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A Closer Look At John Wayne’s Custom Yacht, “Wild Goose”

Public Domain / Abhishake4, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

For the last 17 years of his life John Wayne enjoyed a good deal of that time with his friends and family aboard his custom yacht, Wild Goose.

The ship itself was a 136-ft. US Navy Minesweeper that the Duke purchased for $110,000 in 1962 and converted into a three-decker floating luxury.

The ship has extravagant wood detailing, murals, and the bridge table where Wayne would spend all day playing games near the end of his life.

Shortly after he took possession of the ship, the $3 million renovation began. Five staterooms were added, interior bulkheads were removed to give the yacht a more spacious feel, and overheads were raised to accommodate Wayne’s height. A wood-burning fireplace, poker table, and built-in wet bar were added to the saloon which seats up to 127 people.

Even with these lavish upgrades, Wayne was intent on maintaining the boat’s naval heritage and left many of her original military elements intact, like the old-fashioned swivel wall fans, the bell, and the brass wheel in the wheelhouse.

The yacht is now owned by Hornblower Cruises located in Newport Beach, California. The company puts on different events and cruises in which fans of The Duke can actually step foot on his beloved yacht.

Wayne’s last trip aboard Wild Goose was on Easter weekend 1979. Before his passing the Hollywood legend used his yacht to entertain people like Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. It was also in several films, including “Skidoo” and “The President’s Analyst.”

Get a full video tour of Wild Goose below.

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A Look Back: John Wayne and the famed ‘Wild Goose’

Boat from World War II became famous as the Duke would explore and invite Hollywood friends aboard.

Updated: Saturday, August 22, 2009 7:39 PM PDT

The Wild Goose has almost as storied a past in Newport Beach as its former owner, John Wayne.

The 136-foot boat, a former minesweeper used during World War II, became as recognizable as its owner as Wayne motored around the harbor and Catalina Island with family and famous friends for more than a decade.

As news clippings over the years retell, The Duke made few changes to the boat after he bought it in 1965. He added some beds for family and repainted it a bit, but left the sturdy military vessel mostly as-is. It probably saw its biggest changes in its earliest years with Wayne every winter, when he would spruce it up for the annual Christmas Boat Parade.

But when the boat wasn?t playing home to Wayne and his kids, or hosting late-night poker games with Wayne and his Hollywood friends like Sammy Davis Jr., the Wild Goose was exploring the open sea.

While almost all news reports say Wayne bought the Wild Goose in 1965, a story from the Los Angeles Times a year earlier claims it was his when three men drowned off the Mexican coast on their way back to the yacht from their skiff.

In the March 24, 1964, article, three men drowned when their 14-foot skiff capsized as they headed back to the Wild Goose off the coast of Cabo San Lucas. Wayne was there with his wife and son on vacation. The men were headed to the Wild Goose when they tried to switch places on the small boat, and it flipped. All but one died.

In 1969, the Wild Goose ran aground in San Diego Harbor, news reports show. When Wayne filed an insurance claim, the company rejected it. Wayne eventually won all $74,000 from the company after a Los Angeles court judge ruled in his favor in a civil suit.

In Wayne?s last year with the Wild Goose, 1975, he partnered with a treasure hunter to go find a 17th century shipwreck off Catalina Island.

According to a 1991 Los Angeles Times article, Chuck Kenworthy approached The Duke to see if he could use his boat. Kenworthy met Wayne while working on ?The Searchers,? and in 1974, approached him to see if he could rent it. Wayne wanted to be a partner. The two, with the help of some divers Wayne worked with from ?The Green Berets,? searched for a Manila galleon off Catalina. They found some copper plates, but not much else.

Canadian customs found more than that in 1978, when the Wild Goose?s new owner failed to have $2,000 worth of Wayne?s liquor properly sealed as he crossed the border. According to a news report from the time, Canadian officials emptied Wayne?s liquor bottles, some with his personal labels on them, down a police department sink drain.

The yacht has been refitted and is now owned by Hornblower Cruises and Events and charters people around Newport Harbor.

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Journeys of Discovery: Aboard John Wayne's yacht

Correspondent Tom Wilmer visits with Captain Bert Minshall aboard the "Wild Goose," a yacht formerly owned by John Wayne, berthed at Hornblower Cruises in Newport Beach Harbor in California.

