Over the radio the warship ordered Emily to stop. The American flag flew on Emily's stern, so the request was made in English. As the Mexican ship hovered within 100 yards of Emily, all three of its gun turrets were turned and the barrels lowered to give the gunners the ability to instantly destroy Emily. Our crew was literally staring down the barrels of three very large guns.

Emily was purchased to become the offices of our small Silicon Valley ad agency. It didn't take long to realize that operating a 100-ton boat was far more involved than we ever could have imagined. After buying Emily in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida the beautiful luxury yacht demonstrated she had a dark side to her. While in the middle of the Caribbean one of her two huge diesel engines decided to go on vacation and shut itself down. More than once she tried to sink out from under us. She decided steering wasn't an important feature on a yacht, at night, in a storm. And the surprises just kept coming.

Emily also gave us some wonderful memories. She provided a once-in-a-lifetime transit through the Panama Canal, she took us on some fabulous vacations, and she hosted several outrageous parties.

For those who have ever dreamt of owning a big boat, What a Ride! gives an insider's view into the enormous fun and the unpleasant realities of yacht ownership. What a Ride! is written for both the experienced sailor who has longed to trade up to a bigger boat as well as those who have never set foot on a private yacht. The reader will come away with a better understanding of the joy and the heartache of owning and operating a 90-foot boat.

One thing was certain, owning Emily was quite a ride.