About Captain Heather

Heather Richard is a US Coast Guard licensed (100 ton) captain for hire. Interested in classic schooners or racing catamarans? Classic teak or modern carbon fiber? A gentle cruise or a rip-roaring ride? Learn to sail lessons or private coaching? Event spectating, sightseeing, whalewatching, crabbing or sipping wine on the Bay… Captain Heather is deeply connected to the waterfront community of San Francisco Bay and can find you the right boat and the right experience. Almost every day is a fine day for sailing, so call or text to discuss the possibilities!

Heather has been sailing since the age of 4. She raced competetively on the Boston University sailing team while earning a BFA in sculpture, and worked on charter boats and in community boating programs in Boston. She worked for the US Navy in Japan, Sail Carribean Voyages, OCSC, Modern Sailing School, Schooner Gaslight, Captain Kirks Charters, ACSailingSF and the Saint Francis Yacht Club coaching young sailors.

She currently lives aboard with her three children in a maritime co-op. In the off season she can be found in her floating art studio and is active in her community volunteeering with youth programs and bringing waterfront access to underserved populations. She is a board member of the Spaulding Marine Center and Galilee Harbor Community Association.  She is also a tall ship and Schooner Captain at the nonprofit Call of the Sea.  In winter she teaches offshore cruising classes with Brady and Blue of Cruisers Academy in Mexico.

In 2014 she purchased and refit her own vessel “Carodon” to the charter fleet as well as sailing with the America’s Cup Yacht USA 76 and Prosail 40 catamaran “Tomcat”. In winter of 2018-2019 she took her 3 children on a 5000 nautical mile round trip to The Sea of Cortez in Mexico and back and continues to do long-distance cruising in off-seasons. This wide range of experience in a huge variety of vessels is rare among sailors, and even more rare among women in this industry.  In addition, her safety record and attention to customer service is outstanding.  She especially believes in welcoming people of color and populations who have traditionally not had access to sailing to enjoy the water and have a generous dose of vitamin sea!