sausalito yacht tour

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All the planning for a perfect nautical adventure on the San Francisco Bay is already done for you. Check out our all-inclusive packages, including Angel Island and SF Giants in McCovey Cove.

Sailing on the San Francisco Bay

The San Francisco Bay is a world-class sailing destination. From chartering a boat for a private event to reserving tickets for a sunset tour, there’s something for everyone!

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Grab your team and get out on the San Francisco Bay for an unforgettable company outing. Unplug and spend some quality time with your co-workers, with offsite experiences for teams of all sizes.

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Cruise the San Francisco Bay aboard a local motor yacht. Casual to full service events are available for all price ranges. Step aboard today!

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Public Sails on SF Bay

Come aboard one of our weekly excursions, including eco-sails, sunsets and holiday fireworks cruises. Our ticketed events are a favorite for guests of all ages!

Memorials & Ash Scatterings

SF Bay Adventures has helped guests with celebration of life services on the SF Bay since 1988. Let our experienced team assist you in carrying out your loved one’s final wishes.

Marine Film, Production & Safety

SF Bay Adventures has been at the helm of marine film and photography projects on the San Francisco Bay for over 30 years. Safety services include small boats for swims, races and other special events.

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Say “I do” on San Francisco Bay! Select an all-inclusive wedding package or completely customize your special day. Our experienced staff is standing by to help you plan the perfect nautical wedding.

Angel Island

Some of the best and most diverse views of the Bay Area are found while hiking or meandering on Angel Island. Accessible only by boat or ferry Angel Island is located just off of the Marin County mainland. The island is a National History Landmark as it was used as an immigration station.

Whale Watching, Wildlife & Ecology

San Francisco Bay is uniquely located just inland of the Pacific Ocean. Marine Mammals, Birds and Wildlife are attracted to the protected waters that lay just inside and beyond the famous Golden Gate Bridge. The Bay’s brackish waters are hospitable for life from both the ocean and rivers.

Sunset Cruise on the SF Bay

Nothing compares to a sunset on the famous San Francisco Bay. Enjoy golden hour aboard a private sail, motor yacht charter or public ticketed cruise. SF Bay Adventures offers every price level for a magical experience on the water.

SF Bay Sunset Cruise

An SF Bay sunset cruise is the ultimate Bay Area experience! See the most iconic sights from the very special vantage of the water. Famous landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge , Alcatraz Island, Crissy Field, Fort Mason, the Bay Bridge, Mount Tamalpais, Angel Island and more are shown in their best light; the golden hour – all while enjoying an unforgettable sunset.

An SF Bay sunset cruise is the perfect way to liven up your weekend. It’s an ideal mix of luxury and adventure! Choose an intimate private charter for a San Francisco sunset cruise on the charming, all wood Grand Banks, Cimba . Or get a fun group together and come aboard a classic tall ship like the Schooner Freda B . Another wonderful way to get out on the Bay is always a Public sails !

Sunset Sail on San Francisco Bay- Friday Nights

Marine Wildlife and Ecology 2024 – Sail under the Golden Gate Bridge

Sailing in Sausalito: A Complete Guide

Ahoy, adventurous souls! Welcome to the shimmering waters of Sausalito, California. This picturesque seaside community – nestled on the northern end of the iconic Golden Gate, after which the bridge is named – is not just an artist’s haven or a foodie’s paradise; it’s a sailor’s dream.

Sausalito, with its sweeping vistas of San Francisco and the Pacific, offers more than just stunning views – it promises an fun sailing experience, unparalleled by few other locations in the world.

Whether you’re piloting your own vessel, taking a sailing tour, hiring a chartered yacht, or up for an adventure in renting a boat, sailing in Sausalito promises to be an incredible way to experience my favorite coastal town. In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know to go sailing in Sausalito – on your own, in a group, or however you choose.

This post covers the essentials you need to get to Sausalito by boat and/or start your sailing adventure here; you can use the rest of this site to plan your time in Sausalito once you step back on land. Are you ready to take the helm and explore the sailor’s nirvana that is Sausalito? Let’s batten down the hatches, and sail into an unforgettable adventure.

Table of Contents

Sausalito Sailing Tours

It’s no surprise that most travelers have sailing in mind when they come to Sausalito. I mean, there’s a lot of water around the town. You’ll be spoilt with choice when it comes companies that offer tours for sailing in Sausalito. Just so you don’t get overwhelmed, I’ve listed the best sailing businesses below so you can browse their options and enjoy a day out in the water!

Schooner Freda B Public Sailings

Schooner Freda B Public Sailings offers some of the most popular Sausalito sailing tours. They have tons of tour options, but popped love the most that they all have this old-school wood boat bay tours aura.  If you go to their website, you’ll notice they offer private charters,  sunset sails, wedding celebrations, birthday parties, and more, and also public sails.

