For more than 65 years, this popular Long Island, New York, Grady-White dealer has known what it takes to keep boaters smiling.
It was 1946 when things all fell in place for William (Bill) Lieblein Sr., and his brothers, Herman and Herb. The world was getting back on its feet following WWII, Harry Truman was president, and Lieblein was making regular treks from Nassau County in western Long Island, New York, to its eastern end, where he’d wet a line at Captain Reiter’s Fishing Station in Southold.
When Reiter was ready to sell, he approached Bill knowing he’d be a natural fit for buying the place since he could build, maintain, and repair the wooden fishing skiffs, plus sell bait, rigs, and tackle. There was even a small restaurant on the property, and Herman was a restaurateur.
The Lieblein brothers were on board, launching their fishing station in 1946, and calling it Port of Egypt after a former incarnation of the business named because the barrier island just to the south made the area resemble the Nile River. A steady stream of customers followed, with anglers often referred to as the “United Nations” due to the diversity of cultures and languages. Over the years, the skiffs shifted from wooden to aluminum and eventually sported small outboard motors. With gas-powered outboards increasing in availability, dependability, and popularity, some customers began dreaming about purchasing their own vessel at some point.
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Enter Grady-White Boats. The new brand was established in 1959, and by early 1960, Bill chose to add a dealership to the rental station, and later, expand into a full-service marina. The rental station remained in operation until the mid-1980s, when Bill and his family—by this point, three of his four children were also involved—decided to focus on the marina and dealership. The rest, as they say, is history. Today, Port of Egypt Marine proudly stands as the oldest Grady-White dealership in the world at 65 years and counting.
How could an initially small establishment on the bucolic North Fork of Long Island manage to thrive for so long in the topsy-turvy world of boating? Port of Egypt’s Yvonne Lieblein, who now runs the business with her cousin Will Lieblein as the third generation, will tell you straight up their success has been the result of tuning into customer’s needs and working hard to keeping them on the water and happy with their boating experiences, while offering truly great boats on which they can depend.
“It all starts with trust and building relationships,” explains Yvonne. “Not just with our customers, but with everyone we interact with. Exceeding expectations is a team effort, and that’s been our anchor through the decades.”
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Indeed, it has. Trust was also the key component in William Sr.’s decision to become a Grady-White dealer. Not only did he believe that their boats were exceptionally engineered, he also trusted the Grady-White team. That trust, says Yvonne, has only grown over the years because of the way Grady-White consistently builds superior
boats and the way it treats its employees, vendors, dealers, and customers.
“As a dealer, if you can count on a manufacturer to make good on its word and keep promises, then you can talk to your customers in good faith,” continues Yvonne. “That’s a solid starting point in any relationship.”
Another aspect that impressed the Lieblein family about Grady-White Boats is the manufacturer’s willingness to listen to input from dealers and customers. “Grady’s president Kris Carroll and her entire team are excellent, responsive listeners,” notes Yvonne. “I really admire that; should anything go wrong, they stop immediately and address it. They have weekly team meetings to ensure everyone on their end is fully informed, which is vital because so much of a Grady is put together by hand—by real human beings paying attention to detail.”
Port of Egypt follows that lead by ensuring its service technicians get all the education they need to do their job effectively and efficiently. Since Grady-Whites are rigged with Yamaha engines, techs each receive a paid week of training at the Yamaha facility each year. They earn a certificate for completing each course, and the experience is something they can take with them even if they eventually move on to someplace else.
Of course, a Grady-White discussion wouldn’t be complete without mentioning its patented SeaV2 hull design that offers an amazing ride without sacrificing fuel efficiency. With a moderate deadrise at the stern that steadily increases to a bow flare, this hull is engineered to provide a soft, stable ride that you’ll appreciate most when the seas rise, you encounter a heavy chop, or need to quarter in following seas.
A perception Yvonne would like to dispel is that Grady-Whites are strictly fishing boats. “That was true in the beginning but no longer,” she admits. “Many buyers want a multipurpose vessel so everyone can have fun on the water. Because of those realities, Grady design has evolved to be more versatile.”
Indeed, Gardy-White cut its teeth selling ultimate fishing machines, but over time, the company has continued to honor its excellent fishing tradition even while evolving thoughtfully for enjoying cruising, water sports, and overall family fun.
As proof-positive, Yvonne calls out the popular Freedom 235 and 275 as exemplifying this versatility. “These dual consoles have plenty of room for fishing, very comfortable seating, and lots of space to move around and entertain. Quite simply, they are well-appointed and offer amenities and features to appeal to the entire family.”
Even with a top-shelf line of boats, however, having a great relationship and plenty of support from your manufacturer is only part of the equation. It’s up to each individual dealer to cement customer trust by supplying the support, encouragement, knowledge, and enthusiasm that refreshes and invigorates boaters and keeps everyone coming back for more.
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“You want customers to get the most out of every day of boating season,” says Yvonne, “so you’ve got to get to know them on a personal level, reaching out to see if there’s anything they need rather than waiting for them to come to you with problems. It’s important also to branch out and set up or lead fun get-togethers where they can enjoy engaging with other boaters. You want to build a sense of community, which works out especially well here since we actually have a beautiful marina with one hundred and thirty-two single-loaded slips, a pool, cabana with showers, Wi-Fi, an on-site restaurant, service and parts department. We encourage our dockage customers to get to know their neighbors.”
Reaching beyond its customer base to be a good neighbor is another point that brings Port of Egypt accolades. “It’s important to give back a little bit too,” says Yvonne. “We support several local nonprofit organizations and are proud to host the Fall Fishing Showdown and Lobster Bash every September to benefit our community hospital. Prizes are awarded for the largest striped bass (catch and release), bluefish, and porgy (scup).” The tournament idea came from David Basile, one of Port of Egypt’s customers, and it has raised more than $375,000 since it launched in 2019.
“We are so lucky to be situated in such a beautiful place, to have a special relationship with Grady-White, and to have such a loyal and ever-growing customer base,” concludes Yvonne. “We love our boaters. We encourage them to get out and have fun on their boats and offer them whatever support they need for a better boating experience.”
To that end, Port of Egypt plans to stay the course emphasizing superior customer service. They plan to introduce more boating experiences in 2025 with a variety of raft-ups, follow-the-leader excursions, educational workshops, and lessons and charters as well.
It may sound like a simple plan for continued success, but as with any boating adventure, it takes smart design, great craftsmanship, a dedicated staff and crew plus, oftentimes, a little encouragement to keep everything moving forward, something Port of Egypt Marine seems to have a special knack for getting right.
“Grady-White Boats and Port of Egypt Marine have a created legacy of good business, happy customers, and long friendships,” says Carroll. “We are thankful for our nearly seven-decade relationship with Port of Egypt Marine and the resulting excellent customer care that has provided so many wonderful adventures and memories for thousands of our customers, their families, and their friends. We recognize and appreciate that there are very few companies that have the good fortune to work with three generations of a family-owned business as we have had with our friends at Port of Egypt. We look forward to delivering many, many more ultimate boating experiences together.”
-by Tom Schlichter
Port of Egypt Gallery
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