Minshall signed aboard Wayne’s yacht in 1963 as a deck hand and first mate, before taking the helm as skipper in 1976 until Wayne’s death in 1979. Join Minshall as he recounts some of his favorite memories of his sixteen years serving aboard the "Wild Goose."

John Wayne was a 20 th Century Hollywood icon performing in more than 150 movies, with the 1969 film "True Grit" earning him an Oscar for best actor. Wayne’s first love was the United States Navy, but when he did not receive an appointment to the Naval Academy, he carried on with his film career.

His love of the maritime world spurred Wayne to purchase a converted World War II minesweeper (YMS-328), the "Wild Goose" in 1962. The 136-foot-long yacht served as a favorite getaway vessel for Wayne to spend time with his kids and friends. Mexico and Canada were two favored nautical destinations, but he also transited the Atlantic aboard the "Wild Goose" not long after purchasing the vessel. Hollywood celebrities who spent time aboard the yacht include Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Lee Marvin, and Tom Jones.

Hornblower Cruises, in partnership with the John Wayne Cancer Foundation , is hosting a series of Friday night dinner cruises aboard the "Wild Goose" in May and early June, 2019.

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Anchors Away!

Photo courtesy of Hornblower Cruises & Events

Step aboard John Wayne’s yacht to experience what made  Wild Goose such a special place for the Duke.

Written by Constance Dunn

To know a man, really, is to know his hobbies and most avid pursuits—the activities that put him in his element and at his best. For John Wayne, this would be the many delightful hours he spent at sea with friends and family aboard his yacht Wild Goose .

A Navy minesweeper with a hull made of Douglas fir, the 136-foot boat was put into service during WWII, then retired and sold twice before Wayne purchased it in 1962. Renovated into a luxurious wooden yacht, Wild Goose was docked in Newport Harbor and used liberally by Wayne until his passing in 1979.

In the mid-90s, Hornblower Cruises & Events acquired the Wild Goose , adding it to their Los Angeles and Orange County fleet for private events. “We believed then, and believe now, that the Wild Goose provides a truly one-of-a-kind venue for all types of celebrations, special occasions and events,” says Kevin Lorton, Hornblower’s vice president and general manager, Southern California. Beginning in 2015, the boat was enlisted for a series of cruises, open to the public, honoring Duke. “We have always loved John Wayne and Wild Goose ,” says Elizabeth King, Hornblower’s associate director of marketing. So inspired, says King, John Wayne Celebration Cruises was started in honor of his birthday. “He is such an icon in the Orange County community,” she adds.

Starting May 1 and continuing through mid-June, Wayne fans can climb aboard Wild Goose for informal tours and to sip “The Duke’s Old Fashioned” cocktails with bourbon and bitters while cruising Newport Harbor at sunset. Watch the harbor lights twinkle while dining on short ribs and Panko-crusted salmon or select from a brunch buffet while drinking champagne and being regaled with stories of Duke at sea from his captain. A two-hour sunset cocktail cruise, a dinner cruise and a champagne brunch cruise are part of the series. New this year is the “Celebrate All Things Wild Goose” cruise, setting sail for only three evenings. “It has everything a John Wayne fan could dream of,” says King. Passengers will be treated to a viewing of  True Grit (the 1969 film turns 50 this year), along with a Duke’s Bourbon tasting and a guest appearance by Bert Minshall, former captain of the Wild Goose .

In a move that would have surely pleased Duke, a portion of the proceeds from all John Wayne Celebration Cruises goes to John Wayne Cancer Foundation in support of his final and most ardent wish.  For more information, visit hornblower.com .

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John Wayne’s yacht: A national treasure?

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The Wild Goose, the yacht once owned by actor John Wayne, is nominated for a spot on the National Historic Register. The yacht is now owned by Hornblower Cruises in Newport Beach.

From the grand stairway leading from the main deck of the Wild Goose to the upper decks visitors are greeted by a painted portrait of actor John Wayne, who bought the ship in 1965.

The master state room in the Wild Goose was added in a retrofit done by John Wayne just after he bought the ship in 1965. Interior bulkheads were removed to give the yacht a more spacious feel, and overheads were raised to accommodate Wayne's height.

A painting of John Wayne hangs in the fireplace room of the Wild Goose, the yacht that was owned by John Wayne.

A view from the outside of the bridge of the Wild Goose, a 136-foot former U.S. Navy minesweeper that was owned by actor John Wayne. Shortly after Wayne bought the ship in 1965, the actor began a retrofit to make the ship a more comfortable, family-friendly yacht.