Captain Kirk’s Sausalito Sailing

If you don’t enjoy mingling with strangers, Captain Kirk’s Sausalito Sailing offers only private charters. They host their sailing adventures on three yachts: the Bay Wolf , the Mahalo , and the Osprey . There’s no shortage of trips to choose from: sunset sailings, Angel Island Barbecue, sailing lessons; you can even book an Ash Scattering Memorial.

(If you don’t get the joke behind the name of this company, Starfleet Headquarters is actually located in Sausalito – so it’s got an interesting connection to science fiction!)

SF Bay Adventures

SF Bay Adventures has a huge fleet, but they alaos also own and host some of their most popular trips for sailing in Sausalito aboard a Schooner Freda B – which is gorgeous, by the way. They offer public sails, but their strong point are private charters. You can choose from yacht charters on SF Bay to private events packages.

Fine Day for Sailing

A Fine Day for Sailing is a lesser known sailing outfit. Heather Richard is the captain of the yacht Carodon . She offers her boat for private charter to those who intent on spending one of our days out sailing the bay. Her service portfolio includes from nautical photo shoots and events to naturalist-led excursions on the water.

Sausalito Boats for Rent

If you prefer something more personal, you can always turn to locals who open their boats and yachts to travelers. There are two Sausalito boat rentals you can explore online. 

Boatsetter  

Boatsetters is a boat rental community that’s been active since 2012. The platform allows travelers to connect with boat owners, and licensed captains. You’ll find different kinds of experiences, from short sails around the bay or a day-long fishing excursion. 

As of publishing in mid-2023, there are 10 boats available for rent in Sausalito on Boatsetter .

GetMyBoat is very cool online platform that offers both captained experiences and drive-it-yourself rentals; it’s similar to Boatsetter. They also have 9 listings of boats for rent in Sausalito – it looks like many of the same boats are available on both platforms.

Sailing Your Own Boat in Sausalito

If you have your own boat and want to come visit Sausalito, there are other considerations too. Below are some tips to help you make the most of your time in this lovely community.

Sailing in Richardson Bay

Richardson Bay is a beautiful spot to go sailing – but it can be a bit treacherous; there is a problem with anchor-out boats that obstruct the main channels.

I strongly recommend consulting sailing charts to get an overall sense of the area, plus using your radar/AIS and your eyes to look for both anchored boats and unpowered craft (like kayaks , of which there are many on a weekend). I also advise against sailing into Richardson Bay at night since not all of the boats are properly lit to help you avoid collisions.

Day/Overnight Moorage in Sausalito

Several of Sausalito’s marinas offer daily/overnight moorage. You should definitely call each marina before you sail into town, just to confirm the details and availability. Here are ones you can start with:

• Schoonmaker Point Marina  has daily moorage from $2-$4 per foot, depending on length
• Clipper Yacht Harbor  also offers daily moorage from $2-$3 per foot

Sausalito Yacht Club , Sausalito Cruising Club , and Marina Plaza Harbor may all also offer daily moorage, but I don’t know the details – definitely call to inquire. (Some may require membership too, just FYI.)

Long-Term Moorage in Sausalito

If you’re looking for monthly or longer moorage, there are options for that too.

• Schoonmaker Point Marina  also has monthly moorage from $21.80 per foot
• Blue Water Yacht Harbor  offers monthly moorage from $12.25 per foot
• Clipper Yacht Harbor  also offers monthly moorage from $13-$28 per foot
• Richardson Bay Marina  has monthly moorage rates starting from $14.50 per foot

Pelican Harbour , Bridgeway Marina, Sausalito Cruising Club, and Marina Plaza Harbor also may offer monthly moorage; I don’t have details for these ones either, so I’d start with the four listed above and choose one of them if possible.

As for live-aboard slips (like the one we had in Bridgeway Marina), I’m sorry to burst your bubble but those aren’t really available in Sausalito. Most marinas that have live-aboard slips have a multi-year waiting list.

Have any other questions about sailing in Sausalito, from renting a boat, sailing your own, or where to park it? Let me know in the comments below!

Valerie fell in love with Sausalito after her very first visit; she and her husband then moved there in 2019. It's one of her favorite places in the Bay Area and she's excited to show you the best parts of her city.

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Sailing Charters

Nautical Weddings, Regattas, Angel Island Picnics and BBQ’s

History of Freda B

Beautifully Maintained Classic Schooner Available for Private and Public Sails

Take a step back in time to the traditional days of sailing.

Freda B is a beautiful 80′ coastal  schooner  available for private rental and public sails on the San Francisco Bay. The US Coast Guard has certified her to carry up to 49 guests.

