Captain Shannon Carleton Reflects On Her Time At Sea

On Yacht Kelpie (yachtkelpie.com), life is always a breeze. Here, Captain Shannon Carleton reflects on her time at sea and highlights of her hamptons adventures.

Yacht Kelpie

CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH YACHT KELPIE’S HISTORY IN THE EAST END?

While Kelpie’s history goes back 95 years, her life on the East End began six years ago when I read an article about her in WoodenBoat magazine. She’d been nominated for Classic Refit of the Year, and she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I flew to Spain to see her, purchased her on the spot, sailed her across the Mediterranean and put her on a ship. She arrived in the East End on my birthday. For her to be certified to carry over six passengers, I had to put her through another refit here in Greenport. Within a couple of months, she received her certification and U.S. flag and began her life on the East End.

Captain Shannon Carleton.

IT’S INCREDIBLE TO THINK THAT THE COMPANY WAS FOUNDED IN 1928. HOW HAS THE COMPANY EVOLVED WITH EACH GENERATION THROUGHOUT THE YEARS?

Kelpie’s history is as colorful and grand as one might expect. She was built in 1928 to be a private yacht, and after the Great Depression, the gentleman who’d commissioned her was forced to give her up. She later went into service with Corsair’s Navy, patrolling the coast of Maine for German U-boats. It’s reported that Kelpie was a favorite—never missing a day in service. She was then purchased by a family on the West Coast and spent years sailing the Pacific before entering the From left: Yacht Kelpie; Captain Shannon Carleton. charter world in San Francisco and having the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman grace her decks. In 2010, a Frenchman purchased her on a mission to find a yacht with ‘perfect lines.’ He searched all over the world and eventually found Kelpie and had her sail through the Panama Canal and across the Atlantic, where she was completely restored at Pendennis in the U.K. Kelpie was the racing tender to the much bigger schooner Mariette of 1929 and competed alongside her and the others of that majestic fleet. She was the baby of the fleet, standing among the giants, but she was the favorite. And they were looking for the right person for Kelpie to begin her next chapter with—and that person was me.

A whimsical table setting on board Kelpie

TELL US ABOUT THE YACHT CHARTERS. WHAT CAN GUESTS EXPECT FOR A DAY OUT AT SEA?

Our charters aboard Kelpie are focused on old-world glamour and hospitality. Guests can expect to be greeted by the warmest and most friendly crew and given white-glove service (literally) from start to finish. Kelpie’s too deep to enter the harbor, so she’s moored about a half-mile off the Sag Harbor shoreline. Guests are retrieved by our private launch from the Breakwater Yacht Club and offered a glass of rosé for the 10-minute cruise out to the yacht. Most of the time, provisions have been arranged for in advance using our yacht provisioning service. So when the guests board Kelpie, we’re ready to depart. It’s quite seamless, as we try to keep the effort on our end and not on the host/hostess.

Depending on the duration of the charter, we sail in a favorable direction regarding weather conditions. On breezy days, we stay in the lee of Shelter Island—we need just enough wind to keep our sails full, but not so much that Kelpie heels over. In superlight wind, we use the tide to ensure we can still sail without the motor running. Our morning and afternoon sails usually involve a dip in the sea, which is heavenly.

WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR JOB?

Every bit of this job is rewarding to me. When the guests catch their first glimpse of Kelpie as the launch approaches, and I see the look on their faces—that’s the first reward. The second usually comes when I’m at the helm, and I observe the crew. The stewardesses are walking the decks with their polished silver trays and white gloves, and our guests want for nothing. There’s just joy everywhere, from the guests to the crew—we all love being aboard at this moment. Then, finally, at the end of the day, when my mate returns from delivering the guests back to the yacht club and relays the feedback to the crew. The only thing better than knowing how pleased our guests were is seeing the pride my crew has taken in making it happen.

Guests head down the dock for businesswoman Kelli Delaney Kot’s annual birthday celebration aboard Kelpie.

ARE THERE ANY NEW PROGRAMS OR CHARTERS YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT FOR SUMMER?

Our clientele is almost 100% repeat, with new folks being referred to us by existing clients. I struggle every spring between finding something new to offer and, at the same time thinking, ‘If it’s not broken, why fix it?’ But there is one new thing that’s happened, and it’s within the crew. Typically we have the lads working the deck (sailing the boat) and the lasses as stewardesses. This spring, we’ve focused on crosstraining the ladies, and thus far have had an all-female crew. While we still adore the fellas (don’t worry, they’re not going anywhere!), it’s been exciting for me to watch the ladies evolve and see their confidence grow. I love empowering women.

ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN BUZZ FOR THE SUMMER?

This summer, we will continue to expand our little sister fleet, Le Launch. Kelpie’s private tender is certified to carry up to 16 guests, and over the years, folks have asked about chartering the launch as a private water taxi. We’ve recently acquired a second boat to accommodate and are now searching for a third! Guests can enjoy a 45-minute cruise to The Pridwin, Sunset Beach, Duryea’s Orient Point, Ram’s Head Inn or Sisi restaurant and then return to Sag Harbor. While the launches are new, their classic, navy launch-style lines and varnished teak trim tie into the old-world glam that is Kelpie’s. The launches are run by the Kelpie fellas so, as always, you can expect firstclass service aboard.