Captain DeGroot relates an example of exceptional professionalism in boat maintenance. Star Boat Shop does not have a website, but their address is 1480 NE Fiveash Rd, Arcadia, FL 34266, 863-494-5777. Arcadia is almost in the center of the state at the intersection of State Rd 70 and US 17.

I have been sailing over 40 years, worked with many boat yards in the Great Lakes and Florida. And, as a yacht broker also worked with many independent contractors hired to do projects on mine and my client’s boats. After 20 years of ownership of a 1985 Irwin 43′, My wife and I decided we really wanted to freshen her up and repainting the mast and boom came up high on the list. I carefully researched many possible individuals and companies to do the task, and in Southwest Florida, one name kept being mentioned, “the Russians!”
The “Russians” are actually the team from the Star Boat Shop, now of Arcadia Florida. Their owner is Arthur Anasov, now an American citizen who immigrated from the old Soviet Union. For the past many years they had been doing spectacular jobs, repainting hulls of vessels from a quansut building located in the Charlotte Harbor Boat Storage yard at Placida FL.
When I contacted Arthur in the fall of 2011, I found him very pleasant and super knowledgeable about boats and boat painting, and racing, as he is a world class small boat racer, sailing in regattas around the world.
After inspection of my mast and boom, and discussing a time frame, he quoted a very fair, reasonable price, and we scheduled the work.
When completed in a few weeks, it looked like a brand new mast and boom. I had asked Arthur how long I could expect it to hold off the old corrosion, and he said three to five years. I felt that would be the best we could do with how corroded is was before the effort.
Move forward one year to fall of 2012. Corrosion had begun already, in a few limited spots on the lower part of the mast and the seam of two sections of the boom. I called Arthur. In a few days, he came to the boat and looked and simply said, this should not be. Something was not done correctly and he would clean it up. We mutually decided to wait a year and evaluate it again before any clean-up work was done.
Now in September of 2013 I again called Arthur, who was racing somewhere in the Baltic, but I got a message back from him, he would be in contact as soon as he returned stateside. Sure enough. He come over to the boat, a time table was set and work would be commencing.
I figured a few hours would clean it up, and I would be happy with any effort. When Arthur and his crew arrived, they went to work. Five man days later, he announced he was satisfied, if I was. I was not just satisfied, I was impressed.
I asked Arthur, how much do I owe you. He said, “NOTHING!” “And if it does it again in the next few years I’ll be back”.Speak of professional integrity! He and his crew did a beautiful job, as promised.
If you have any need for hull, or mast painting or other major projects I suggest you consider Arthur Anasov of the Star Boat Shop. Give him a call at 941-204-0607, or email me and I will be proud to provide his contact information.
Capt John D. DeGroot SV Independence