Meticulously maintained and every inch a yacht, she is well-known as the most comfortable, stable and stylish sailboat in charter on the entire Bay waters and beyond.

Freda B’s professional hospitality team proudly offers gourmet local and organic catering options plus California beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages.

Set sail with us on the magical San Francisco Bay aboard the classic schooner, Freda B!

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Bay Area Wildlife Sail Under the Golden Gate

Year-Round Small Boat Charters

• SAUSALITO'S PREMIER YACHT CHARTER
• 1 (415) 332 3150
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San Francisco Bay

We invite you on our private uscg certified 75 foot motor charter yacht. suitable for many occasions, we hold up to 50 passengers. the five stars yacht is available for "private charter", and "special event public cruises" throughout the year. it has a stunning interior on 3 levels, a perfect blend of indoor and outdoor spaces, and can be outfitted for any type of event. full gourmet catering services and full premium bar available for every occasion..

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Sail the Magnificent San Francisco Bay

Private charters.

 Just your group and the captain and crew.

Three Excellent Yachts

3 convenient locations, all trips are private charters.

Outdoor, Fresh Air, Covid-Safe Activity.

Pet friendly.

Bring your puppy sailing!

Sailing San Francisco Bay for over 25 Years

Join us for private sailing yacht charters in San Francisco Bay with an experienced captain and crew. The captains at Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing have many years of experience and an accumulation of over 200,000 ocean miles.

Let us show you the beauty and thrill of sailing in San Francisco Bay. Bay Wolf, Osprey, and Mahalo are professionally-maintained yachts that sail very well in all conditions.

Your journey can begin in San Francisco, Sausalito or Alameda with easy access to the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Angel Island and the San Francisco waterfront, and more. We strive to meet your desires; each trip can be as exciting, relaxing or romantic as you wish. You can actively participate in sailing the boat or simply enjoy the ride.

Spring at last! It’s time to go sailing!

• We are booking dates for the summer now. Get in early for best selection.
• We are getting great days out on the bay now. Fun brisk wind in the afternoon, gentle calm wind in the morning – your choice – all fun!
• We aim for “Best Day Ever” on all our trips.
• Team building, Birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations – all good reasons to sail.
• Dog friendly! Bring your puppy for a sail.
• Gift certificates available for holidays and birthdays

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Great experience sailing with Captain Kirk and crew.. great views. Great time.. a day to remember! Highly recommended

Crystal Totah 

Terrific experience sailing out of Sausalito for sunset!  Beautiful boat, engaging crew and a chance at the helm during a magnificent sunset!  How can you not love that?

Marie Gimbrone

View more of our five star reviews on YELP , TRIPADVISOR and FACEBOOK

Santa Cruz 50 - (1-20 passengers)

Length 50 ft

Sailing From: Sausalito, or San Francisco

Freedom 35 - (1-6 passengers)

Length: 35ft

Sailing From: Sausalito only

Gulf Star 50 (1-20 passengers)

Length: 50 ft

Beam: 13 ft

Sailing From: Alameda, or San Francisco

  © Captain Kirk's San Francisco Sailing, LLC 2021 San Francisco Sailing Charters

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San Francisco's Top Tours

Come & enjoy a one of a kind experience.

• Ferry service to Sausalito, as well as cruise and sightseeing tickets can be purchased directly from this site and at the Box Office at PIER 39. Tickets to Harbor Bay, Main Street Alameda, Oakland, Richmond, Seaplane Lagoon, South San Francisco, Vallejo, Oracle Park and Chase Center can also be accessed on this site. General information is also available by calling 415-705-8200.
• Multi-language audio tours on the San Francisco Bay Cruise and Escape From the Rock Cruise around Alcatraz Island, are available in nine languages: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, French, Japanese, Korean, German & Taiwanese. Please bring your Wi-Fi enabled device to access the audio tour.
• Boat tours are offered daily and there are special seasonal events and charter boats available for your private event or celebration. For charter information and custom tour services, please call 415-705-8203.

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Sausalito Wooden Boat Tour

Review Highlights

“ The added treat at the end of the tour was Victoria having Tea & cookies awaiting us on a beautiful setting. ” in 14 reviews

“ She took us onto the docks to visit the houseboat and floating homes and made them come alive with her stories. ” in 2 reviews

“ Away from the crowded downtown Sausalito where most of the tourists congregate, there is this great house boat or floating home community with unique ornaments and beautiful flowers and shrubs. ” in 2 reviews

Location & Hours

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150 Harbor Drive 124

Sausalito, CA 94965

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About the business.

Business owner information

Victoria C.

