Private Yacht Charters
Do you want a “private experience on your own Yacht for the day?” We can help!
There are many virtues of having the ship to yourself, deciding your own course, and choosing the people with whom you'd like to sail on the San Francisco Bay along the way. After Covid, we are only doing private sails for the moment. the demand for ticketed tours has not returned.
Imagine a scenario where the wind fills the sails, you can slow down, let mother nature surround you and propel you to your sailing destination. There are so few things in the modern world that can take you back to simpler times all while teaching you the value of co-existing with nature! It is truly magical when you stumble up a harbor porpoise, flock of pelicans, or friendly sea lion. We can help you...“Experience the Bay in a Whole New Way.”
Once you set foot on our gorgeous 72’ Schooner, Gas Light, you will instantly feel tingles of excitement as you take in the expansive decks and warm comfortable interior. The anticipation of your journey is palpable thinking about the unforgettable views of the City Skyline, the Bay Bridge, and more - and we have barely even left the dock!
As you explore our yacht and head down below to drop off your gear, you will be amazed and impressed by our massive speakeasy-like “living room” with huge, comfy seating lining both sides, a center island for eating or hanging out as well as two full bathrooms or what mariners call heads, and host bar to boot! Grab a captains hat and head for the bar. That is what most sailors do.
Before heading back up to the deck to soak up the salty air, you may want to grab our Signature Cocktail, The Dark & Stormy (Captain Steve’s favorite), or a beer, wine or cocktail of your choice so you can literally drink in all of the views up above on deck.
Whether you are joining us for a Team-Building Event thru your company or an intimate Wedding, Birthday celebration or just a day of Sailing, one thing is for certain, you will love every second of it. Stop and take a moment to rejoice in the experience. Our experienced Team of Sailors will hoist our massive sails as we glide past such iconic landmarks as Alcatraz - up close and personal, to the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, views of Marin and Mt. Tam, and of course, the majestic skyline of San Francisco with The Ferry Building, Coit Tower, Aquatic Park, and Pier 39 to name a few.
As you mingle with other Guests, Friends, Family, or Colleagues, you will all agree that THIS is how you enjoy a day on the Bay and you can now say, that YOU have experienced the Bay in a whole new way with Bay Lights Charters aboard Gas Light.
Grab a Captain’s Hat for a photo op with your friends or Captain Steve - he is sure to oblige - and share it with your friends on Social Media - and don’t forget, tag us so we see it and share it too! #baylightscharters
Depending on what sights you want to see and where you live we have 3 convenient locations to choose where you would like to sail out of. While each has its perks, there are no bad decisions. Let's say you live in San Francisco and choose to board the boat at pier 40, remember the piers are even and odd not in a numerical number sequence. This means pier 40 is not next to the famous pier 39. Pier 40 is located by the Giants baseball stadium and gives great access to McCovey Cove. For the Giants baseball fan, there are many ways to enjoy a game with your favorite crew! Few, however, have as convenient and easy access to a decent anchor location adjacent to the first-class marina as South Beach Harbor!
Also known as Pier 40, this modern Marina is within a 5-minute walk to AT&T Park or a 15 minute motor to McCovey Cove. One idea is to hop aboard our Tall Ship Gas Light and head over to watch the game on the boat from the JumboTron! FUN, FUN, FUN! The south entrance opens up directly on the small cove known as McCovey Cove. This "V" shaped notch in the shoreline is actually a fun place to anchor anytime, particularly during SF Giants home games! If you wish to actually watch the game, it can be done by either anchoring or motoring along the southern bank of the cove and viewing the Jumbotron as the game is underway. McCovey Cove is also a nice place to anchor for the day to simply get out of the central Bay wind, chill, and chop.
If baseball isn't your jam, leaving from Pier 40 is a GREAT way to explore the City Front, Alcatraz, and if the tide and current are favorable it is not unheard of to get to Aquatic Park with a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
If your goal is to go under the Golden Gate Bridge, the Horseshoe Cove as a pickup location is your best bet. This Cove is adjacent to the North Tower of the bridge so the views are unbelievable. After going under the bridge you and your crew might like to sip adult beverages and enjoy a meal as we cruise up the Sausalito waterfront. With so much history, like the World War 2 Liberty Ship Manufacturing, Famous hippies of the 70's who called Marin Home ( Fleetwood Mac recorded "rumors" here along with Janis Joplin, and so many more! The waterfront in Sausalito often provides shelter from the gusty winds under the Golden Gate Bridge and this makes for a warmer sail. Your group is welcome to help hoist the sails, perfect for a team-building exercise. Sailing in and of itself is a team-building sport especially on a Tall Ship like Gas Light! That said, you and your guests are also welcome to just sit back, relax, and enjoy the sites. So many photo opportunities present themselves that it can be fun to do a photo contest for all aboard.
