Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing

What Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing does

Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing is a privately-held California LLC founded in 2002 by Kirk Miller, operating a fleet of three professionally-maintained sailing yachts — Bay Wolf (50ft Santa Cruz 50), Osprey (50ft Gulfstar 50 ketch), and Mahalo (35ft Freedom 35) — out of Sausalito and San Francisco for private group charters on San Francisco Bay. The company sells whole-boat, fully private hourly rentals (3-hour minimum, weekday/weekend tiered pricing from $175 to $650 per hour) plus several add-on products: included sailing lessons, corporate team-building events, Angel Island barbecue packages, and CA-licensed ash scattering memorial services. Pricing is per-boat, not per-passenger; groups reserve the entire vessel with a captain and crew.

Revenue mechanics are entirely direct-to-consumer: bookings come in by phone, email, or FareHarbor online widget, with a 50% deposit to reserve. Customer mix is split between individual travelers and families (romantic outings, birthdays, proposals, family reunions, dog/child-friendly outings) and enterprise/corporate buyers (team-building, client appreciation, executive outings) — with named repeat corporate customers including Google (60+ trips), Genentech (35+ trips), Facebook/Meta, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Salesforce, Bank of America, UCSF, Nike, Uber, and the Golden State Warriors. There is no SaaS or software platform; the underlying technology is nautical operations plus standard third-party booking and payment infrastructure. Marketing is unscaled and primarily organic — Yelp/TripAdvisor reviews, a Captain's Blog running since 2007, embedded video, and a 10%-of-revenue nonprofit donation program driving word-of-mouth referrals. The business is asset-intensive rather than software-scaled, with the capex base consisting of three yachts and no external funding or institutional ownership.

Name

Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing

Legal name

Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing, LLC

Website

https://sfbaysail.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing is a Sausalito-based private yacht charter operator running three sailing yachts on San Francisco Bay since 2002, serving individual travelers, families, corporate groups, and memorial clients with fully-private captained hourly rentals and add-on products like team-building events and ash scattering services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Sailing Charters

NAICS

Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (48311)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Cruise Yacht Charters (Private Crewed) (THAEADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Yacht & Luxury Boat Charters (With Crew) (THAJALAE), Crewed Yacht Charters (Luxury Crewed) (THAEAEAA), Private Charters & Yacht Experiences (Crewed, Bareboat, Day Charters) (THAJAJAB)

Keywords

• Private yacht charters
• Sailing charters
• Corporate team building
• Ash scattering memorials
• Sailing lessons

Headquarters

HQ city

Sausalito

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Yacht Charter Rentals: Hourly boat rental revenue. Pricing is per boat per hour (whole-boat rate, not per person). 3-hour minimum required. Additional charges may apply for San Francisco docking fee ($350). Gratuity for crew is additional (typically 20%). No per-person pricing — group books the entire boat.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing provides fully private captained sailing yacht charters on San Francisco Bay using a fleet of three vessels (Bay Wolf 50ft, Osprey 50ft, Mahalo 35ft). Offerings include hourly private charters (3-hour minimum, whole-boat rate), ticketed sunset cruises, corporate team building events, ash scattering memorials at sea, sailing lessons, and Angel Island barbecues. Each charter is fully private (no group mixing) and includes a captain and crew, with departure from Sausalito or San Francisco Pier 40.