Business Owner

We specialize in Waterfront Treasure Hunts and Walking Tours. Wooden boats and historic vessels lead the way.! Enjoy a delightful afternoon of strolling and storytelling, dancing, reciting and philosophizing with Sausalito artist and author of the Sausalito Wooden Boat Tour guide book, Victoria Colella. These tours and treasure hunts are for groups only. Advanced reservations are required. Call to book. Please visit our website for more details. Sea Ya Soon! …

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What began as an uncertain step into the unknown, quickly turned into a totally immerisive, educational and adventurous joyride. Victoria and Jocelyn brought the history of the place to life in the most magical way, fully activating all the senses. We learned, we laughed, and we even danced!! Finishing the day over delcious snacks together in Victoria's beautiful studio space capped off a satisfying and memorable day. A truly unique experience, highly recommended to the curious and the adventurous

Victoria has the monopoly for tours in Sausalito, so don't bother looking elsewhere! I've been looking for a good excuse to visit Sausalito and this was perfect! Tours are VERY pricey. I did see some online deals before with Travelzoo or Groupon, but I didn't want to hold out. Friend was visiting during Easter weekend and I decided to bite the bullet. Be careful in choosing which days to take the tour. We went on Sunday, and heath and the boating school were closed. She made up for up by getting us inside a ship (GoGetter tugboat). You need keys to get in, and she usually does't do this on other tours. The tour is 3 hours long and requires quite a bit of walking. Come with good shoes and sunscreen. There are some AMAZING photo spots. At some points, I was struggling on whether I should listen or I should be snapping. There also another special bonus too! We got free tea service at her work place afterwards. Her mint tea and strawberry shortcake were fabulous and yummy!!! How awesome!!! We had such a great time, and I highly recommend anyone wanting to explore more of SF to come out here. It's a good excuse to finally cross the Golden Gate Bridge! ^_^

I thoroughly loved this tour. It was so fascinating to learn of this world on the wooden boats and the culture of their existence as narrated by our tour guide Victoria. She was knowledgeable, insightful and entertaining. It is 3 1/2hrs and my recommendation is to wear closed toes tennis shoes/sneakers. There are areas with gravel like surface so your going to want to protect your feet. My other advice is to use the restroom close to the meeting point because there is only another public restrooms at the end of the tour. The added treat at the end of the tour was Victoria having Tea & cookies awaiting us on a beautiful setting. I have told everyone about this tour and share my pictures of the inside of the homes we were allowed into. She has a book about the history of this area and I highly recommend it. Take an afternoon calmly sauntering this world of the wooden boats and take it all in in delightful amazement.

Victoria took us on an amazing walking tour of the Sausalito houseboat communities with a wonderful prospective of history and hands-on participation, being a real part of this vibrant bay area treasure. I really enjoyed taking the time to walk with Victoria and take in her love and knowledge of Sausalito's historic waterfront. She has many awards and recommendations but I wanted to add my own. Highly recommended.

See all photos from Walker S. for Sausalito Wooden Boat Tour

Victoria, If only our Taxi ride back to the airport was as awesome as our tour. Everyone else, This tour was great. If you plan on going to Sausalito you must take this tour. You will learn so much about the history of Sausalito and see some really cool house boats and "arks" - floating houses. Victoria really knew her stuff and was not only warm and a delight to visit with, she had a special treat waiting for us all at the end of the tour. We loved the tour so much we went back again today and spent some time there on our own. We even stopped at a restaurant (Anchorage 5) we saw along the way and had the best omellete we have in a long while. Anyway - the tour was really worth the cost and you will enjoy everything you see, hear and learn. Sausalito is better in many ways because of the three hours we took with Victoria! As for the taxi ride - look up my other reviews on Marin Door-to-Door and Bel-aire taxi. Not a good experience, but it had nothing to do with the tour. We can't wait for our next trip to San Fran and to Sausalito. Hoo Hoo!!

I guess there aren't many reviews on here for this because it really is the best-kept secret of things to do in Sausalito. This tour goes way beyond wooden boats; it's really an inside view of a totally different culture and lifestyle. Not only are the boats themselves works of art, but what people have done to them on top of that as well as what these vessels have evolved and transofrmed into is amazing. It's like burning man on the water :) Very cool, a great way to spend a day out of the city and by the water. P.S. the sausalito wooden boat tour is now rated the #1 best thing to do in sausalito on TripAdvisor.com ...it's sooooooooo sweet :)

Victoria is a delight, and the Sausalito Wooden Boat Tour was wonderful. I am an anchor-out from long ago, and currently live on a boat, and I learned a lot! Highlights included the history of the Marinship, information about building wooden boats, and about artists (Varda), philosophers (Alan Watts) and musicians (Joe Tate) who live(d) on boats. Great tour, ending with tea, raspberries, blueberries and cookies in Victoria's studio.

