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Dorgan Yachts and Michael J. Dorgan Join Marine Servicenter Family

SAN DIEGO— In a strategic move to bolster their footprint in Southern California, Marine Servicenter is has announced the recent merger with Dorgan Yachts Inc. Mike Dorgan, its president, is joining the Marine Servicenter Team.  Mike Dorgan and Dorgan Yachts Inc. bring a wealth of knowledge, a thriving customer base and incredible sailboat expertise to Marine Servicenter’s San Diego operation.

The partnership between Marine Servicenter and Dorgan Yachts, Inc. aims to improve yacht sales and services in Southern California. It brings together two industry leaders focused on delivering high-quality customer experiences. Marine Servicenter has a strong reputation for providing top-notch yachts and exceptional customer service in the Pacific Northwest for over four decades and in Southern California since 2020. With an extensive range of new boat lines, including Jeanneau Sailboats, and a dedicated sales and service team, the company is a preferred choice for West Coast sailboat enthusiasts seeking excellence in maritime adventures.

With over 28 years of experience in brokerage and new boat sales, Dorgan Yachts Inc. adopts a customer-centric approach. Established in San Diego since 2009, the company has garnered a reputation for catering to the diverse needs of its customers, whether involving large or small boats, sail, or power. With a broad network of local marine vendors, Dorgan Yachts, Inc. is dedicated to assisting customers throughout their maritime pursuits and contributes significantly to the Southern California yachting community.

Through its partnership with Dorgan Yachts, Inc., known for its industry expertise, Marine Servicenter underscores its dedication to the Southern California sailboat market. Dan Krier, Vice President of Marine Servicenter, emphasized the alignment of Dorgan Yachts, Inc.’s customer-centric approach with their core values of quality and customer satisfaction. Krier expressed excitement about welcoming Mike Dorgan and Dorgan Yachts Inc. to their team on the West Coast, highlighting their joint efforts to provide new Jeanneau sailboats and other offerings while fostering an active sailing and boating community in Southern California, as stated by Dorgan.

Clients of both Marine Servicenter and Dorgan Yachts, Inc. can expect a high standard of assistance, whether buying a new or pre-owned boat, seeking maintenance and service recommendations, or considering trade-ins and upgrades. The collective expertise of these two companies guarantees customers will receive top-tier guidance, support, and knowledge about yachting products.

The partnership is effective immediately, and both companies have expressed eagerness to embark on this new journey together. Dorgan Yachts Inc will be housed in the Marine Servicenter Sales office at 955 Harbor Island Drive #160 at beautiful Safe Harbor – Sunroad Marina in the heart of San Diego’s boating community. Contact them directly at [email protected] or 619-459-1648 or 619-733-0559.

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Published on June 2nd, 2021 | by Editor

Finn fleet revival in California

Published on June 2nd, 2021 by Editor -->

In The One Design Line , US Sailing’s e-Newsletter for one design sailors, Chris Snow shares a report about one design class fleet building:

Mike Dorgan is the founder and current captain of the San Diego Finn Fleet. He is a lifelong sailor and has a strong background of successfully sailing many types of boats most notably the Star. Mike is a past commodore of San Diego Yacht Club (SDYC) and has his own yacht brokerage business Dorgan Yachts, Inc. founded in 2009.

He has taken the local Finn fleet from literally one Finn in 2015 to over 22 Finns sailing out of SDYC, including helping to build the Misson Bay Yacht Club Fleet Finns (10) and reviving the Long Beach and Newport Harbor Fleets as well through his role as California Finn Vice President.

I sat down with Mike to find out how he accomplished this and what advice he might have for anyone wanting to start a new fleet or grow an existing one.

San Diego has a long history of one design sailing from the smaller sized classes like the Snipe and Lightning at Mission Bay Yacht Club to the Star and Etchells at SDYC. Why start a Finn fleet?

