My background is third generation hotel and restaurant ownership as well as having been chairman of a National Association of Securities Dealers member firm. Lecturing regularly on the Stock Market, I became a member of both the National Speakers Association and International Platform Association. I also enjoyed entertaining clients out in the Gulf of the Farallones, west of the Golden Gate Bridge, hauling in twenty-pound King salmon and smaller Silvers. The stock market of the early seventies was in turmoil, with many firms either merging or failing. I left in 1973 to see if a living could be made from what was previously done for free.
Susan began to fly long hours with Pan Am in order to support our "experiment." I had initially taken clients out aboard an Albin diesel trawler-type vessel built in Sweden. This twenty-five-foot vessel would troll six rods. I named the yacht "Tradition of Hornblower," after the fictional character, Horatio Hornblower. After marriage, we moved up to a forty-four foot Hatteras double-cabin yacht that would troll fourteen rods for salmon. While single I had lived aboard "Tradition" for six months. Now, Susan and I moved aboard our beautiful, two-year old Hatteras. I was yet a stockbroker and Susan was with Pan Am.
I heard the Berkeley Marina Marriott Inn (now the Double Tree) was looking for a yacht connection – they would provide free berthing in exchange for their staff using the yacht occasionally. The very next day I visited the Marriott and made the arrangements. We had named our yacht "Journey," which was also inscribed in our wedding bands to emphasize the importance of our enjoying the "journey" towards goals. We began "Journey West Yacht Charters" which evolved into "Hornblower Yachts." Advertising "Go to sea with Captain Hornblower!" my captains and I wore name tags reading, "CAPT. HORNBLOWER." The name change to Hornblower Yachts was a natural.
Susan was usually home over weekends and enjoyed going on the fishing trips. She prepared Ham & Eggs, English Muffins, tomato & orange juice, and coffee for the intrepid fisherpersons who came aboard at the ungodly hour of 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. She would steer the yacht home from the ocean while I cleaned the catch. Ours was a nine-month season, back then, and we were on the ocean most Saturdays and Sundays during that time. Regularly, we would go twelve to twenty-four miles off the coast, which was totally exhilarating! I recall returning one afternoon with mountainous waves passing beneath us. I had everyone in life jackets while carefully controlling the throttle to prevent a possible pitch pole or broaching. It required four hours to advance twelve miles to the Gate and the protected waters of San Francisco Bay.
This is perhaps already more than you wanted to know. To wrap it up, one day a Berkeley matron approached, asking if we did dinner events. I began to rave about our fabulous dinner cruises (What? -- You think she would have booked, knowing her event was to be our first dinner cruise, ever?). This wonderful woman booked two consecutive Friday evenings, each for twenty-four of her friends. The Marriott loaned us tablecloths, napkins, glasses, dishes, silverware, etc. and a vendor representative signed on to help out. I steered and acted as the congenial host, Don tended bar, and Susan prepared a delicious meal, the ingredients of which were bought at Spengers Restaurant's take-out market. (Over the years we were Spenger's biggest customer. I recall a dish they called "Devil Crab." We heated it, put in on a china plate, and called it Crab Newburgh). The two events were overwhelmingly successful. Within a year, brunch and luncheon events thankfully superseded fishing trips.
As Paul Harvey would say, "Now you know the REST of the story!"
More About Us and our wonderful crew.
See Plan Your Event.
Detailed DRIVING DIRECTIONS to our dock and our yachts.
Serving 16 ports in the San Francisco Bay area:
Alameda, Antioch, Benicia, Berkeley, Emeryville, Martinez, Napa, Oakland, Pittsburg, Redwood City, San Francisco, Sausalito, South San Francisco, Stockton, Tiburon, Vallejo | |
|