Victoria definitely has the charisma and energy for this great tour. I enjoyed touring the houseboat and floating home communities.

We walked for three+ hours with Victoria (not difficult walking, though), learning of the fascinating history of this wonderful and unique area in Sausalito. I must have taken 200 photos because around every corner were these beautiful, charming, or curious sights of the houseboats and floating boats on the water. And then there were the wooden ships and the boatbuilding shop. The graceful lines of these vessels and the care with which they were made were inspiring. And they're still being made! Thank you, Victoria!

If I could I'd give this -stars. I did my tour at the end of June for my birthday.This tour is a walking tour where you literally just look walk and look at house boats and wooden boats that's pretty much it. You could easily do it yourself for less time. It was a complete waste of my friends and I's time. It was boring and I could have just bought Victoria's book and shown friends around. So not worth $50 per person. Nothing special about it. Our guide had us reading out of the book Victoria wrote instead of telling us information. I was so upset to begin because I thought it was a boat tour where you go on a boat and go all over Sausalito but it was a whole 3 hours of walking around looking at house boats. There website is very misleading and very confusing. We didn't even get to go inside them because people live in them. I would never recommend this tour to any one just do a tour of downtown Sausalito is way more worth it. Also beware when buying that the tickets are non refundable I'm not sure why because showing people around isn't hard to give money back. Please don't waste your money on this tour just buy her book and do it yourself if you're interested in Wooden boats. It's way more worth your time and money. The only part I and my friends enjoyed was the tea and cookies but even then I wouldn't pay $50 for boats, cookies and tea.

May 9, 2016

Hi Jessica, I couldn't make it that day and I guess Stuart did not meet your expectations. "Stroll the Docks of the Bay" is how I advertise the tours and again "Historic Houseboat Walking Tour" but I guess you saw the word "boat" and got the wrong impression. I don't promise going aboard a boat or floating home, and if you were expecting this I can see why you were upset. I've changed my website a bit and I hope helps clarify things. But you do like my book, which is cool. Stop by and I'll comp you a copy. Just give a call first. All Best, Victoria

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The Insiders Guide to Sausalito

Sausalito Houseboats 2024: How to Visit

Click here to return to our Houseboats Menu

Click here to see our sausalito houseboats for sale listings, sausalito houseboats, anyone can do a walking tour of the sausalito houseboats community.  you’ll see everything from architectural gems to beautifully repurposed old working boats. and if you expand your walk beyond the well known areas you’ll encounter, well, a few maintenance-challenged gangways, piers and vessels., insider tips:  when you visit the docks, it’s the same as when someone approaches the front porch of your home or strolls beneath the windows of your apartment. you’re really close to residents’ living space., residents prefer that you admire the boats from shore to reduce noise and avoid crowding on the narrow docks. i took the photo above from an easy to access spot within the area covered by the map below, and some of the best views of the floating homes come from shore., please keep voices and noise levels low. a nurse, chef, paramedic or firefighter who works a swing or graveyard shift may be sleeping nearby. if you have young kids in the family — as we do — walking the docks is not a good idea for both safety and noise level reasons., please do not smoke on or near the houseboat piers. the walkways are made of wood, and the top planks are dried by years of the hot summer sun. cigarette butts that enter bay waters are toxic to marine life., please don’t ride bikes on the docks. the pathways are narrow and there are many blind intersections with the gangways that lead to each home. (for residents this is a “don’t be a jerk” issue.), visitor dogs are prohibited from the docks due to visitors not having cleaned up after them.  this area is the “front yard” for each home so this is an important rule..

This vibrant community of floating homes recently turned 65 years old, but it remains as rebellious and vibrant as ever. You can read about the two most famous “golden era” Sausalito houseboats  on the Taj Mahal page  and on our  Forbes Island page .

Insiders Tip: If you’re hungry when you arrive in the floating homes neighborhood , you have three local favorites to choose from that have been listed multiple times in the Top 10 of our Best Cafes, Deli’s and Diners list:

• Davy Jones Deli inside the “Bait Shop Market” has excellent sandwiches
• Bayside Cafe offers tasty sit-down meals, next to Davy Jones at the Harbor Center on Gate 6 Road
• On Gate 5 Road just south of the floating homes area Anchorage 5 serves great American and Mexican breakfast and lunch items.

Insiders Tip:   One bike tour operator endangers both his clients and local residents by encouraging visitors to ride their bikes on the docks, which the Floating Homes owners have asked people not to do. Steer clear of renting bikes from anyone who says this is OK.

