The boat broker was going to give info that was favorable to his “clients”.
The boat was being refurbished at the brokers. We don’t know who the boat actually belonged to prior to the purchase. If it was a shady deal to get money to the Gibsons (for whatever favors might be being rendered) this would be an easy way to do it without raising eyebrows.
The boat was re-christened “The Cracker” by HKS and ANS and I don’t know what its original name or owner was originally.
If we knew that we should be able to look it up in the Florida records as Florida boats have to have numbers on them.
Is the Cracker Bahamian registered now?
I had the link to a msnbc article about the name of hte owner, i believe a florida resident, american-sounding name. but msnbc has withdrawn the article to their archives. maybe someone else here caught it?
cc: Sacajaweau;rte66
my understanding is, the boat broker, is an entirely different person, than the owner of Reel Deals, and also is entirely different person than the owner of the 'electronics' company that had already outfitted the boat.....
tony potts: Real quick, back to the timeline. I went to the marina where Howard was the day that he arrived for that boat. He was there slightly before 1:00 o`clock. Todd Smith (ph), who is the guy who was going to check out the boat with him, arrived about three minutes afterwards, and they talked for about five to ten minutes, which at that time, Todd Smith tells me that Howard received a phone call, which if you push it -- just pad it, say 1:15 -- at that time, Howard -- I said, What happened? Howard got in that town car.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0703/09/ng.01.html
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Reel Deal's owner and President, Marcos Morjain, confirmed that the actual yacht purchase (pictured below) was finalized two weeks ago with Stern, Smith, and their Captain, during their last trip to Miami. Smith was enthusiastic about the yacht purchase and having it moved to their new home in the Bahamas. The Captain and Stern took possession of the yacht yesterday (Thursday February 8, 2007).
http://www.accesshollywood.com/news/ah3954.shtml
************** Ned Bruck, general manager of Reel Deal Yachts in Miami Beach, says that Smith and Howard K. Stern were really looking forward to enjoying their newly purchased Carver motor yacht, which they had christened "The Cracker."....new flat-screen TVs and electronics had already been installed while the Cracker was in a Fort Lauderdale marina, being readied for the eight- to 10-hour sail to Nassau on Friday with a Bahamian captain at the helm, but without the couple.
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1536410_20011530,00.html
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Stern was on the 40-foot boat, *******speaking by phone to the broker who sold it to him*******, when he got a frantic call telling him that Anna Nicole had collapsed in their Hollywood, Fla., hotel. "He suddenly said, 'I gotta go!' " said the ******broker, Mark Dekema*******. V&G Yachtworks owner Vince Pyle told The Post that one of his workers was at sea with Stern, giving him a trial run on the used, 10-year-old boat "when Howard got the phone call. "The minute he got the phone call, Howard said, 'Oh, my God, I need to get back to the dock right away! My wife is in trouble!" Pyle said, quoting his worker. "He told [the worker] who his wife is. They went back to the docks, and [the employee] helped him off quickly."
http://www.nypost.com/seven/02122007/news/nationalnews/doomed_smith_had_the_shakes_nationalnews_janon_fisher_in_nass au___bahamas__lorena_mongelli_in___hollywood__fla__and_leela_de_kretser_in_new_york.htm?page=0