Sausalito is also a prime location to meet the boat if you want to do an Angel Island Picnic or BBQ. There is only one space at the docks on Angel Island so we will need to plan for this. Once on the island, you can set up a volleyball net, go for a hike, rent bikes, or take the tram tour. Being on Angel Island is an experience like no other with full 360-degree views of San Francisco from atop of the island. So much history to explore here as well.
Finally, we give you the option of meeting the boat at Marina Bay in Richmond. This location is often referred to as the Richmond Riviera as the sun tends to come out first here and the temperature is almost always warmer than the rest of the bay. As we leave the docks, we will journey past the famous World War two "Rosie the Riveter" museum. Brooks island and then you can see all 3 bridges, Bay, Richmond, and Golden Gate Bridge! Truly spectacular! This location offers the least expensive docking fees and easy access off the freeway with plenty of free parking. It is also the best location for calm, warm sailing.
Once you've picked your pick up location, next it is time to think about the timeslot you want to board the boat. We typically offer 3 different options all with a 3-hour minimum. If you are planning a meeting or memorial/ash scattering sail morning tends to be best, like 10:30-1:30 pm. This is because the strong winds that San Francisco Bay is known for and what makes sailing so very epic don't tend to pick up until the early afternoon. So this makes for the least weather issues especially when spreading the ashes of a loved one. This timeslot tends to work best for youth sailors too but really there is no bad time to be out on the bay if you ask us!
If you are looking for a corporate team-building event then the 2-5 pm option might be the best fit for your group. A late lunch or afternoon snack can be arranged and keeping within business hours is always appreciated by employees. This timeframe also allows for the winds to build and the heat of the day to be exploited. It is our most popular timeslot so be sure to act quickly!
Finally, we offer a sunset cruise. This tends to be our most popular for weddings, birthdays, and holiday parties. We can raise the sails and enjoy the exhilaration of sailing until a half-hour after the sunsets. Once the sun has set it is truly magical to be out on the water and see the city lights all aglow! There is no other view that compares if you ask us! This timeslot is perfect for a cocktail party, wine tasting, or food pairing event!
Many of our guests decide to make their sail an annual party event. Being on a spacious, stable, and beautiful yacht not only makes your guests enjoy the gathering... they will be talking about it for years to come... "remember when we saw the whales on the bay! Too Cool!!"
You can take our word for it that sailing is a blast or you can read what some of our guests have to say about us:
"Best Part of our San Francisco Vacation Trip was sailing with Bay Lights Charters!” This can be a memory you will cherish for many years to come. Buy experiences not things! Things break where experiences help shape you and contribute to happiness.
Don’t trust us… this quote is from an actual guest…“They took our family including our three sons and their families on a tour of the Golden Gate Bridge, ate dinner in McCovey Cove while watching the Jumbotron and caught the most beautiful sunset all while the crew told us fun stories about the area and sailing in general. Allie took lots of pictures of our family that will be treasured for a lifetime, they are even posted on YouTube in video form. We highly recommend you book a sailing adventure with them. It was the best vacation adventure ever! Worth every penny! Don't miss this adventure when you are in the San Francisco area." Trish C
"Bay Lights Charters crew were great and we chartered their boat to take some friends from both in and out of town around the bay this summer. They provided us great service from picking us up in Sausalito, having a load of healthy and yummy food and drinks on board, to letting our kids drive the boat! They even sent us great pics of the trip as they were also professional photographers in their last career, which you can tell by the composition and quality of the pics they sent us. We really enjoyed the sailing and would highly recommend them and would not hesitate to use them again." Dylan C
"This past week I was lucky enough to find an opening to charter Gas Light. We departed from Sausalito, Horseshoe Cove the wind was brisk and the central San Francisco Bay was choppy but their boat remained flat and smooth as we sailed around the back channels of Sausalito, and Tiburon where we were able to see all the beauty of the inlets of Marin. The weather was warm, the sun was strong! We ran into some seals and other sea birds as well. After the warmup and some refreshing beverages, we set the sails and headed into the Bay. We went to Alcatraz, Angel Island, and then sailed straight into the sunset!!