Where to See the Sausalito Houseboats

The easiest places to do a walking tour of a wide variety of houseboats are:

• Around the northern Gate 5 Road area (Liberty Dock, Issaquah Dock, South 40 Dock and Main Dock)
• At the Gate 6 Road Waldo Point Harbor area (Kappa’s Marina, Gate 6 1/2 Road behind the seaplane and heliport area)

In the map below I highlighted Liberty Dock and Issaquah Dock to get you started, which are towards the northern side of the Gate Five Road houseboats area. You can park in the Waldo Point Harbor lot for a shorter visit, or park on surface streets for a longer walk.

Marin Transit has Bus Stops on Bridgeway at Gate Five Road.

Insiders Tip:   Many members of the local community strongly prefer the term “Sausalito Floating Homes” to “Sausalito Houseboats.” Refer to them this way and you’re more likely to make friends with folks.

You’ll also see a few of the battered survivors from the old era of improvised houseboats of decades past.  Some docks are lined by beautiful flowers in containers that are tended by the owners as their “front yards”, and many of the homes have names and unique decorations.

Some of these homes were once boats of different kinds, and the architectural visions that translated them into floating houses can be fascinating.  As has been the tradition, many of the houseboat community members are professional artists.

Stick to the well-maintained areas on your walking tour.  There are some improvised walkways and planking near the shore in a few places but you don’t need to traverse any of these areas to admire the best architecture and it’s safer (and more respectful of residents’ privacy) to avoid them.

A paid walking tour of the houseboats, Liberty Ship shipyards area and the yacht harbors of Sausalito is offered on Saturdays and Sundays by a local guide.

Note: The space numbers on the docks on the map below were chosen randomly to get Google Maps to highlight each dock. There is no significance to the numbers chosen, and the houseboats moored there may be of little interest compared to others nearby.

. The walking route between the Bay Model and the main Sausalito Houseboats area is shown in this map:

Sausalito’s Floating Homes Community: Still Rebellious at 65

The famous Sausalito houseboat community chronicled in the late Phil Frank’s fascinating book of historical photos has a history that stretches back well over a century.

The modern community was born in 1945, when the hastily-built Marinship Shipyards were just as hastily shut down at the end of World War II. Returning veterans, artists, maritime workers, musicians and others appropriated the many abandoned vessels, small and large, as living spaces, and for over 25 years the community evolved and grew.

In its most famous era, from the 1950’s through the 1970’s, the area became a checkerboard of improvised floating homes that ranged from the elegant to the innovative-and-creative to the downright dangerous.  The population living there likewise became, well… the people ranged from the elegant to the innovative-and-creative to the downright dangerous.

After a series of incidents including a murder, local officials fought a long series of battles with various groups, and eventually struck a compromise where the remaining boats came into harbors, received much-needed sewer hookups and were formally approved as homes.

For some of the residents of the freewheeling boat community a wonderful way of life was lost because of the actions of a relative few.

On the other side of the equation, most of the old houseboats were not connected to sewer lines, which almost everyone agreed had become necessary as the population grew.  Walking around the area at low tide in the 1960’s and 1970’s often meant encountering a wall of nasty odors that would repel all but the most hardy travelers.  It got so bad that when the wind blew in from across the Bay at low tide you’d wince inside your car driving by northern Sausalito on Highway 101, and accelerate to get out of the bad smell faster!

Fortunately some of the most impassioned and creative members of the original community remain active in Sausalito today, and have  worked to preserve the remaining artifacts of our maritime history .  In September of 2013 they successfully saved the paddlewheel and smokestack of the Ferry Charles Van Damme from destruction, and they’re working to restore and display them, motivated by the boat’s 100th anniversary in 2016.

Check out our page on The Sausalito Historical Society for more links on Sausalito history.

The Annual Sausalito Floating Homes Tour

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See the video below for an example of what you’ll see on the tour.

Video Tour of Sausalito Houseboats

Here’s our favorite video about the floating homes community in Sausalito, with a great summary of the history of the houseboats.

Sausalito Wooden Boat Tour

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Classic Sausalito Wooden Boat Tour

Historic Houseboat Tour

Private Sausalito Waterfront Treasure Hunt

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Sausalito Wooden Boat Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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A 10 minute drive from San Francisco is Sausalito and a 40 minute drive to Wine Country.

Experience the charm of this Mediterranean seaside town for yourself!

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The trails are endless! If you’re starting out from San Francisco, make your way down the hill for a nice lunch then proceed to bike through town and make your way to Mill Valley or Tiburon. Don’t forget to stop at the Marin Headlands, EPIC views!

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If you’re looking for a change of pace, you can add a stop to your bike ride or hike and go kayaking or sailing in Sausalito . Don’t have your kayaking gear, not a problem, Sausalito has you covered!