The engine room of the Wild Goose holds two 500 hp engines, the original engines installed when the ship was built for the Navy at the beginning of World War II.

The brass wheel in the bridge of the Wild Goose is the orginal from the ships days as a U.S. Navy minesweeper during World War II. The yacht was owned by John Wayne, who left many of the original military elements intact .

The bar on the main deck of the yacht Wild Goose, which was owned by John Wayne. The ship, currently owned by Hornblower Cruises, is nominated for a spot on the National Historic Register.

The original engine order telegraph in the bridge of the Wild Goose, a 136-foot former U.S. Navy minesweeper that was owned by actor John Wayne. It was used by the pilot on the bridge to order engineers in the engine room to power the vessel at a certain speed.

A wood-burning fireplace was added to the Wild Goose by John Wayne in a retrofit he did shortly after buying the yacht in 1965. Wayne entertained passengers such as Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean Martin on this yacht.

Carved-wood appointments to the Wild Goose, the yacht formerly owned by actor John Wayne who bought it in 1965. Wayne sold the yacht just before his death in 1979 to a Los Angeles attorney. The yacht is currently owned by Hornblower Cruises in Newport Beach.

Elser Morales, fleet manager for Hornblower Cruises walks past the many gauges in the engine room of the Wild Goose, the yacht that was once owned by actor John Wayne.

A poker table that was used by John Wayne and his guests sits in a room that was added to the Wild Goose after it was sold by Wayne in 1979.

The Wild Goose, a yacht owned by John Wayne for many years, is currently owned by Hornblower Cruises in Newport Beach and is nominated for a spot on the National Historic Register.

Undated photo of John Wayne with daughters Marissa and Aissa aboard the Wild Goose.

A photo of legendary actor John Wayne, in the wheelhouse of the "Wild Goose," the 136-foot yacht once owned by Wayne.

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Hornblower Cruises, which currently owns the vessel, maintains the boat as a homage to actor John Wayne, who bought the World War II minesweeper in 1962 and refurbished it as a yacht, using it to travel and entertain until his death in 1979.

Now the vessel is nominated for a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, an honorary designation meant to recognize places with a certain significance, such as ties to an entertainment figure like Wayne, and encourage their preservation, said Paul Lusignian, a historian for the National Register.

The boat is already pretty far from its original state. The owners who came after Wayne put the Goose through more than $3 million in renovations, the most noticeable of which are an upper deck and a room on the main deck.

Hornblower bought the boat in 1997, and has since tried to maintain its historic integrity, said Chandler Bell, director of marine operations.

“We wanted to preserve the history of the vessel,” he said. “We felt the boat deserved it.”

Remnants of Wayne’s presence exist both through efforts to preserve the boat as he had it, and modern touches that remind visitors whose yacht they are on.

The balance is apparent in the Fireplace Room. A naval battle mural Wayne commissioned faces the wood-burning fireplace, while framed movie posters of his films line the worn, white walls on either side.

The painting and fireplace are original, but the posters most certainly are not from the Duke, said Bert Minshall, who started on board as a deckhand in 1963 and rose to become the ship’s captain in the 70’s, until the actor’s death.

“Mr. Wayne would never have had that stuff on board,” Minshall said of the posters.

Instead, the walls sported at least two dozen plaques from army units he visited in Vietnam, he said.

Minshall, who wrote a book about his experiences with Wayne aboard the Wild Goose, returns to the ship from time to time for events, mingling with visitors and sharing stories of his years on the boat.

He took part in some of Wayne’s transformations to the former minesweeper, and often notices further changes that have been made since he worked on the boat.

Minshall was a member of the team that built the actor’s state room on the main deck, with a doorway that was 6’8″ to accommodate the man who stood at 6’4.”

They’ve kept the state room mostly as it was, he said, but changed the color of the bed from a speckled brown and yellow to a darker varnish.

He recalls being like a nanny for Wayne’s three youngest children, especially Marissa. He watched them jet ski behind the boat around Catalina Island, and jump off the roof of their father’s state room, a 20-foot plunge.

“Those three children were my responsibility,” he said.

Now there is an upper deck atop the main one, covered by canvas and windows, and an additional room that covers a porthole looking out from the kids’ room.

Hornblower nominated the vessel for a place on the National Register last year. It’s passed through the state level, and will now be reviewed by a historian at the national level. The decision as to whether or not the Wild Goose makes the list will come out some time next month, Lusignan said.