I have raced many one design classes like the Star, Etchells, and our family-owned cruiser, and raced a larger sailboat the Beneteau 40.7. Over the years, I have not only raced these classes but also been asked to be Fleet Captain, run events, set schedules, awards, and bid for National and World Championships. More and more, I found myself not only having to get crew for my own boat but then calling around to get people to crew on other boats to get them out sailing. Couple all of that with being a ’Sabot Dad” while enjoying young children in the Junior Program and always supporting their sailing, I found myself reverting to sailing the Finn more and more. Sailing a single person boat is very simple: show up at the club, throw on your hikers, toss the boat cover, roll the Finn down the ramp, and you are sailing in 5 minutes! No excuses, no one to call or wait on. No organizing a large crew including lunches, team shirts, party dinner tickets, drinks, etc. And, while I love the big boat program, when it is paired with a young family, running a business, volunteer time on the Board of Directors and ultimately becoming Commodore of SDYC, there just wasn’t enough time in the day to do it all.

Another reason I started the Finn fleet was there was a growing number of older guys that wanted to get back into sailing. For a nominal amount, you could pick up a reasonably competitive Finn and just go sail your boat! No one was yelling at you, telling you to hike harder. Plus, the Finn gives the average sailor a chance to call his own tactics and put it all out on the line.

Personally, I spend most of my days talking to people about their boating solutions, negotiating boat deals for clients looking for the perfect power or sailboat always for less than what a seller is asking… so, when I am out on the water, it is an opportunity to be one with the sea, to enjoy the wind blowing, the water trickling by and the sound of silence which I think we sometimes take for granted in this hectic world.

You had to start somewhere. Who were the original members of the fleet and how did they become interested?

I started sailing my older Vanguard with an older Needlespar aluminum mast and dacron sail at the same regattas our two children were sailing. I would race the Finn, my son Matthew in the Laser, and daughter Millie in the Sabot, and mom got to go on a nice quiet walk! After a few regattas, I saw a post on Facebook by MBYC member Rich Wright with a picture of his Finn on the beach getting ready to sail on Mission Bay.

I reached out to him, met a couple of the guys, started sailing over at Mission Bay and helped them build their fleet. While I love Mission Bay, with the help of the Finn Class, I was able to secure a loaner Finn for my son to sail (now 6’6”) and he started sailing with us at SDYC. Other club members started picking up Finns and would get engaged, sell their older boats and upgrade to newer Finns. I would always try and keep the older boats within our fleet or area so that new Finn owners would stay and sail with us.

During my Commodore year, one event that was really beneficial in helping grow the fleet was the “Sail A Dinghy Day,” inviting both yacht club members and guests alike to the SDYC Small Boat Yard and the Star hoist platform. We had different one design sailboats set up on dollies and in the water for people to test sail.

Aside from several Finns, we had Lehman 12s, Lasers, FJs, a Snipe, and a couple of the club-owned J/22s. The day was VERY successful with over 80 participants signing-in and many more just walking by, looking, talking to some of the fleet members even though they did not sign in or go for a sail. I think we sold 2-3 Finns because of this single event!

As far as I know, Finns are not built in the US. How do you/did you get boats for your fleet?

The internet has been an awesome tool for finding boats for sale, and here in San Diego, we were lucky to have the 2008 Finn Olympic Trials in Newport Beach. There were a lot of guys buying new Finns for the Trials and after the Trials, the fleet started to die. There were guys with boats in the garage, under covers, or just sitting at the club unused. We located and bought a lot of these boats for our sailors in the San Diego area.

Another source for Finns were the older Vanguards, the same make, and model I owned for over 20 years. On my older boat, by fairing the bottom, re-spraying the bottom and deck, replacing the hardware, and putting a modern carbon wing mast on it, it was as fast as the best guys in the newer tricked out Finns in most, if not all, of Southern California conditions. Older Vanguards could be picked up for a couple of thousand dollars and with a little time, effort, and money, they could be brought back to life and have years of sailing left in them.