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‘Anchor-out’ boat dwellers near Sausalito face eviction from Richardson Bay

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Chad Wycliffe was born on land but has lived on water for more than 25 years. He took up residence in a boat during the winter of 1997-98 to keep an eye on a friend amid a brutal El Niño season.

By 2014 or so, Wycliffe was a full-time “anchor-out,” part of a community of mariners permanently anchored on Richardson Bay, a particularly placid arm of San Francisco Bay ringed by the affluent communities of Sausalito, Mill Valley and Tiburon.

Today, Wycliffe lives on his 33-foot fishing boat, the Iron Maiden, with two 3-year-old Rottweiler-pit bull mixes, Wednesday and Cyrus. A security guard for a ship builder in Sausalito, Wycliffe is a man of few words. Of life on the water, he simply said, “I feel connected.”

That connection may not last much longer. Wycliffe’s boat is one of less than three dozen still moored on Richardson Bay—rent-free and unencumbered by permits or regulations—down from an estimated 200 only a few years ago. Working with the Army Corps of Engineers, local authorities have slowly worked to thin out their ranks in hopes of preserving an ecologically sensitive “Eelgrass Protection Zone.” 

Clinging to a crusty and increasingly anachronistic way of life, this small community that goes back to at least the 1970s now faces an existential question: Stay and fight, or move on. 

The Richardson Bay Regional Agency created the Eelgrass Protection Zone in cooperation with the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission and is working to relocate Wycliffe and his neighbors in phases over the next 2½ years.

In 2021, the agency and commission worked out an agreement to offer each boat dweller a kind of buyout package: $150 per foot for the length of their vessel in exchange for moving ashore, along with assistance in securing permanent housing. (Wycliffe would qualify for a roughly $5,000 payment.) 

As of March, the last four of Richardson Bay’s quirky “ floating homes ”—a unique category of vessel that’s different from both proper houseboats tethered to a dock and sailboats anchored hundreds of yards offshore—were removed. Almost everyone else is expected to be off the water by this October, with a small number of vessels allowed until 2026. The anchorage will be available only to boaters staying 72 hours or less, under a permit issued by the harbor master. 

Including Wycliffe’s Iron Maiden, some 32 vessels are currently moored on Richardson Bay. Not all are inhabited, and seven arrived too recently to be covered by the 2021 agreement. Several appear to be in poor condition, with visible accumulations of garbage. At least one is half-submerged.

On a tranquil Wednesday, Wycliffe voiced an objection shared by many of the libertarian-leaning boat dwellers: They’re being unfairly booted from their homes for a scientifically dubious reason 

Many anchor-outs say they’re victims of something resembling a terrorist campaign, claiming that their boats have been indiscriminately seized and junked.

For now, a mood of defiance prevails. Not far from the Iron Maiden, on the Gamecock, another fishing boat, Arthur Bruce is proud that he hasn’t had to lock his door in six years. He doesn’t want the agency’s “dirty money.” 

“They haven’t proven that they figured out a way to get rid of us yet,” his friend Keven Kiffer said. Kiffer has a contingency plan, though. “If I get kicked out, I’m going to the Mariana Islands. It’s a U.S. commonwealth.”

A shrinking flotilla

Richardson Bay Regional Agency Executive Director Brad Gross says that since he took over in January 2023, the number of vessels on the water has decreased considerably.

“When we started this agreement, there were over 200,” he said. “Now there are about 32 that have somebody attached to them, so we’ve made some substantial progress.” 

The goal is not merely a healthy habitat for marine life but also a well-maintained and navigable place for windsurfers, paddleboarders and cruising boaters who need a temporary place to anchor.

“I don’t think having a flotilla of illegally anchored vessels with people living on them and storing their belongings with dinghies and skiffs floating behind makes for a safe feeling for a kid doing a sailboat race,” Gross said.

Many anchor-outs contend that the Army Corps of Engineers has crushed boats arbitrarily and without due process, though the evidence is spotty. 

Jim Malcolm, the Richardson Bay Regional Agency harbor master, confirmed that the agency has a land-use agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers to use its debris yard for operations, but insisted the corps isn’t going rogue in the way some anchor-outs claim.

“To my knowledge, the Army Corps has never taken anything off the anchorage,” Malcolm said. “To the point that vessels are being seized without respect to ownership status, that’s incorrect.” 

Instead, he’s begun issuing citations via the postal service to boat owners’ registered mailing addresses. (The California Harbors and Navigation Code governs marine debris and abandoned vessels, with procedures in place for informing owners of violations.) 

“You have to have a mailing address to register a vessel,” he said. “You can’t just register with DMV and say, ‘Here’s my latitude and longitude.’” 

