Sail San Diego

Name

Sail San Diego

Legal name

Sail San Diego

Website

https://sailsandiego.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailing Tours and Private Yacht Charters

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Yacht & Luxury Boat Charters (With Crew) (THAJALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cruise Yacht Charters (Private Crewed) (THAEADAG), Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails) (THAJAJAG), Cabin Charters & Shared Yacht Trips (THAEADAH)

Keywords

• Sailing tours
• Private yacht charters
• Boat tours
• Whale watching cruises
• Corporate team building events

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticketed Shared Sails: Individual tickets for Morning, Midday, and Sunset sails. Guests book individual seats on scheduled departures with up to 6-10 guests per trip.
2. Private Charter Sails: Full-boat private bookings for groups. Customers rent entire yacht for exclusive use including Private All-Day Sails (6 hours, up to 10 guests) and Large Group Sails on Maile (up to 22 guests).
3. Corporate Events: Corporate outings including team building regattas, VIP executive sails, and client entertainment. Tailored packages for groups from 2 to 100+ guests.
4. Annual Memberships: $250 per person annual membership offering 2 free ticketed sails, 20% off all sails and lessons, and exclusive member events. Recurring subscription model.
5. Gift Cards and Certificates: Gift cards with flexible dollar amounts and gift certificates for specific sailing experiences. One-time purchase products.
6. Special Occasion Packages: Bachelorette, birthday, and proposal packages including add-ons like Sailabration and Keepsake packages with champagne, photography, and commemorative items.
7. Whale Watching Tours: Seasonal whale watching excursions (January-April) including ticketed (adult $139, child $109) and private options for 3.5 hours of gray whale observation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sail San Diego operates a boutique sailing tour and charter company from its private marina on Shelter Island in San Diego Bay, offering scheduled ticketed sails (Morning, Midday, Sunset), private charters, large-group sails aboard a 50ft yacht, seasonal whale watching, and tailored corporate and special-occasion events. All experiences are led by USCG-certified captains on a fleet of seven premium modern sailing yachts, with complimentary beer, wine, sodas, and snacks included.

Product overview

Sail San Diego operates a boutique sailing company offering a portfolio of sailing experiences centered around their fleet of premium sailing yachts. The core offerings include scheduled ticketed sails (Morning, Midday, and Sunset sails) for shared small groups, and private charter sails for custom experiences. The company also provides specialized sailing experiences including whale watching tours, corporate events, birthday parties, bachelorette parties, and marriage proposal sails. Premium offerings include Large Group Sails aboard the 50ft Maile yacht (up to 22 guests) and Private All-Day Sails (6 hours). Add-on services include annual memberships with discounts, gift cards, and retail merchandise. The company also operates Sport & Game Fishing Charters as a subsidiary for powerboat fishing experiences. All sails include complimentary beer, wine, sodas, and snacks, with US Coast Guard-licensed captains.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sport & Game Fishing Charters: Private fishing charter subsidiary offering sport and game fishing trips with complimentary beverages, snacks, and catch-cleaning services.

Products and services

• Morning Sails

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.9/5 rating with 3,164+ reviews on major review platform
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• All AboardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred catering partner offering gourmet bites including charcuterie boards and custom desserts for sailing events and celebrations.
• Sifted & SugaredminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred catering partner providing baked goods and desserts for sailing events and celebrations.
• Gracie Shafqat PhotographyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred photographer partner for capturing sailing event moments and special occasions aboard.
• Kassidy Klicks PhotographyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred photographer partner for professional event photography on sailing charters.
• Katherine Beth PhotographyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred photographer partner for capturing proposals, celebrations, and memorable moments on the water.
• Triton ChartersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighbor partner for co-hosting documentary screening events including the 'Hell or High Seas' screening with retired Navy captain from Sail San Diego.
• Fiddler's Green RestaurantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRestaurant partner for hosting documentary screening events. Located within walking distance from Sail San Diego's marina for post-sail screenings.
• Sport & Game Fishing ChartersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary company launched 2016 offering private fishing charters in San Diego using 30ft and 35ft Luhrs boats. Utilizes Sail San Diego's existing industry contacts and charter infrastructure.
• KAYAKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing partnership featured in KAYAK Guides SD Edition. Sail San Diego recommended as top activity for exploring San Diego Bay.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Boatsetter: Peer-to-peer and professional boat rental platform offering yacht and sailing charters across the U.S., including California coast markets. Overlaps with Sail San Diego on private sailing and yacht charters via an alternative distribution and supply model.
• Sailo: Online charter marketplace connecting consumers to sailing yacht and boat rentals, including San Diego. Competes for private charter bookings and share-of-wallet in the same customer base, though Sailo is a platform model rather than a fleet operator.
• GetMyBoat: Global boat and yacht rental marketplace with active San Diego listings for sailing charters and yacht rentals. Competes at the booking layer for private sailing experiences and event charters.

Broad incumbents

• Windstar Cruises: Small-ship luxury cruise line operating sailing yachts. Comparable in offering sailing-yacht-based guest experiences and premium positioning, but at multi-day, multi-port scale rather than single-bay day sails.
• City Experiences (formerly Hornblower Cruises): Large multi-city cruise and excursion operator (acquired Hornblower) running harbor cruises, yacht charters, and ferry services including in San Diego. Competes for corporate events and tourist tickets, but operates broadly across many cities and tour types rather than specializing in boutique sailing.
• Lindblad Expeditions: Small-ship expedition cruise operator with nature/wildlife itineraries including whale-rich West Coast routes. Comparable in combining small-vessel sailing with wildlife experiences and premium pricing, though at expedition-cruise scale.

Direct peers

• San Diego Harbor Excursion: San Diego harbor tour and charter operator offering narrated bay cruises, whale watching, and private events. Direct overlap with Sail San Diego on tourist bay cruises and seasonal whale watching product.
• Flagship Cruises and Events: San Diego-based harbor cruise, yacht charter, and event operator running sightseeing, whale watching, and private charters on San Diego Bay. Direct overlap with Sail San Diego on ticketed bay cruises, whale watching, and corporate/private events, and the most comparable local competitor.

Regional players

• Catalina Express: Southern California passenger ferry and excursion provider serving San Diego / Catalina Island visitors. Competes for Southern California tourist activity dollars and day-trip bookings, though it is a scheduled ferry rather than a sailing yacht operator.
• San Francisco Sailing Company: Boutique sailing charter operator on San Francisco Bay offering private charters, corporate events, and sunset sails. Closely comparable in operating model (crewed sailing yachts, corporate + leisure mix) but on a different bay/geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/sailsandiego
• Facebookfacebook.com/SailSanDiego
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sail-san-diego
• Instagraminstagram.com/sailsandiego
• Xx.com/sailsandiego

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sail San Diego