And the last source of boats is through my close relationship with a company in the States that sells Finns, Finn gear as well as other small one design boats. They would help coordinate guys wanting new masts, gear, and/or boats to get together on a container shipped from Europe where most of the competitive Finns are built.

How often and where does the fleet sail?

We sail two to five times a month, depending on the schedule. We try and move the fleet around Southern California to include several different venues with varied conditions: San Diego Yacht Club, Coronado Yacht Club, Mission Bay Yacht Club, Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, and Newport Harbor Yacht Club. In 2021, we plan to sail in the San Francisco Bay Area out of St. Francis Yacht Club, where there used to be a strong fleet in the Bay Area but most of them have since moved away.

We’re also planning for regatta in Alpine at 5,000+ elevation, which is always fun! By moving the fleet around, it keeps it interesting and allows the different sized sailors to have the perfect conditions for their size, so we are not just sailing at one venue that might just fit one type of sailor. We even have some races that are around the bay, point to point races which can be fun.

Where else does the fleet travel?

We also travel across the country to regattas like the Finn Nationals, North Americans, Midwinters, or State Championships. Several guys, including myself, have multi-level trailers so some of us will drive a rig with some boats, and the other guys will fly into the venue, sail, then pack up, and I’ll drive back. They pitch in a little gas money to help cover costs, and it enables guys with busy schedules to be able to do more out-of-town events.

How many boats are currently in the fleet? Are they all from San Diego Yacht Club?

The Finn fleet is composed of boats from two fleets in San Diego. At SDYC we currently have about 22 Finns, and over at MBYC there are about 10.

There’s also 15+ Finns between Newport, Alamitos Bay, and Long Beach. In 2020, which was a tough year to get people out sailing due to the pandemic, we had 39 Finns sail in our High Point Trophy—not a bad year!

What are some things you do to get people engaged in the fleet and keep them coming out?

The biggest thing is making it fun. If it’s not fun, sailors will find something else to do. We have promoted racing in one design weekend regattas which are free monthly regattas run by our San Diego Yacht Club’s highly competent Race Office and volunteers. Everything is set up with electronic entry forms, NORs, SIs, and even tows out to the racecourse. Just sign, up, show up, and sail!

On Saturday night, we get sponsors to donate beer and other beverages and have an after-race social in the parking lot. And to make things even more fun, during the Finn North American Masters Championships, some Finn guys who play music put together a band to play some tunes. It was a great time!

Now, over two years later, the “Finn Band” will regularly play music on the Saturday night of our One-Design Weekend—all for free! We sit around, drink beer, listen to live music, get to know one another, and learn all the little sailing tricks and nuances that make a Finn go fast.

Another great tool is social media, more specifically, the California Finn Association Facebook page . Every time I sail, I bring a waterproof camera and take photos of everyone sailing, racing, or in the parking lot afterward. I post pictures and write up a little story and try to recognize guys finishing in the middle of the fleet. Before the racing, we ask some of the Race Committee volunteers to snap a few pictures or invite photographers to come out and shoot the bigger events.

Directly after the event, and even sometimes from my Finn, I post pictures and/or results ASAP. Sailors from around the nation are able to see the beautiful weather and the Finns sailing, and they get excited. Then my phone rings and we pick up new sailors. We also post stories in the SDYC Monthly Mainsheet magazine as well as the MBYC publication.

I have also come up with interesting trophies and often award them to sailors not just at the top, but guys making improvements in the fleet, or maybe award a spectacular Finn capsize and wipe-out, or the “Half Page” winner after I folded the results page in half, the sailor on top that sailed all the races won an award equal to the Finn winning the championship.

Lastly, I think that a set time and place for weekly outings is important for guys just to get out on the water, sail their boat and get a little practice in. Sometimes, I will meet with the newer fleet members and go over rigging, sail shape, mast position, or just overall techniques for sailing the boat.

Do you have any advice for someone thinking about starting a new fleet?

If someone has the passion to start a fleet, anything is possible, especially with today’s technology and abundance of one design sailboats around the country not being sailed.