Ninety percent of submissions that pass through the state level also pass through the national review, he added.

Hornblower has been trying to highlight the boat’s historical presence since before its nomination to the National Register, Bell said.

They preserved one bunk room, which used to house guests including Sammy Davis Jr., and are planning to convert another bunk room back to its original state, Bell said. The company was using it as a liquor room.

Minshall said any steps to make it resemble its former glory would be good ones. To him, the boat is almost unrecognizable as John Wayne’s yacht.

“Personally, I would have liked to keep the boat original, the way the Duke had it,” Minshall said. “It just doesn’t look like John Wayne’s boat.”

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Duke’s Boat Takes a Bow : John Wayne’s Wild Goose, Refurbished From Rust Bucket, to Pay Call on Newport Harbor

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Just down the road from the airport that bears his name, the boat that once belonged to John Wayne will dock in Newport Harbor Thursday for a celebratory unveiling among the movie legend’s hometown fans.

The Wild Goose, a 136-foot luxury vessel that Wayne took on fishing trips to Mexico, Alaska and through the Panama Canal, is back in the water after almost sinking from neglect a few years ago. After 18 months and more than $2.5 million in refurbishing, things are back the way they were when Duke was steering the ship, and the Wild Goose is coming home.

“This is a sentimental journey,” said 69-year-old Bob Simley of Newport Beach, who owned a sister ship to the Wild Goose and spent many a day aboard the boat with Wayne. “There’ll be lots of wet eyes, and mine might be among them.”

Stocked with Wayne videotapes, movie posters, coffee-table books and photographs, the vessel is a shrine to its former owner. “If you’re not a John Wayne buff, they throw you overboard,” Simley joked as he toured the rebuilt boat Tuesday.

The Wild Goose’s voyage to Orange County will be brief. After a press luncheon, VIP dinner and Friday evening birthday party for a Newport Beach resident, the Goose will return to its new home behind the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Marina del Rey, where it is available for posh parties and charity cruises.

“It’s a tribute, it’s not a tourist attraction,” insisted Kate Conway, who manages the boat, noting the weekend rental rate of $1,200 an hour, with a four-hour minimum. “It doesn’t matter how old you are or how rich or how poor, you come aboard and you’re like a kid. You want to see everything.”

Built half a century ago as a minesweeping ship for the U.S. Navy, the Wild Goose served that role for six months in World War II. After a brief stint in Canada, the boat became Wayne’s in 1962 for $116,000.

Wayne spent more than $1 million remodeling the boat, lifting all the ceilings to accommodate his 6-foot-4 frame (even taller with his trademark platform shoes and 10-gallon hat). Docked behind his house in Newport Harbor, the boat spent winters in Mexico and summers in Seattle, with hundreds of trips to Catalina and a two-year tour of Europe in between.

“His boat was really a sanctuary. It was a place he could go to relax; it was something he needed,” Michael Wayne, Duke’s oldest son, said in an interview. “It was really like a vacation home, but he could go anywhere he wanted. It gave him tremendous freedom.”

On the Wild Goose, Wayne played endless games of cards, chess and backgammon, with an ever-present bottle of Wild Turkey, friends recalled. He loved to fish and always included children and grandchildren in his excursions, they said.

Books about the star include anecdotes about the boat. In “Duke: A Love Story,” Wayne’s secretary Pat Stacy says her boss was jealous that she could lie in the sun for hours--he had to stay under cover because his scalp was susceptible to sunburn without his toupee. In her memoir, Aissa Wayne says she never saw her father more drunk than the time aboard ship that he responded to a friend’s teasing by urinating on his shoes.

“The moment you walked aboard the Wild Goose, you knew it was John Wayne,” said Chick Iverson of Newport Beach, a close friend. “It was his very, very favorite place in the whole world.”

A few days before he died in 1979, the movie star sold the boat to attorney Lynn Hutchins for $750,000.

Hutchins tried in vain to sell the boat in the early 1980s, and the Goose spent much of the last decade rotting away, according to Don Nugent, chief engineer of the refurbishing project. Two years ago, Simley found his friend’s former boat in a ship “graveyard” in Long Beach and decided to try to save it.

Now the vessel belongs to the Wild Goose Yacht Corp., whose president is a Midwestern businessman who asked that his name not be used. The boat is supposed to be just like it was in Duke’s day; in truth, friends say, it’s a tad fancier now.