Yelp may need to add 6 stars!!
A DEFINITE MUST for everyone.
Thank You!!!" Mike R
"One of the most incredible sailing days on the San Francisco Bay ever! Not only is the sailing incredible with a very competent Captain Steve at the helm, but the dazzling crew also makes it a day you'll never forget. So majestic to sail on a Tall Ship like Gas Light! Whether it's a special occasion or family visiting in town and you want to give them a memory of a lifetime Bay Lights Charters is the one for you. We will be back!" Cheri T
"My brother Lucky has been residing in our house for 9 years. Well, his ashes have anyways, enter Bay Lights Charters and the Gas Light the Tall Ship sailing yacht. On a beautiful Saturday with calm seas and bright sunlight we sailed out under the Golden Gate Bridge and in the blue Pacific Ocean, scattered my brother's ashes at sea.
We had a very nice and short ceremony and now my brother is at rest in the ocean he enjoyed so much. I cannot thank you all enough for making this such a smooth and stress-free event. You are the best, that is what my wife says and I couldn't agree with her more" Jack P.
"My fiancé and I joined a group of friends aboard the Tall Ship Gas Light for an amazing trip through the bay chartered by Capt. Steve and crew... Who I must add are the most incredible hosts! The boat was stocked with wine & beer and the h'orderves and food were great and they were willing to cater to our taste of music, but the Bob Marley, Jack Johnson, and cool island tunes they had playing were perfect for our amazing charter! Definitely recommend Bay Lights Charters!!" Greg D
"This is a great adventure, hosted by the wonderful Crew of Bay Lights Charters. We took our family and grandkids and had a bucket list day!!!! Thanks again, We will be back..." The Hosler family
"Bay Lights Charters offers an amazing trip on the Bay. Not only was the trip beautiful and relaxing, but they were excellent hosts as well. They prepared a delicious food tray and were very prepared to entertain with drinks and music. This was an awesome addition to our trip and I would highly recommend going out on a sail with them. Thanks, Captain and crew of Gas Light!" -Alexis J
"We took a sailing trip for our daughter's 15th birthday and the day was great. Their boat, Gas Light is beautiful and well kept. They were informative, knowledgeable, friendly, and fun! They showed our kids the ropes, literally, and let our daughter take the wheel while sailing. My daughter and all her friends said it was the best birthday party they had ever been to... when a teenager says that, you know it is fun. We couldn't have asked for more. Also, they put a great lunchtime spread together for us. I highly recommend them if you are looking for a beautiful sailing trip out on the bay." Stacie W
To see more reviews, visit Yelp, Google, or Wedding Wire.
We at Bay Lights Charters already offer private celebrations like wedding ceremonies and receptions. Many couples have chosen to Tie the Knot aboard our tall ship Gas Light. A Tall Ship is a PERFECT venue for an intimate wedding. With a private sailing adventure you and your guests will enjoy the uniqueness and ever-changing scenery.
Our very own Captain can and will perform the ceremony if you choose. Each ceremony is custom and tailored to the couples wishes.
Here is a sample ceremony from a recent event:
Family & friends, we are gathered here, right here in the sight of God and this fine company to join this man right here and this woman in holy matrimony… tuck this moment in your heart … it’s a big one.
You know Everyone here on this yacht has a story. But the biggest story out here today is xxx & xxx story… they are why we have all gathered out here today. They wanted me to welcome you and tell you that each and every one of you has played a role in helping them get to this moment where the two become one.
Who here on this yacht gives their blessing that this woman should marry this man… father of the bride and the guests say "we do”
tell dad to give her a hug and kiss then sit down.
You know A ceremony is important because it marks important moments in our lives. They remind us that there are days that can change us forever. Today is one of those days for these two and lucky us we get to witness and help mark their lives with this union… A promise really that you two brought with you today. This promise will forever change you, your families, and friends. Today this promise Creates a family where you will vow to look after each other, grow and do your best to care for one another no matter what life brings your way. You vow to Love even if Loving gets hard.
