Meet Elizabeth Hinton | Captain & Owner of Sterling Sails

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elizabeth Hinton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elizabeth, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
They say if you do what you love then you’ll never have to work a day in your life. When I found my passion for sailing, I thought that maybe I could live and work by doing what I love. I wanted to share that experience with others because I knew if it made me happy, then it would bring joy to other people as well. When I am sailing, I feel at peace. This was the idea behind starting the business.

The goal was to create an environment where people could come onto my boat and feel the peaceful feeling that I get when I am sailing. I even put a big peace sign on the sail to reflect what Sterling Sails represents. People often ask me why I named the business Sterling Sails, and it is because Sterling is my middle name, and a family name.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
One thing that sets me apart from other sailing charter businesses in San Diego is how I got started. I taught myself to sail while living on a 27-foot sailboat that a friend had acquired for free. He had another boat as well and said I could live on the 27-footer if I took care of it. Turns out the boat ended up taking care of me. I named her Honey, after my grandmother. My friend and I would sail around San Diego anchoring in one place or another for a few days at a time since we had no place to keep the boats, and no money to rent a slip. This is not an easy thing to do especially since my outboard almost never worked.

That is how I learned to sail, one deadly mistake at a time. Mistakes, and dangerous situations, are what turns a good sailor into a great sailor. I was lucky enough to face many life-threatening obstacles in the 2 years that I sailed “on the hook” around Coronado and Mission Bay. Thanks to the Harbor Police chasing everyone around, and a decent dinghy, I became a skilled sailor quickly. This is what molded me into the professional that I am today. With the knowledge I have acquired in the last 6 years of sailing I am always confident that I can keep passengers safe and out of harm’s way. So far, the furthest I have sailed is to Catalina, but one day I hope to cruise the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico.

I single-hand my vessel, as many captains do. It’s the only form of sailing that I know. I was in school to be a Medical Assistant and a Phlebotomist during my time on the anchor. When the pandemic came, I received some grant money to stay in school. I used this money to get my captain’s license and get a slip for Honey. I worked in the medial field during the day but looked forward to working as a captain whenever possible. I just couldn’t get enough of sailing, and I missed it every second that I was away from it. I finally decided to sell my little boat and put a down payment on the luxurious vessel I have now. Mojave is the name of my 42-foot Catalina yacht which I use for the charter business. It is a dream boat for sure, but it took a lot to take my reality and turn it into a dream come true. Sterling Sails has been in business for 3 years now, and this is just the beginning.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The most fun thing to do in San Diego is get out on the water and go sailing. Obviously, this is what I would suggest right? Well, that’s because it is the truth! San Diego is so beautiful from the water. My favorite boat day consists of sailing out to Point Loma and maybe catching a nice sunset. The city lit up at night is so amazing to witness. I also really love to anchor and jump off the boat for a swim. At Sterling Sails, we can do all this and more. Every trip includes a tour of the area, or you can just sit back and relax while sipping champagne in the sunshine. It is such a peaceful experience, especially if you spent all day walking around the San Diego Zoo or the USS Midway. Pair this activity with lunch or dinner in Harbor Island and you have the perfect San Diego Day. There are great restaurants close by such as Coasterra, C-level, and the captain’s favorite, Island Prime.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to give a shoutout to my father. He has always believed in me and had my back since day one. He never gave up on me, even in times when I had given up on myself. Sometimes in life it is important to know that you are not alone. Knowing that you are loved can be the one thing that gives you the courage to be the best version of yourself that you can possibly be. I know how lucky I am to have him because this is not something everyone has. I am so grateful every day to have him in my life.

Shoutout to the boating community in San Diego and Catalina Island! Without good friends, I would probably be lost at sea somewhere with no power and no confidence to achieve my goals.

Shoutout to Ecoboat Rentals for giving me my first job as a captain and helping guide me as a new business.

I would also like to give a shoutout to my dockmaster. His trust in me allowed me to peruse my dream of starting a charter business. I still don’t know why he took a chance on me, but I am so thankful that he did. I don’t know anyone else who would.

One last special shoutout is to a man I use to work for. After he cut my hours by two thirds, I quit, and told him I was starting my own business. He told me, “When you fail, I will hire you back.”. I’ll never forget that because he was dead serious and had zero faith in my success. Sometimes haters are just as inspiring as supporters. Let them be the fuel to your fire.

Website: https://www.sterlingsails.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sterlingsails/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sterlingsails

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sterling-sails-san-diego