Bob Katz

You might say boating enthusiast Bob Katz got his feet wet as a toddler.

That’s when he remembers boating for the first time, in Cleveland, Ohio. Cruising on the water of a small park lake, 3-year-old Bob was even allowed to sit in the driver’s seat and steer the vessel. A lifelong passion had begun.

“I’ve always been drawn to water,” he says. “I love everything about boating – the camaraderie between boaters, the serenity of the water.”

Interest turned to full-time vocation in the late 1980s, when he bought a cruiser.

“Once I did that, I was really hooked,” he says. “I knew I had to be doing this seven days a week – not just on weekends.” Katz left a 25-year career in interior design and formed Jagit.

A lifetime of boating combined with an extensive design background turned out to be an ideal combination for Katz’s business. Not only can Jagit offer traditional boating services such brokerage, detailing and accessories, it can also manage extensive restoration projects such as the recent transformation of a 68-foot houseboat.

The owner of many boats, Katz has cruised the water of “hundreds” of locations, including Florida, Jamaica and the Caribbean. His favorite spot is the Southwest’s Lake Powell, with its mysterious caves and coves. “It’s by far the best on the planet,” he says. “There’s not another lake that has that kind of shoreline.”

Katz, a longtime Arizonan, also maintains his home state is one of the best places for boating. When asked why, he offers no hesitation:

“The 12-month boating season.”

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