One of the best tools for building a fleet is using the good, old-fashioned phone. There is nothing better than having a one-on-one conversation with someone thinking about going sailing. By touching base with current fleet members, we can keep them engaged and find out if there’s anything we can do to help get them up to speed, work on their boat, mast measurements, or picking up used sails or gear to help them improve on the water.

With the benefit of hindsight is there anything you would have done differently to start and grow the fleet?

No regrets, other than maybe I should have started building new Finns in the US, but then it would go from something I do ‘after work’ to becoming work!

In your opinion, what is the most important things to having a successful and active fleet?

By far I think the number one thing for a fleet to be successful is you need one or more “Spark Plugs”. You need someone calling people to get them out sailing, to show up at regattas, help with rigging, tuning, finding boats, or selling their boats if they are ready to get into a newer boat. You need someone to post pictures, no matter what quality, and post articles on social media, send out monthly regatta reports and newsletters, always touching base and encouraging sailors to sail their boats.

There have been many times that I have spoken with someone who is thinking about selling their boat, but after our conversation, they would get re-invigorated and want to sail again. Every fleet needs someone to breathe life into it, help build it, and help sailors to reach their potential. When the fleet is improving, everyone is then having fun and improving at the same time!

For additional resources and information, click here .

About the Author: Chris Snow is currently Chair of US Sailing’s One Design Committee. Chris is a professional sailor and coach living in San Diego, Calif. He was formerly the One Design Manager for North Sails in North America. To engage Chris’s services individually or for your group or club please e-mail him at [email protected] . You can learn more about Chris and get some more sailing tips at his website www.thefavoredend.com .

Tags: Chris Snow , Finn , growing the sport , Mike Dorgan , US Sailing

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San Diego Sailcast Episode Recap

Episode 006 - Commodore Mike Dorgan

Commodore Mike Dorgan sat down with Alli Bell to discuss life as the 2018 SDYC Commodore, how he came to San Diego as a Star sailor back in the '80s, the growth of the local Finn fleet and more!

Mike Dorgan starts by summarizing the busy weekend at the Club including the cruising fleet cruise to Ensenada, the Taste of Point Loma and the International Masters Regatta. He talks about the history of the Masters regatta and tells us a little more about the races and friendly competition.

Dorgan came to San Diego from the Deep South, Alabama. He started sailing in Jacksonville, Florida at six weeks old and the love of sailing held on. He spent his childhood crewing for his father on a Thistle. He also sailied in Lasers and fell in love as an adult with the Star boat, which played a big role in bringing him to San Diego. He tells the story of coming to San Diego, meeting up with SDYC’s Eric Doyle, training for the ’92 Olympic Games, and crewing for Mark Reynolds and for Chick Rollins (a couple months after heart surgery).

On a 20-something adventure to Pacific Beach one night, Dorgan tells us the story of meeting and sailing with local legend Vince Brun. “The skippers would walk around the parties, look around and ask guys what they weigh,” he told us.

Commodore Dorgan met his wife over an onion cheeseburger at a local bar and grille. He tells the story of falling in love with Patti and how she changed his life. He continues about his children, their successes with sailing, SDYC and sailing against his son.

For many years, Commodore Dorgan was the only one with a Finn boat in the SDYC parking lot. He tells us about his experience building up the Finn fleet at the Club, and the reason why Finn’s are a great boat to sail. He reflects on last weekend’s Acapulco Challenge and the relationship that SDYC has with the Acapulco Yacht Club as well as the Puerto Vallarta races and Extreme Sailing Series.

Commodore Dorgan congratulates some of the SDYC members that are doing big things including Vince Brun (Sailing Hall of Fame), Tyler Sinks (Resolute Cup & Lipton Cup). He finishes by talking about his business, Dorgan Yachts, and how it’s more than a business to him. He explains some of the heart-warming parts of yacht sales. “I always say the best days of a sailor’s life are Saturday and Sunday.”

