About Sail Riviera
Sail Riviera began as a childhood dream, born from necessity. By late spring 2020, my 29-year wedding and portrait photography business collapsed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time in decades, I found myself without a job, prompting me to seize new opportunities. As a licensed sailing captain, I finally had a chance to start a yacht charter business.
The pandemic inspired many to seek outdoor experiences with their families, making Riviera the ideal vessel. Victoria and I envisioned a luxurious sailing experience. Although a small operation, we aimed to offer the most well-appointed, comfortable, and private sailing experience in San Diego.
Meet Captain Paul
People are often surprised to hear I am a professional photographer. But photography was not my first love. Sailing was.
Before I could spell sailboat, I held the tiller on dad's Lido 14. At 16, I was teaching sailing in San Diego Bay. Although I was enticed and intrigued by the shady and sometimes nefarious sailing lifestyle, photography, and the desire to satisfy my artistic hunger, won out, and I focused on building Barnett Photographics.
2011 was the turning point. My dad, the man that taught me how to sail, said to me, "Paul, all you do is work. You've built a great business, but you need balance. You need a boat, and you need to sail."
Sail Riviera combines my love of sailing and my love for people. It's probably not the "hobby" my father was thinking of, but the satisfaction I get from giving the sailing experience to our guests is priceless.
Explore the yacht
SV Riviera is a 51-foot, French-built Dufour 512 Sailing Yacht. Designed by famed Italian naval architect Umberto Felci, The Dufour 512 is a masterful yacht that blends performance, space, comfort, and style.
The spacious deck and sizeable T-shaped cockpit featuring teak decks, soft custom cushions, and full or partial sunshade options can comfortably accommodate up to 10 guests with plenty of room for sunbathing and easy movement. At anchor or dockside, the transom deploys, providing a massive swim step platform and an outdoor galley space for barbequing and cockpit entertaining.
Below deck, the massive salon welcomes you to sit back and relax as if in your living room. During the day, natural light pours into the salon. In the evening, well-appointed accent lighting gives a soft glow throughout the staterooms, highlighting the high level of finish, engineering, and attention to detail that gives Riviera a super-yacht feel.
Underway, Riviera's race-boat pedigree is evident in the robust hull with wide transom and hull chines. This big Dufour maximizes waterline enhancing speed with a straight-edge bow and stern. Captain Paul welcomes you to take the helm and feel Riviera's powerful responsiveness, speed, and balance while under sail. We strive to create an atmosphere of ownership. We want our guests to feel at home as if the Riviera were their yacht.
Our crew
Oh sure, our crew are Forbes-trained servers, and yes, the yacht is immaculate, but that's not what makes Sail Riviera unique.
5-star service is not rocket science. It's all about the little things. What's the Champagne's temperature? Is the playlist qued up? Are the blanket warmers turned on? Are the bathrooms spotless? The primary guest asked for Romeo & Julieta Robustos. Are they humidified and ready? The 82-year matriarch wanted Chicken McNuggets; ok, which one of us is driving to McDonald's?
This is what sets us apart. It's not just service; it's luxury.
Ready to sail?
Contact us today for booking and availability
What our guests say
“Sail Riviera is a must-do when visiting San Diego! From the moment we set sail to stepping off the boat after a beautiful sunset cruise, there was no detail overlooked and our family of 5 (including kids ages 12, 9 and 3) loved every minute! Wonderful food and drink topped only by seeing the city by sea and awesome animal sightings, we cannot recommend Paul and his crew enough. Five stars indeed!"
Catie Salyer - Fairmont, Grand Del Mar