Genesis of a Lifestyle
In 1976, 11 teenagers sailed an 85-foot schooner around the
world. The group chose 16-year-old Steve Firestone to be its captain. "That
trip," Steve now notes, "was the genesis of an entire lifestyle."
Robert Firestone, Steve’s father, was the one who had
envisioned the voyage, intrigued by the notion that a world tour could be a
life-changing experience for his children and their friends. Indeed, the voyage
yielded bonds so tight that this crew has continued to this day plotting its
course together—both in business and personally. Today, the Firestone family and
friends—now 80 people strong—cooperatively own and use eight yachts, ranging
from a 24-foot (7.3-meter) wooden Venetian water taxi to a 170-foot (51.8-meter)
Perini Navi sailing yacht, now under construction.
 Steve and Robert Firestone. (Click image to enlarge)
The Firestone fleet, including two oceangoing and six
shorter-range vessels, provides a versatile platform for interesting cruising.
The two big yachts, Tamsen, a 152-foot
(46.3-meter) Perini, and Lara, a 125-foot
(38.1-meter) Delta, were intended for tandem travel.
"We cruised the boats together in Costa Rica and Europe and had
a great time," says Steve. "But we actually find we like to have one boat
away—in the Med, for example—and one close to home, near California. We do
shorter trips or can hang out on the weekends."
Having more than one large boat is useful when another is in
the yard. With the smaller Perini just sold and the new one launching in spring
2007, tandem cruising takes another form. "We like to take a big boat and a
smaller boat, so we have the flexibility and speed to explore the area once we
get there," Steve remarks. "We took Lara and our Baia 63 to
Alaska. It’s pretty impressive to travel 50 miles an hour to see a glacier up
close."
 Tamsen, a 152-foot Perini Navi,
shown here off the coast of Portofino, Italy, was just sold (and renamed
Antara.) (Click image to enlarge)
A 60-foot (18.3-meter) Tempest and three cigarette boats round
out the fleet, which has explored the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Great Lakes and
the Mississippi River. What makes this all work? According to Steve, the
program’s "hands-on" credo: Everyone aboard, including crew, is family or
friends who participate—from standing watch to cooking meals to sharing
costs.
 |  |  | | Two of three cigarette boats and a Baia 63 bring the fleet’s
number of
short-range vessels to six. (Click images to enlarge) |
"The original adventure was incredible, a character-building experience,"
emphasizes Steve. "We learned to rely on each other, to communicate, and the
most valuable lesson a boat can teach—how to work together. The boats have
gotten bigger and fancier, but our children can learn the same things we did.
Hands-on is what it’s all about for us."—Ann Avery
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