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Death toll rises to 133 in Moscow terror attack, 11 suspects arrested

Isis has claimed responsibility for one of the most deadly terrorist attacks in russia in years.

Russia concert hall goes up in flames after attack investigated as terrorism

Moscow-area concert hall shooting and explosions left dozens of people dead on Friday, the country said. (East2West.)

The death toll in Friday’s terror attack on a concert in Moscow has soared to at least 133, Russia’s top state investigative agency said Saturday, with authorities saying they have apprehended 11 suspects, four of whom were reported to be directly involved in the onslaught.

President Vladimir Putin addressed the shocked nation in a televised broadcast on Saturday, slamming the massacre as "a bloody, barbaric terrorist act." He declared Sun., March 24, a day of mourning.

Putin said that additional security measures have been put in place throughout the country following the attack – the deadliest in over 20 years.

"All four direct perpetrators of the terrorist attack, all those who shot and killed people, were found and detained," Putin said. "They tried to hide and moved towards Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them from the Ukrainian side to cross the state border."

RUSSIA INVESTIGATING SHOOTING, EXPLOSIONS AT CONCERT HALL AS TERRORIST ATTACK

A view of damage at Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow, Russia after fire was extinguished following a gunman's attack that claimed the lives of at least 115 people. (Sefa Karacan/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The Islamic State group, aka ISIS, claimed responsibility for the deadly attack in a statement on its affiliated social media channels, and the U.S. has said it has intelligence confirming that, several outlets have reported. Russia's Investigative Committee said it has opened a criminal probe into the attack.

The intelligence community said it believes the ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan called Islamic State Khorasan, or "ISIS-K" as it is known, carried out the attack, a U.S. official told Fox News.

It is the same terrorist group that killed 13 American service members at Abbey Gate during the hasty U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. 

The White House released a statement Saturday, condemning the attacks. 

"The United States strongly condemns the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. We extend our deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones and to those who were injured or affected by these unconscionable attacks against innocent civilians. ISIS is a common terrorist enemy that must be defeated everywhere," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. 

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson echoed the White House's statement that ISIS terrorists were responsible for the attack. 

"In early March, the US Government shared information with Russia about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow," she said. "We also issued a public advisory to Americans in Russia on March 7. ISIS bears sole responsibility for this attack. There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever."

However, Putin suggested there may have been a Ukrainian link to the bloodbath. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied any involvement by his nation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his address to the nation in Moscow on March 23, 2024. (Mikhail Metzel/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

The surprise attack began when gunmen donning combat gear burst into Crocus City Hall in the city of Krasnogorsk, where concertgoers were gathering to hear the Russian band Picnic. Video online showed gunmen opening fire, shooting attendees at close range and setting off smoke bombs. 

The gunmen also threw explosives inside the concert hall during the attack, rocking the building and setting it on fire, Russian media reported. People were being evacuated, but some remained trapped inside the burning building, Russian media noted. 

The roof of the theater collapsed in the early hours of Saturday morning as firefighters spent hours fighting the flames. Russians laid flowers at memorials and lined up to give blood.

Putin said that the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia and other law enforcement agencies are working to identify the entire terrorist support base.

"Those who provided them with transport, planned escape routes from the crime scene, prepared caches, caches of weapons and ammunition," Putin said. "It is already obvious that we are faced not just with a carefully and cynically planned terrorist attack, but with the organized mass murder of peaceful, defenseless people. The criminals were cold-blooded and purposefully going to kill, shoot our citizens at point-blank range — our children."

Russian firefighters search through rubble after the Moscow terror attack (Russian Ministry of Emergencies / Handout /Anadolu via Getty Images)

The FSB also said the attack had been carefully planned. 

"The weapons that the terrorists used had been placed in a cache in advance," the FSB noted.

The FSB had been pinning the blame on Ukraine , with Russia's Investigative Committee saying that four suspects were stopped in the Bryansk region of western Russia, "not far from the border with Ukraine." 

