Boat owners have a Belle of a time

The Liberty Belle, the newest member of Orange County SailTime, was welcomed Sunday in Newport Beach Harbor with a traditional christening.

Liberty Belle owners Cindy and Ron Latin christened the bow with a bottle of champagne and read the sailors blessing while daughter Jessica placed a branch on the deck.

The Latins started with SailTime as members back in April 2005. SailTime offers time-shares on yachts all over the country.

“This totally meets our needs,” Cindy Latin said. “It is a very wise economic opportunity.”

About 70 people showed up to view the 36-foot new Hunter yacht decked out with around $40,000 in upgrades featuring many amenities, including an electric-powered shower, a leather collapsible steering wheel, enhanced-definition television, chart plotter, autopilot, barbecue and a loaded refrigerator.

SailTime members pay for time-shares on the new yachts and get guaranteed monthly sailing time. Anyone can join, but every member must earn American Sailing Assn. certification before they can set sail.

Chris Jester, base-owner for both Orange and Los Angeles counties, creates and manages partnerships with boat owners and members. Members pay for time on the owner’s boat and as part of SailTime the owner and up to seven members per yacht split the maintenance and insurance costs for around the same price as a slip in the Harbor.

“It’s ideal because if someone is unsure about what type of boat to buy they can join and enjoy all of the latest things onboard,” Jester said.

Jester and his wife, Angele, purchased the first boat in the Newport Harbor group in 2004 when Chris Jester began with SailTime.

After graduating UCI with an MBA and working in the corporate world, Chris Jester and his wife decided to travel the world. When they returned they did not wish to continue work in the corporate sector. At a boating show in 2004 he heard about SailTime and contacted the company.

Angele Jester loves the work she and her husband do for SailTime. She sees it as a great promoter for the spirit of family.

“I am not a sailor. I get seasick but this works out perfect because Newport is a perfect harbor,” Angele Jester said. “You can sail all around in here and not get seasick. So I can share this family-oriented sport with my husband who is an adventurous guy.”

John and Janet Wood, the first members in the Jesters’ business endeavor, saw the experience as an ideal situation for their family considering the amount of time they had to put into the maintenance of an entire yacht.

“Our daughter, Mary Ella, absolutely loves it. She’s taken two sailing classes at Orange Coast College. She’s the real first mate in the family,” Janet Wood said.

John Wood said the experience as a member gave him confidence to buy a boat.

“It makes it easier for an owner not to worry,” Wood said. “They take care of the boat. They’re serious about it.”

Jester also shares his love for sailing by offering training and instruction to novices like Craig Donahue.

Donahue, another member of the Harbor Marina group, said Chris Jester’s calm and confident aura made learning to sail easy and pleasing.

“He made it so much fun I couldn’t wait to get back out on the boat,” Donahue said. “Now that I can sail on my own I kind of miss spending so much time with him.”