The importance of eelgrass

What we think of as San Francisco Bay is actually a complex of tidal estuaries, the largest on the Pacific coast of the Americas. Since industrialization began in earnest in the mid-19th century, more than one-third of it has been filled in to make room for houses, salt ponds and airports. 

Richardson Bay is one of the region’s most pristine alcoves, with eelgrass thriving in its sandy shallows beneath the anchor-outs’ keels. Looking a bit like scallion tops, eelgrass is not something that humans eat or use to produce anything. And yet, the marine health of Richardson Bay largely depends on it to provide a spawning habitat for the herring that form the basis of the marine food chain.

Keith Merkel, a marine biologist with the consulting firm Merkel and Associates, says that the 250,000-acre San Francisco Bay contains some 3,000 acres of fragile eelgrass, the second-largest habitat in the state. Of Richardson Bay’s 400 acres of eelgrass, approximately 75 acres have been lost to moorings and chains that drag around the bay floor, creating depressions and kicking up sediment that clouds the water.

In spite of what marine biologists say, the anchor-outs insist that their way of life doesn’t do much damage. To Bruce, the true environmental offenders are unchecked sulfite runoff from agriculture and illegal dumping from fancy yachts. 

Merkel says the science is unambiguous. “The anchor-outs are doing damage to the eelgrass beds. There’s no doubt about it,” he said. “We refer to it as ‘crop circles’ or ‘mooring spots.’”

Merkel contributed to the agency’s Restoration and Adaptive Management Plan, which shows damaged eelgrass beds in circular patterns surrounding anchor points. But, Merkel added, the purpose of his report was not to evict the mariners but to accommodate them. “That was the directive we had on our project: to find a way to coexist,” he said.

Sausalito, Wycliffe said, was a beautiful place. “And it still is. But the city and the people have changed. … Nobody owns this water, as much as they want to enforce rules upon it.”

Malcolm disputes this. “I’ve never encountered an ultra-rich person who thinks they’re unsightly,” he said.

In fact, most of these people don't pay attention to the boats at all.  “The anchored-out vessels are so far away you can’t actually make any determination of material condition,” Malcolm said. “They look like sailboats.”

A floating community in flux

A peaceful life on the bay may look idyllic from afar, but living on a damp, cramped seacraft that requires constant maintenance is anything but. And while a communitarian ethos has long prevailed on Richardson Bay, things sometimes go wrong. 

Abel Arrendondo, a boat cleaner and former anchor-out who currently lives on land, said that many boat dwellers lack insurance. Sometimes, when storms blow their vessels into a private dock in Tiburon, they often simply walk away, lacking either the means or the inclination to pay up. 

Three or four years ago, Arrendondo returned to his boat, the Whisper, after a period away to find a fellow anchor-out squatting there. He tried to reason with the guy, giving him time to vacate, but an argument ensued and the squatter struck Arrendondo with an oar.

“When I was able to get on my boat, it was completely trashed,” he said. “I mean, he broke the door. The hatch was broken. Everything was filled with trash.”

The Whisper had become unsuitable for habitation, but before Arredondo could get it shipshape, it was impounded and crushed by the Army Corps of Engineers, he said. He took it as a sign that life on the water was simply no longer feasible.

“Great community, people are really good,” Arrendondo said. “But then again, you got your really bad people out there. There's some people that are just crazy. It's no different than people living in their cars or RVs right on the street.” 

Joele Maddy, the manager of nearby Modern Sailing School & Rowing Club , said he’s gotten to know a few anchor-outs who pay to park their cars in his lot. They’re polite and often well-educated, he said, yet they live in fear of rowing ashore to go to work or visit family and coming back to find themselves without a boat in the water. To him, a solution would be a well-regulated mooring field where everyone is spaced out.

“And from an aerial view, it would be nice and tidy,” he said. 

The anchor-out way of life is one of apparent freedom marred by human tragedy. One sloop that was recently crushed, the Dora, had had a troubled history, including a murder and two suicides.

“At one time, it was a meth lab,” Maddy said. “That boat was pretty much derelict.”

With barely six months until he’s officially no longer allowed to live on Richardson Bay, Wycliffe is uncertain about his future. He and his fiancee had been among those who had agreed to give up their boat and live on land. But she died unexpectedly in November, turning his life upside down.

If keeping his boat in the water means finding a slip for it in a marina somewhere—at a cost of least $400 per month and probably more—plus housing for himself and the dogs, there’s no way he could afford it. Plus, he’s tried to leave before.

“As much as I can fathom leaving, as I have in the past, I always come back,” said Wycliffe, who is 41. “Maybe my destiny is to die on this water as well.”

Astrid Kane can be reached at [email protected]

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