It’s been a whirlwind of a year for Muscle Milk MEGA Athlete, Memo Gidley. From racing cars, go-karts, sailboat and jet skis, to captaining an Oracle Team USA VIP boat during the historic America’s Cup races, Memo has now launched Sailing Memo Boat Charters.“Everybody knows my love for the waterand boats,” said Gidley. “This year has given me the perfect opportunity to start something that I’ve had on my mind for some time now. The Gidley name is well known on the bay for many reasons, and I am happy to keep this going.”
Memo’s father, the late Cass Gidley, and mother, Mary, were both prominent figures on the bay starting and operating numerous water based businesses. This includes Cass’s Marina, which they opened in 1961, which was the first sail boat rental/sailing school on the San Francisco bay. Although the business was later sold, it still operated as Cass’s Marina teaching thousands of people how to sail for over 40 years.
Sailing Memo Boat Charters is a charter company where trips are custom designed to meet the needs of clients – anything from a relaxing cruise to a full tilt sail on the San Francisco Bay. “The Bay Area is a very special place for so many people,” said Gidley. “Sailing on it is relaxing and exciting all wrapped into one. I really enjoy taking people out to experience what I love. And, the SF Bay is one of the best places in the world to sail because we have a little bit of everything. On different parts of the Bay, we can find areas of zero wind to full-on 30knot breezes, both on the same day. For that reason, we can really tailor the sailing experience to what people want.”
And how does Sailing Memo Boat Charters tie into Memo’s car racing career? “Well, I think my car racing background adds an interesting flavor to Sailing Memo Boat Charters,” said Gidley. “I don’t think there’s another charter company out there with an owner that has the diverse background that I have. From being raised as an “anchor-out” on the Bay to racing 250 mph Indy cars, I do have a lot of interesting stories and experiences!”
And speaking of Memo’s car racing career, what are Memo’s racing plans? “This really changes nothing as far as car racing goes,” said Gidley. “I don’t plan on this being a volume based business – it’ll be more selective. I also like the direction that car racing is going and am working hard to get a full time ride for 2014. I love racing cars and will continue to dedicate the time required to build-on the success I’ve had over the years.”
Please visit www.sailingmemo.com