A screen grab from the Russian Investigative Committee shows a gun on the floor.  (Investigative Committee of Russia / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

RUSSIA INVESTIGATING SHOOTING, EXPLOSIONS AT CONCERT HALL AS TERROR ATTACK

They planned to cross the border into Ukraine and "had contacts" there, state news agency Tass said, citing Russia’s FSB. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied any Ukrainian involvement before ISIS claimed responsibility. 

"Ukraine certainly has nothing to do with the shooting/explosions in the Crocus City Hall (Moscow Region, Russia). It makes no sense whatsoever," he said on social media, adding, in part, "there is not the slightest doubt that the events in the Moscow suburbs will contribute to a sharp increase in military propaganda, accelerated militarization, expanded mobilization, and, ultimately, the scaling up of the war. And also to justify manifest genocidal strikes against the civilian population of Ukraine." 

U.S. intelligence in March collected evidence that Islamic State-Khorasan, known as ISIS-K, the branch of the group based in Afghanistan, had been planning an attack on Moscow, officials told the New York Times. ISIS members have been active in Russia, one U.S. official told the outlet.

WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT:

The State Department confirmed to Fox News that U.S. intelligence had information about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow – potentially targeting large gatherings, to include concerts – which prompted the agency to issue a public advisory to U.S. citizens in Russia. The U.S. government also shared this information with Russian authorities in accordance with its longstanding ‘duty to warn’ policy.

It is not clear how much information the U.S. gave Russian officials beyond what was in the public warning.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken condemned the attack on Saturday.

"We send our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and all affected by this heinous crime," Blinken said in a statement. "We condemn terrorism in all its forms and stand in solidarity with the people of Russia in grieving the loss of life from this horrific event."

The attack came just days after Putin  cemented his grip on power in another electoral landslide. The attack was the deadliest in Russia in years and came as the country’s fight in Ukraine dragged into a third year.

A massive blaze is seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, on March 22, 2024. Several gunmen have burst into a big concert hall in Moscow and fired automatic weapons at the crowd.

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Putin has wished all those injured a speedy recovery and praised medical staff, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said.

"We together with [Russian Health Minister] Mikhail A. [Murashko] reported to the president on the state of health of patients, the president wished all a recovery and conveyed compliments to doctors," she told reporters.

Russian special services are still conducting search operations. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin canceled all mass events in the capital in the next two days, and a number of other Russian regions followed suit.

Fox News’ Brie Stimson as well as The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.

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• Guided tour

River Cruise on Luxurious Radisson Boat

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Equipped with ice-breaking technology, these huge fancy yachts are the only river cruisers running all year around. The round trip journey takes two and a half hours and floats past all the big sights like the White House, Novodevichy monastery and the Kremlin. There’s a large open air observation deck up top, while the main body of the ship houses a restaurant with a dance floor for a romantic post dinner dance. For a particularly romantic experience take one of the evening boats and admire the bright lights of the city skyline at night.

The most relaxing and picturesque tour that Moscow can offer: a great way to see the city center and its main attractions. This is a perfect alternative to exploring the city by car, if you only have time to do sightseeing during weekday rush hours.

Your English-speaking guide is eager to share every bit of their knowledge about the surrounding landscape, the architecture and historical details.

We conduct Moscow river tour on Radisson Flotilla boats all year around!  It’s warm inside during winter months, while there’s air conditioning during hot summer days. You may also treat yourself to drinks, lunch or dinner on board (drinks and food are not included in tour price).

The cost of an excursion with a personal guide for 1 person

Quay at Radisson Collection Hotel

Government Headquarters ("the White House")

Kievsky Railway Central

Novodevichy Convent

Luzhniki Stadium

Academy of Sciences

Monument to Peter I

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Moscow Kremlin

St.Basil's Cathedral

Novospassky Monastery

U-turn and back to Quay at Radisson Royal Hotel

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See photo of the meeting point

Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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