Marina del Rey, California
Seventy-eight feet of Swan. Yours for the day, the night, or the shoot.
Kestrel is a privately owned Nautor Swan 78 at a private slip in Basin D. Gather around her table, take her out to Catalina, or bring a camera crew aboard. One party at a time, always.
- Length
- 78 ft
- Sleeps
- 8 guests
- Dockside
- Up to 14
- Home slip
- Basin D, MdR
- From
- $895 / night
Three ways to use her
Gather. Adventure. Capture.
Some days she never leaves the slip. Some days she crosses the channel. Some days she is a film set. All three are what she is for.
Start here
What are you gathering for?
Pick the occasion and we will show you what fits — what you can book online right now, and what the crew will quote.
Book online
Set price, real calendar, thirty percent to hold.
Every charter is private. Captain and crew included on anything that leaves the dock.
By proposal
Events, expeditions, and production days.
Holidays, corporate hosting, diving, and film work are priced to the brief. Send the details and we answer within a day with a real number.
The Kestrel Table
Our own menus, cooked by our own people.
Built with preferred Westside chefs and caterers. Seafood, garden, game day, or apres-dive — add any of them to a charter at checkout, priced per guest.
The yacht
Built in Finland in 1989. Kept like it matters.
A Frers-designed Nautor Swan: solid fiberglass hull, 12mm teak deck replaced in the last refit, and hand-rubbed Burmese teak below. She was refit in Europe over two seasons before crossing to California, and she has been maintained on a professional schedule ever since.
| Builder / designer | Nautor Swan, Finland · German Frers |
|---|---|
| Length overall · beam | 78 ft · 19 ft 2 in |
| Draft | 9 ft 8 in |
| Accommodation | 4 cabins, 4 heads, sleeps 8 |
| Rig | Sloop, in-mast furling main, hydraulic furling genoa |
| Engine · generator | Diesel with bow thruster · 15.5 kW |
| Comfort | Air conditioning, watermaker, dishwasher, full galley |
| Navigation | B&G plotters, radar, autopilot, satellite phone |
What that means for you
A big boat is a calm boat.
Steady in the afternoon breeze
Santa Monica Bay fills in hard by 2 p.m. On 78 feet of Swan, 18 knots of wind reads as pleasant rather than eventful — the boat settles down and goes.
Actual cabins, actual doors
Four private double cabins with four heads, each with a real shower. Two couples or a family of eight fit without anybody sleeping on a settee.
Push-button sail handling
In-mast furling main, hydraulic winches, and a bow thruster. Guests who want to drive can drive; nobody has to wrestle a sail.
Set up to stay put
Air conditioning, hot water, a watermaker, and a galley with a dishwasher. Whether at the slip or on a Catalina mooring, it works like a house.
Aboard
Slip, saloon, and everything in between.
Good to know
The practical questions.
Can we stay aboard without going sailing?
Yes — that is the Night Aboard. The yacht stays in her slip, you have the whole boat to yourselves, and no captain is required. Two-night minimum, check-in from 4 p.m., check-out at 11 a.m.
Do we need any sailing experience?
None. Every charter that leaves the dock includes a USCG-licensed captain and at least one mate. If you want to learn, say so when you book and the crew will build the day around it.
How many guests can come?
Up to 12 guests while underway, 14 dockside for a game day, and up to 8 sleeping aboard across four private cabins. Holiday and corporate events dockside can go to about 40 with a proposal.
How does the food work?
Add any menu from The Kestrel Table at checkout — seafood, garden and vegan, game day, or apres-dive — priced per guest and cooked by the chefs and caterers we work with all season. Wine pairings are three pours from the California coast, and there is a zero-proof list. Or bring your own and use the galley.
Can you host a holiday party or a company day?
Yes, and December books first. Those are quoted rather than priced online because the number depends on headcount, menu, and bar. Send the brief through the proposal form and we come back within a business day. Company bookings are invoiced, with W-9 and certificate of insurance handled.
Can we shoot aboard? Can we dive?
Both, by proposal. Kestrel is run by a working production crew, so film and photo days come with people who have shot from her before, plus permits and a chase boat when the shot needs one. Diving is run with licensed local operators working off our swim platform; certification cards required.
What about seasickness and weather?
A 78-foot hull is remarkably steady, and the crew will adjust the route if the bay is lumpy. If the captain cancels for weather, you get a full refund or a free reschedule, your choice.
Is there parking, and can we bring food?
Two parking passes come with every charter, and the marina gate code is texted the morning of. Bring whatever you like — or add the provisioning package and find the galley already stocked.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free cancellation up to 14 days before departure. Inside 14 days the 30% deposit is held as credit toward any future date within a year.
Request a proposal
Tell us the day you have in mind.
Events, corporate days, diving, and production work. We answer within one business day with a real number.
Next available
She is in the slip and the calendar is open.
Pick a date, choose an experience, and hold it in about two minutes.