The galley has state-of-the-art equipment, including microwave, dishwasher and trash compactor, designed to serve a crowd. Ten burgundy leather chairs, each with a $1,100 price tag, surround an antique round wooden table on the main deck. And more than a dozen 18-inch wood carvings of playful Dickens characters adorn doors and cabinets.

Portraits of Wayne, commissioned from Orange County artist Frank Turiello, hang in nearly every room, and there are glass cases filled with magazine articles about Duke and his nautical dream.

Wayne’s chair remains in the Wheel House, where he loved to watch skipper Burt Minshall steer. In the Duke’s stateroom, all that has been changed is the linen and the rugs.

“We have no intentions of refinishing or stripping down or making pretty,” Conway said as she fingered the rough wood of a night table in the modest square room. “This is John Wayne.”

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A Behind-The-Scenes Look At John Wayne’s Custom Yacht, 'Wild Goose'

Dec 20, 2021 by apost team

When it comes to remembering the best to come from Hollywood’s Golden Age, John Wayne is by far one of the most famous stars to come out of the era. Born on May 26, 1907, he was an actor and filmmaker who shot to stardom during this era by landing several starring roles in Western and war films. 

Wayne’s career really flourished during the silent era in the 1920s up through the end of his life in 1979. The established actor appeared in more than 200 movie and television productions and was easily seen as an American icon, making him a box office success through and through.

While many people know Wayne for his on-screen performances, others have been entranced by the late actor’s personal life. He was married three times and divorced twice, and had a total of seven children. Wayne also raked in plenty of money from his time in the spotlight and used that to help publicize some of his hobbies, such as his love for tennis. He even built the John Wayne Tennis Club in 1973.

One of Wayne’s most prized possessions was his custom yacht known as Wild Goose. Wayne kept it docked in Newport Beach Harbor in California, and it has gone on to become one of the most historic places for people to visit. The yacht is filled with plenty of amazing detailings and add-ins, showing almost as much star quality as Wayne himself. Read on to find out more about Wayne’s beloved yacht and all of its intricate features.

Be sure to reach the end of this article to see the full video :-) 

Wild Goose is a World War II minesweeper that  Wayne  bought back in 1962, according to the  Orange County Register . He refurbished it as a yacht and used it to travel to several beautiful places and also entertain his friends and family until he died in 1979. Hornblower Cruises, the owners who came after Wayne, bought the boat in 1997 and invested more than $3 million to renovate the yacht, with the most noticeable newer features being an upper deck and a room on the main deck.

A  video  from April 2018 has shown an inside look into Wayne’s beloved custom yacht called Wild Goose. According to  Outsider , the ship is 136 feet and is a three-decker, filled with some incredible amenities such as a full bar, microphone, fireplace room, dance area, and bridal suite.

Also, onboard the famous boat are several framed photos of Wayne himself in some of his most popular roles from his many years in the spotlight, as well as other memorabilia of the late star. The yacht also has wood detailing and murals. 

There is a naval battle mural that Wayne commissioned that faces a wood-burning fireplace, which are both original to the former state of the yacht, according to the  Orange County Register . The walls in the famous boat previously were filled with at least two dozen plaques from army units Wayne visited in Vietnam.

According to an  Outsider article  from March 2021, Wild Goose is currently owned by Hornblower Cruises, located in Newport Beach. The company puts on plenty of events and cruises that are Wayne-themed, opening up the doors for his fans to really get the full experience.

Maintaining Its Integrity

Chandler Bell, the director of marine operations, spoke with the  Orange County Register  about how Hornblower Cruises wanted to maintain Wild Goose’s historic integrity. “We wanted to preserve the history of the vessel,” he  said . “We felt the boat deserved it.”

Bert Minshall began working as a deckhand on Wild Goose in 1963 before becoming the ship’s captain during the 1970s, a position he held until Wayne’s death. He helped with some of the yacht’s transformations under Wayne, as per the  Orange County Register . The bed in the stateroom was changed from a speckled brown and yellow color to a darker color. Hornblower Cruises was also able to preserve one bunk room and wanted to convert another bunk room back to its original state. 

Speaking with the  Orange County Register , Minshall explained that he wanted to do whatever it would take to make Wild Goose return to its former glory and show its beauty as Wayne’s yacht. “Personally, I would have liked to keep the boat original, the way the Duke had it,” he  said . “It just doesn’t look like John Wayne’s boat.”

The famous yacht was previously used in several films and was even nominated for a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. The  Orange County Register reported  that the National Register of Historic Places is an honorary designation used to recognize places with a certain significance and encourage their preservation.

According to  City Cruises , passengers that visit Wild Goose can embark on a dining cruise on the yacht and take pictures using the hashtag #JohnWayneGrit to help raise awareness for the  John Wayne Cancer Foundation . A portion of all proceeds is donated to the foundation.

What do you think about John Wayne’s custom yacht? Were you surprised to see what all it has to offer? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones, too.

Please scroll below for more stories :-) 

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Newport Beach, California : John Wayne's Yacht

Hollywood's biggest cowboy liked to travel in style when he was off-shore, entertaining guests on his yacht, the Wild Goose, that included at least one President and Sammy Davis Jr.

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Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters . Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip .

Unfortunately, the yacht sank in May 2021 after striking submerged rocks. The owner is hoping to salvage the vessel.

It was an earlier John Wayne yacht, "The Norwester," that sank. As it turns out, the one that we feature, "The Wild Goose," is still afloat!

Interesting if you like John Wayne, history or just admiring a lot of nice yachts. Glad we stopped.

John Wayne's yacht, the "Wild Goose," is a 1942 U.S. Navy minesweeper that Wayne bought and customized in 1965. Wayne sailed up and down the West Coast, from Canada to Mexico, and the Wild Goose played host to the likes of President Nixon and swinging Sammy Davis Jr. Wayne sold the yacht shortly before his death in 1979, but his ghost reportedly still haunts the Wild Goose from time to time, forever linked to one of his most treasured possessions.

If you want to see it, you can walk right up and take a look, or you can rent it out and sail with The Duke -- although that would be a very expensive exercise in beyond-the-grave bonding.

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Celebrate Aboard the Wild Goose on April 25-June 16

Join Hornblower Cruises as they celebrate the legendary John Wayne in his hometown of Newport Beach, CA, aboard Wild Goose! April 25 – June 16, Celebration Cocktail, Brunch and Dinner Cruises.

Celebrate the life and legend of John Wayne aboard his former yacht, Wild Goose, for a dining cruise with Madame Tussauds Hollywood famous John Wayne wax figure in full Western attire. While you are on board, meet Bert Minshall, John Wayne’s former captain and author of “On Board with the Duke”, who will share stories from his time working with Wayne.​ Snap a shot and use #JohnWayneGrit to help raise awareness for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation . A portion of all proceeds will be donated to the foundation to help fulfill John Wayne’s last wish: to find a cure for cancer.

  Boarding:   2431 W. Coast Hwy, Newport Beach, CA 92663

With limited and convenient paid parking, please call with any questions.

Please call reserve your space at www.hornblower.com or call 800-ON-THE-BAY  (Reservations required.)

SPREAD THE WORD: Can you share the news about these John Wayne Celebration Cruises with your friends, colleagues and social media followers, especially if you know a John Wayne Fan!

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John wayne birthday cruises aboard the wild goose.

John Wayne’s Celebration Cruises aboard Wild Goose start May 1st.

May 1:  Boards 5:30 pm, Cruises 6:00-8:00 pm June 12 (last cruise date): Boards 5:30 pm

Cruises: 6:00-8:00 pm

Do you know a John Wayne fan? Make someone’s day who loves the old westerns, and invite them on a John Wayne Celebration Dining Cruise in Newport Beach. Come aboard and experience one of the most famous yachts in the area, John Wayne’s former yacht, Wild Goose. Celebrate his life and the legend by joining us for a Brunch, Dinner or a Cocktail cruise featuring all things John Wayne. You can learn the history of Wild Goose with informal tours of the family’s staterooms, the library, and the famous card room, and explore the art gallery of movie posters and the priceless paintings by Wayne’s wife while you cruise around the gorgeous Newport Beach harbor.

For a really special experience, get your tickets for our “Celebrate All Things Wild Goose” Signature Series Cocktail Cruise. This special “experiential” cruise has everything a John Wayne fan could dream of … a Duke’s Bourbon tasting, specialty bourbon cocktails at the bar, a guest appearance by Bert Minshall, John Wayne’s Former Captain, and watch the movie True Grit, honoring its 50th anniversary aboard Wild Goose! A portion of all proceeds from our celebration cruises will be donated to the John Wayne Cancer Foundation to help fulfill John Wayne’s last wish: to find a cure for cancer.

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