Charter sailboat firm proposed for Milwaukee

[CaptainK]

The Business Journal of Milwaukee

A Whitefish Bay housepainting contractor hopes to launch a charter sailboat company on Milwaukee's lakefront that will provide rides to corporate customers and on-the-water classrooms for the new Pier Wisconsin.

To finance the startup, Curt Crain, who owns Crain Painting Contractors in Glendale, is seeking a $278,000 loan through the Milwaukee Economic Development Corp. to be combined with a $432,000 loan from Associated Bank. The MEDC's loan and finance committee will consider the request at its meeting on Tuesday.

Crain proposes purchasing a 73-foot custom cruising sailboat built in 1974 to host the charters, according to an MEDC memo. He would use the boat for corporate charters 60 percent of the sailing time and offer classes on weekday mornings. He would also like to provide sailing experiences to central city youth, the memo said.

Crain began sailboating in 1997 and holds a master of steam or motor vessels license from the U.S. Coast Guard.

MEDC is a quasi-public development agency run by the city of Milwaukee.