CAPITOLA – With sails down, Sarah could be mistaken for a yet another modern sailboat bobbing offshore, but for owner Forest Roberts, she”s a dream come true.
Roberts, 52, is launching a charter business with Sarah, a 38-foot yawl, a wooden vessel built by a veteran waterman from a design circa 1892.
“There is no other charter boat of this type in Santa Cruz,” said John Van Zwieten, 64, of Capitola, an executive coach who lives on a sailboat for part of the year. “If people are into things old or traditional, it”s a wonderful experience.”
Marc Kraft, owner of Pacific Sail, a charter service with 14 boats in business for 32 years, agrees Sarah is unique and wishes his former employee the best. His company recently was hired by eBay to organize a team-building regatta.
“Fortunately Silicon Valley helps, but business is not where it used to be,” he said.
Sailing is a tough business because it”s seasonal.
“We die from November to March,” Kraft said. “It”s dangerous because of the swell.”
LABOR OF LOVE
Roberts has been fascinated by sailboats since he was 9.
The east coast native came to Santa Cruz after the 1989 earthquake to pursue a career in the marine industry. He”s owned a number of boats, and for much of the time, he”s lived on a boat. He”s run a diving business and worked as boat builder, sailing instructor and charter captain. He got the itch to own his own charter boat.
“I”ve always wanted a wood boat,” he said.
Others warned him a wood boat would requires time and effort to paint and varnish, which is why so many sailboats today are made of Fiberglass, but Roberts was undeterred.
When he found Sarah two and a half months ago, he decided she was the one. The price: $35,000.
The seller was the widow of William Garvie, who spent six years building the boat, a labor of love named for his granddaughter, and finished when he was 86.
“I had to pass muster with the family,” Roberts said.
Van Zwieten admits he was against Roberts buying the wooden sailboat at first but after sailing on Sarah, he changed his mind.
He was impressed by the way the fore-and-aft sails worked and how the boat operated in high wind and in no wind at all.
With three or four knots, barely a light breeze, the sailboat can skim along, making it “really fun to be on,” Van Zwieten said.
WAITING FOR A SLIP
Roberts” partner in California Classic Sail is Amit Zohar, a designer with Cisco. She created a website to promote the venture.
A customer can charter the boat for up to six people for a two-hour cruise, $225, for three hours, $310, and after that $80 per hour.
“Previous experience tells me the two- and three-hour charters work best most of the time,” Roberts said.
Sarah is moored off the Capitola wharf, where she can be reached by a water taxi operated by Capitola Boat & Bait, but Roberts would like to move her to the Santa Cruz harbor.
He is No. 2 on the wait-list for a 60-foot slip, according to Niki Rothwell at the harbor office.
The harbor has only nine slips of that size, with three committed to other charters, the Chardonnay yacht and the Stagnaros who run fishing and whale-watching tours. Turnover is infrequent, but not everyone on the list who is offered a slip takes it.
Roberts, who has been on the wait list since 1994, is hopeful.
“The guy ahead of me doesn”t have a 60-foot boat,” he said. “It just takes one boat to move.”
Jenni Strecker-Langenberg, 40, who has sailed on Sarah, said she”s happy for Roberts and believes his boat will attract attention.
“The yacht harbor will be lucky to have him,” she said.
Follow Sentinel reporter Jondi Gumz on Twitter: @jondigumz
AT A GLANCE
California Classic Sail
WHAT: Private charters aboard Sarah, 38-foot yawl, for up to six people
WHERE: Capitola
COST: $225 and up
INFORMATION: 706-8574 or www.californiaclassicsail.com
