Captain Bobby LaPin and his wife, First Mate Alicia Jones, left full time careers to promote local tourism among residents and illustrate more positive aspects about life in the city by launching Boat Baltimore in June 2022. Using their recent rising social media presence, Bobby and Alicia also promote other local businesses and organizations, such as the Babe Ruth Museum, Waterfront Partnership, and the Baltimore Architecture Foundation.
Boat Baltimore is the first boat-for-hire in the city to offer free passage to children ages 12 and under, which they announced on their Instagram (@SailLocal) on May 10, 2023.
Captain Bobby, a Baltimore City native and US Army veteran, and First Mate Alicia are both residents of the Upper Fells neighborhood and hope the reduced prices will provide more opportunities for families to afford an experience on the water, while also increasing local tourism. Boat Baltimore has been nominated as Best Tourist Attraction in Baltimore 2023 by Baltimore Magazine.
Bobby and Alicia operate their 45-foot Hunter Legend sailboat out of South Baltimore as a private charter with four daily cruises (day/afternoon/sunset cruises as well as any custom cruises). The charter leaves Port Covington Marina and heads onto the Patapsco River.
“Once we pull the sails out, we go wherever the wind takes us. Most days we are able to sail out to the Key Bridge and around Fort Carroll before turning around and heading back to port. Typically on this route, we sail past the Francis Scott Key Buoy which is only visible on the water,” states First Mate Alicia Jones.