Product overview

Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing operates a fleet of three sailing yachts: Bay Wolf (Santa Cruz 50, 50ft, up to 20 passengers), Osprey (Gulfstar 50 ketch, 50ft, up to 20 passengers), and Mahalo (Freedom 35, 35ft, up to 6 passengers). The core offering is private sailing charters with captain and crew sailing San Francisco Bay. Additional services include sailing lessons (included free on charters), corporate team building events, Angel Island barbecues, and ash scattering memorials. The company has operated since 2002 with over 200,000 ocean miles of combined sailing experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bay Wolf Charter A 50-foot Santa Cruz 50 sailing yacht offering private charters for up to 20 passengers (weekdays) or 16 passengers (weekends). Features include a brand-new custom mast, Furuno radar, GPS navigation, and a light, responsive helm suitable for all ages.
• Osprey Charter A 50-foot Gulfstar ketch providing private charters for up to 20 passengers. Features a center cockpit, spacious deck, salon seating for a dozen, galley with refrigerator, and stable cruising performance.
• Mahalo Charter A 35-foot Freedom 35 sailing yacht with a free-standing carbon fiber mast, accommodating up to 6 passengers. Features a modern interior, panoramic cockpit views, and easy handling under the Golden Gate Bridge or around Alcatraz Island.
• Private Sailing Charters Private yacht charters with captain and crew, customizable itineraries including 3-hour, 4-hour, sunset, ocean sailing, and custom trips to destinations such as Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Angel Island, and Pacific Ocean.
• Sailing Lessons Private sailing instruction included at no extra cost on any charter. Taught by ASA-certified captains with hands-on approach, covering beginner to advanced skills including basic keelboat sailing and coastal cruising preparation.
• Corporate Team Building Corporate sailing events including team challenges, client appreciation, structured sailing competitions, and customized experiences for groups of up to 40 people across multiple yachts.
• Ash Scattering Memorials Private memorial services for scattering ashes at sea under the Golden Gate Bridge or throughout San Francisco Bay. Licensed with California State Cemetery and Funeral Bureau (Lic # CRD878).
• Angel Island Barbecues Sailing trips to Angel Island with beachside barbecues, team scavenger hunts, wine tastings, and hiking. Includes fresh chicken, beef, vegetable kabobs, salads, and vegetarian options prepared by a barbecue chef.
• Ticketed Sunset Charters Per-person ticketed 2-hour sunset sailing trips from Sausalito with 16-passenger maximum, including soft drinks and snacks. Priced at $159 per person.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60 corporate trips completed for Google alone, over 35 for Genentech — demonstrating repeat enterprise customer loyalty.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Canine CompanionsminorOthers · 10 July 2023Company donates part of each sailing charter to Canine Companions, which trains service dogs. Captain Kirk and his family transport 8-week-old puppies to and from SFO to volunteer raisers across states. Have transported 45 puppies to date. Captain has been supporting Canine Companions for 6 years.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay AreaminorOthersThe company donates 10% of all revenues (not just profits) to nonprofits. Capt. Kirk has personally served as a 'Big Brother' for over 10 years. The company has supported bike-a-thons and marathons for this organization.
• Mono Lake CommitteeminorOthersThe company donates 10% of all revenues to nonprofits including the Mono Lake Committee, which works to protect Mono Lake from destruction.
• Abilities UnitedminorOthersCompany heavily donates to Abilities United, which helps people with developmental and physical disabilities (Down Syndrome, mental retardation, autism, and cerebral palsy).
• Spaulding Wooden Boat Center (SWBC)minorOthersCorporate sponsor of SWBC, which restores historic wooden boats to active use and educates youth about the beauty of sailing.
• Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors (BAADS)minorOthersListed as a supported nonprofit/resource. BAADS makes sailing accessible to people of all abilities. The company supports inclusive sailing.
• Farallones Marine Sanctuary AssociationminorOthersListed as a resource link. Local environmental group working to preserve the health of San Francisco Bay and the Gulf of the Farallones.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Catamaran Resort Hotel Sailing: Mission Bay catamaran and small-craft rental operation serving tourists in a different but adjacent Bay Area location. Overlaps on water-based recreational experiences but more limited in private charter scope and corporate event offerings.

Direct peers

• J/World Sailing Performance Sailing School: SF Bay sailing school and charter operator with ASA-certified instruction and private charters. Comparable model combining sailing instruction with charter services for recreational and corporate clients.
• Adventure Cat Sailing Charters: San Francisco Bay catamaran sailing tour and charter operator offering both scheduled ticketed trips and private charters. Competes head-to-head with Captain Kirk's for SF Bay sailing customers, including tourists and corporate groups, with overlapping pickup locations and similar pricing.
• Bay Charters San Francisco: San Francisco Bay private yacht charter operator offering crewed sailing and motor yacht rentals. Competes for the same private charter and corporate event customer segment within the SF Bay market.
• SF Bay Adventures: SF Bay boat tour and private charter operator running sailing, motor, and whale watching trips. Directly comparable private-charter business model serving tourists, families, and corporate clients in the same geography.
• Tradewinds Sailing School & Charters: San Francisco Bay sailing school and charter operator offering ASA-certified lessons and private charters. Overlaps with Captain Kirk's on both the sailing lessons and private charter offerings, including corporate team-building.
• Blue Dolphin Sailing Charters: San Francisco Bay sailing charter operator focused on small-group and private sailing experiences. Comparable direct-to-consumer private charter model serving similar recreational and team-building use cases.

Broad incumbents

• San Francisco Bay Ferry: Larger-scale passenger water transportation operator across the Bay. While not a sailing charter, it competes for the same tourist and recreational outings dollars in the SF Bay market and offers a broader, more commoditized alternative.

Others

• Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors (BAADS): Bay Area nonprofit sailing organization listed as a supported partner. Ecosystem participant focused on adaptive sailing rather than commercial charters, but comparable in Bay Area sailing community engagement.
• Spaulding Wooden Boat Center: Bay Area nonprofit that Captain Kirk's actively sponsors; restores historic wooden boats and teaches youth sailing. Adjacent as a community/ecosystem participant in Bay Area sailing rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sanfranciscosailing/reviews/?ref=page_internal

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing