Staying Afloat

as told to Kristin Delaplane & Duffy Jennings

Timing is critical when a massive ship arrives within 12 miles of the Golden Gate Bridge. Bar Pilots transfer to the ship even in rough seas to take navigational control. On reaching the bridge, the tugboats come in and lines secure the two ships. The bar pilot and the tugboat captains maintain radio contact as the tugs push and pull the ship to its pier.

Landing the job as a bar pilot is the pinnacle of any Master Mariner’s career. Quitting is rare. But in 1993, Captains Ron Charlesworth, Jack Going, and Steve Ware did just that.

When Capt. Ron learned that his father-in-law was selling his tugboat business, Bay & Delta Towing, he wanted in. The income was considerably more than he was making as a bar pilot. To pull this off, he needed partners with skills he did not have. Capt. Jack had organizational and financial skills. Capt. Steve was a sales guy. But when they were approached, they said, “You've got to have your head examined.” Then they saw the revenue. They purchased the company for $8.5 million and renamed it Baydelta Maritime. Their company name now is Baydelta Navigation.

They had thought finding clients would be easy until they learned there were contracts between tugboat companies and shipping lines. Then, two years in, new regulations came out after the grounding of the Exxon Valdez in Alaska; tugs assisting petroleum cargo needed to be the “best available technology.” Baydelta’s four tugs were from World War II. Overnight they lost business with the oil companies. Baydelta was going under.

Networking they discovered that George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees, had two tractor tugs available for charter. A 50-50 profit sharing agreement was made lasting three years. Baydelta began to recover business with the best equipment in the bay.

Three years later Steinbrenner, who had a reputation for being difficult, wanted a 51-49 deal. Baydelta was not having it. On the sly Steinbrenner had negotiated a deal with a rival tugboat company. When Baydelta balked, Steinbrenner had the tugs towed to the other company in Oakland. But Steinbrenner had not read the fine print. There was a non-compete clause. Steinbrenner was stuck. The tugs came back to Baydelta, and the agreement was now a straightforward rental, no profit sharing. Baydelta was back in business.

Not to be put in a squeeze again, they started building their own boats, the best boats in the Bay. Exxon chartered their boats, and they began managing Exxon’s tugs. Baydelta felt their success came from offering better service and equipment, and a more personal relationship than the bigger companies. By 2011, when Baydelta was sold, it was serving some sixty-five shipping lines. Baydelta Maritime charters Baydelta Navigation’s tugs.

When the captains quit the Bar Pilots, their fellow pilots said, ‘You’ll never make it. You’ll be out of business by Christmas.” Twenty-five years later, it’s all sailing downwind.