You know Love is a temporary madness it erupts like volcanoes and then it subsides and when it subsides you have to make a decision.
you have to work out whether or not your roots have intertwined so far that it is inconceivable that you should ever part because that is what true love is, working it out no matter what “it” is.
Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promise of eternal passion. That is just being in love… that is what any fool can do. Real love is saying day in and day out I choose you again and again.
This day these friends will marry with love and as love brings new meaning to life so marriage brings new meaning to love. That it does!
I wasn’t lucky enough to watch your story unfold so I asked you both to tell me a little more about how it happened. insert their story.
We’ve talked about love, promises and vows now we are at the part of the ceremony where you both get to make those declarations to each other :
These delectations of love say …
I love you not only for who and what you are but who and what I am when I am with you.
I’ll love you for not only what you have made of yourself but what you are making of me.
I’ll love you for the part of me that you bring out.
I’ll love you for putting your hand into my heaped-up heart and passing over all the foolish and weak things that you couldn’t help but notice there and for drawing out all the beautiful belongings that no one else had looked quite hard enough to find.
I will love you because you are helping me to make a love of my life, not a tavern but a temple.
I'll love you because you have done more than any creed could have done to make me good and given me more than faith in love to make me happy.
You have done it without a touch, without a word, you have done it just by being yourself.
When I met you I had no idea how much my life was about to be changed but, then how could I have known. A love like ours happens once in a lifetime. You are a miracle to me, the one who is everything I could have dreamed of. The one who existed only in my imagination. Yet here we are today joining together as husband and wife.
xxx today do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in matrimony will you love her, honor her, keep her in sickness and health and will you forsake all others and keep your self only for her until death do you part, for as long as you both shall live,
I DO.
xxx today do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in matrimony will you love her, honor her, keep her in sickness and health and will you forsake all others and keep your self only for him until death do you part, for as long as you both shall live,
I DO
this is where the couple reads their own vows if they want to.
For thousands of years, couples have exchanged rings as a token of their vows.
Traditionally, these simple bands signified a value by couples who wear them and those who see them. Your rings say that even in your uniqueness and out of everyone on this earth you have chosen to be bound together. Let these rings also be a symbol that love has substance and a soul and LOVE is a circle of happiness, wonder, and delight that you will nurture and care for all the days of your life.
xx place the Ring on xx finger and repeat after me: I ask you to wear this ring today and every day. May it remind you that you will be carrying a part of me and my love with you everywhere you go.
With the vows said and the giving of rings exchanged, xxx and xxx this is the beginning of your marriage journey… it begins today and it begins now.
It is now my honor, and it is a BIG honor and a lot of fun to stand with you right here right now and declare some words that are going to change your life forever because…
For as much as xxx and xxx have consented in a marriage ceremony before this fine company and the other boats on the bay, by the power vested in me by the great state of Ca I now declare and proclaim you to be from this moment forward… husband and wife ….
xxx you may kiss your bride!!
How fun is that! Not to mention the couple's photos are just stunning with the City By the Bay as a backdrop!
One of the best parts is that we do all the work for you, and as weddings go we are uber affordable and stunningly beautiful!
Maybe you are wanting to do a memorial Ash Scattering and celebrate your loved one who has passed on. We can make this super personal and full of meaning! If your loved one is a sailor or not we like to ring the ship's bell 8 times after the ashes are spread to signify the changing of watch. This is a touching moment where everyone is brought into the present moment. The way the boat is layed out, it yields itself to intimate conversations and the perfect opportunity to remember the one who has passed.
Another fun cruise is a Surprise Marriage Proposal, we are only limited by YOUR imagination! This venue, Gas Light, can mold to most any event you can dream up!
No matter what event you decide to celebrate, even if there is no event at all just a planned day of fun, you will be hard-pressed to find a venue that breaks down to about $75 per person for the charter! This is about the cheapest thing one could do in SFO. period - let alone for a wedding. Did you know the average wedding in the US is $45,000! Bay Lights Charters makes hosting your favorite people affordable, unforgettable, and, truly a mesmerizing experience.
We ask you, why do a ticketed sail when you could have your own private sail?
What if you have more than 49 passengers? Let us help you organize a Tall Ship Regatta!! We can be your one-stop shop for reserving multiple ships that can race each other around the San Francisco Bay!
What ever your reason… get out on a boat, our boat please… Experience the bay in a whole new way!