MV Poseidon’s current home base is Ventura, California, a harbor ideally located to explore some of the most spectacular island anchorages to be found anywhere.

Click here for Brief Specifications of MV Poseidon

When Linda and I met and got married, we started to plan our ideal boat.  In addition to seaworthiness, and all the practical aspects of boat design, we were determined to find, build or develop a boat on which we could share our passion for food, wine and the boating lifestyle.

Linda was and is the perfect partner for such an endeavor.  She had previously owned and lived on boats – sailboats of all things! – but quickly agreed that, for our dream of cooking, eating, entertaining family and friends, we needed a larger boat with several must­-haves.  First, a great galley (kitchen); a spacious area overlooking the galley where friends and family could

watch and participate; lots of storage for provisions of food, wine and all the other supplies one needs for extended trips; a dining area for a dozen diners; a large outdoor cockpit for alfresco dining and entertaining; and of course all the comforts of a large home with guest accommodations.

All of this had to be handled, operated and maintained by the two of us.

Sounds easy? It was not.  After three years of searching, traveling all over the Pacific Coast and frustrating yacht brokers who told us that the boat we were looking for did not exist, that we would have to build a custom boat to suit us and it would be prohibitively expensive, we decided that one more try with a compromise boat would have to suffice.

In desperation, we made a trip to San Diego to look at a converted commercial steel boat which turned out to be totally unacceptable.  The broker we were talking to remembered another boat which had been operated for years as a charter- and corporate yacht and had recently been placed on the market.  His opinion was that we were probably crazy enough to see that in spite of her neglected condition, we could visualize the possibility of its return to glory and the fulfillment of our dream.

With sufficient apology, disclaimer and head shaking he introduced us to “Poseidon”.  We walked down the ramp, saw Poseidon, stopped dead in our tracks, looked at each other and knew that our prayers were answered.  I said to Linda that, no matter how badly we wanted this boat, we could not appear too ‘sold.’  We needed to seem unconvinced so that we could negotiate the best prices.

We went aboard, briefly inspected her, asked a few questions and Linda blurted out “We’ll take it!” So much for seeming unconvinced!   Probably somewhat half-heartedly, I tried to bargain.  The price was too high.  The boat needed too much work. She was too large for our needs.  A whole host of comments which I really did not believe for I, too, had fallen in love with MV Poseidon.

John’s story continues next week …