and makeup company. "The business has fortunately allowed us to do a lot of the things we enjoy doing, such as boating and traveling," Bryan revealed.
The couple also found time to raise two daughters, one of whom is a student at a Florida university and the other a pilot for a private charter company.
Boating in Florida: The Pursuit Boats Difference
The pair got their start in boating while living in Colorado, where they enjoyed boating out on the high country lakes. "We had a small little sixteen-foot boat that we would take up to some of the lakes," he said. "I've always been fascinated with the water, whether fishing or being in rivers."
Naturally then, when the couple moved to Florida, they fully embraced the Sunshine State's boating lifestyle. "You can't live without a boat in Florida, I don't think!" Bryan said with a laugh. "So we got our first boat in 2015, then another in 2017, and then bought the Pursuit in 2018. We spend a lot of time on the water and in Florida, you can do that all year long. The boating lifestyle here is a lot of different things, and there's just so much to do on a boat in this state in particular that having one's own boat seems like a natural fit!"
Buying their first Pursuit
Bryan bought his Pursuit S 328 in October 2018 while visiting the Tampa Bay Boat Show, but he explained that the purchase was far from spontaneous. "The Pursuit Boats marketing department does a heck of a job promoting the company's boats! When Pursuit first released the S 328 center console, I immediately watched the promotional video. In the third clip, the boat goes over a wave, catching some air. When it lands, it beautifully parts the wave that it lands on, sending water spraying out both sides of the gunwales. That specific moment in the video piqued my interest and convinced me to start researching the various Pursuit boats for sale on the market."
Buying the Demo
"When we attended the Tampa Bay Boat Show and saw the S 328 center console in person, with its beautiful lines and the way it sat in the water, we decided to buy it," he revealed.
But aside from the slick video and the boat's aesthetics, there was another deciding factor. "When I stepped onto the Pursuit, it was immediately obvious that the boat was extremely well-made. It just felt sturdy. The upholstery and the finishes were all such high quality. It was a big step above the competition we had looked at.
"I think there's a sense of confidence that you want to have that when you take a boat offshore, it will keep you safe and bring you back safely," he continued. "So it was the quality of the build that ultimately sold us on the boat."
Bryan was so enthusiastic about getting the keys to his own S 328 that he opted to buy the actual show model. It was a great decision since that model was loaded with a variety of options that made it perfect for his and his wife's needs. "It was a well-equipped model, so there wasn't much I needed to do for it in terms of upgrades," he recalled. "I only put a sonar transducer and a radar on it."
In the six years since buying his S 328 from Pursuit Boats, Bryan has also upgraded one of the chartplotters, moving from a twelve to a sixteen-inch display, but other than that hasn't felt the need to do anything else. "Gosh, I couldn't ask for much more on a boat," he said. "It has everything that I need."
Pursuit Engineering
As frequent boaters, Bryan and his family have experienced their fair share of sea conditions, and he only had praise for the S 328's seakeeping abilities. "The boat's build quality and its 15,000-pound weight make the difference. On the Gulf Coast side of Florida, it just smoothes out the choppy water there. I can go out in conditions that I could not have done in my previous boat and still have an enjoyable ride. We have also made the trip to the Bahamas, which was a first for me. According to some people, navigating the Gulf Stream is either a challenge or it isn't, but I can say from experience that in the Pursuit, it simply is not."
Bahamas Beauty
He described how memorable his time in the Caribbean nation was. "When you're in the Bahamas, you have this amazing water; the colors are spectacular," he continued. "All the marinas, the coves, the diving, the fishing; it's like a postcard every time you turn your head. I think that has to be one of the most memorable trips we've ever done."
Outside of their trip to the Bahamas, Bryan and his wife regularly undertake a long-distance cruise to the Florida Keys. "We take a trip at least every other year to the Florida Keys, it's about a 280-mile run in the water. The boat handles that trip like a dream. It just gets me to a lot of places and enables me to do a lot of things that I doubt very many people get to do, so I'm very grateful for that and for having the Pursuit in which to do it."
Onboard Amenities
Bryan also extensively highlighted his Pursuit Boats S 328 for its onboard space and amenities and how they combine for a fantastic time on the water for everyone on the boat. "The boat's premium yacht-quality fittings really make a difference to our time spent on board, particularly the luxurious upholstery. The retractable shade on the aft cockpit extends our time on the water, whether at the sandbar or offshore, and it's the same with the sunshade at the bow. Plus, it's a big enough boat so that I can comfortably get eight adults and a couple of children on board and we all have a place to sit. It travels so well. I just love my boat!"
Swimming with Sharks
Bryan is a major ocean wildlife enthusiast, with a particular passion for sharks and whales. Consequently, one of his favorite pastimes is to head offshore with his boat to swim with these powerful sea creatures. "I think swimming with big animals, especially sharks and whales, is an adrenaline addiction," he explained. "Contrary to what most people think, sharks generally won't come near you. They may hang out on the periphery of your vision, but unless you're acting like bait, they aren't interested."
Heading Offshore Comfortably
He concluded with some remarks about how his Pursuit enables this hobby. "This boat allows me to go far enough offshore where it's legal for me to put out bait to attract the sharks," he continued. "You have to be offshore a significant distance to make this legal, and the boat gets us there comfortably. We go there and photograph the sharks, and monitor their health and population. Observing nature unfold and seeing the circle of life is remarkable."
Though Bryan is simply an enthusiast, he shares all of his images, footage and feedback with a local government official who is involved in ocean conservation. "We share a lot of images and sighting information. A lot of the sharks, for example, are named and are regular visitors to certain areas, so you actually get to identify them individually. So, while I'm not functioning in an official capacity, I love watching them and taking pictures."
Discover Pursuit Boats for Sale Near You
Impressed by Bryan's comments? Interested in experiencing a boat from Pursuit Boats for yourself? Want to know what it's like to join the Pursuit Family of boat owners and be part of our annual Owner's Rendezvous? Well, you're in luck. Thanks to our extensive nationwide dealer network, there's no need for you to travel to the Pursuit Boats factory at Fort Pierce to see Pursuit Boats for sale for yourself. Simply click here to access our convenient Dealer Locator tool to identify your nearest authorized Pursuit Boats dealer.
Whether you're interested in one of Pursuit's dual console boats, a luxurious center console, or an offshore cruising and fishing boat, there's a Pursuit perfect for your needs, at price ranges that will suit your budget. Contact us today, we can't wait to help you experience the Pursuit Difference.
*A special thank you to Bryan Leist for his outstanding photography contributions to this blog.*
