ABOUT US
Since 1977, we’ve provided our clients with world-class corporate and private event experiences. You can trust in our commitment to creating lasting memories for your next event or special celebration.
ABOUT THE OWNER
Winston Knauss grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Crooked Creek. As a child, Winston constructed rafts, boats, dams, and even a suspension bridge across the creek. His early interests included creating trails along the creek, reflecting his love for nature and innovation. Winston’s dream of building boats ultimately would serve as his inspiration for the luxury charter yachts that he still builds and operates today; many of which have ultimately found their way to ports all over the globe.
In the early 1960’s, RCA moved their headquarters to Indianapolis and fortunately, Winston was hired as a trainee cost analyst under his then mentor and now longtime friend, Richard “Dick” Hintz.
In later years after Dick retired from RCA, he came to work for Winston Development Co. Winston developed a keen understanding of cost analysis and management. His curiosity about the cost of everything, often noted by those who know him, can be traced back to these formative years. Winston left RCA and assisted various owners of several construction, demolition, and underground utility companies. By the late 1960s, Winston had gained significant experience to start his own AAA Wrecking, a successful demolition company, headquartered in Indianapolis, where he used his costing expertise to win the lion’s share of demolition contracts in the midwest and Indianapolis.
Winston invested much of his time in buying, building and developing hotels, bars, and real estate. His Dearborn Hotel hosted the first Black operated radio station to broadcast from the tenth floor of the hotel. These improvement projects are part of his legacy and contributions to the resurrection of Indianapolis and a large extent of the midwest.
Winston bought the Town of Shore Acres and as a land developer, he installed sewers, water, power, and widened the road to 4 lanes. Winston’s true passions lay in combining the tranquility of nature with upscale living and led to his most ambitious project yet: Winston Island Woods, a 100+ unit luxury condominium development within the Town of Shore Aces. These first of their kind condos in the greater Indianapolis are nestled in the heart of the woods, offering residents a unique blend of luxury and nature. Adjacently, he built and operated the Winston Yacht & Country Club, a multi-venue banquet facility built around a twelve-acre spring fed lake. Winston Yacht & Country Club instantly became one of the city’s most unique venues having hosted thousands of events from wedding receptions to elegant galas.
His childhood desire to build boats and the allure of water always remained at the core of Winston’s entrepreneurial heart. The 1970s marked a significant milestone for Winston as he built his first large scale boat in his backyard along White River in Indianapolis. Utilizing salvage materials from his demolition and building companies, Winston’s boatbuilding journey began. His transition from demolishing structures such as buildings, manufacturing plants, smokestacks, water towers, and bridges to creating beautiful yachts brought him immense satisfaction. These yachts, admired for their beauty, symbolized his
ability to create something enduring and aesthetically pleasing.
AAA Wrecking had become one of the most successful demolition companies in the United States having mastered the science of imploding buildings and structures as a more efficient and safer method of demolition. Even though the company was thriving, Winston felt a desire to step away and focus on other dreams. After so many years of “tearing things down”, he wanted to focus his efforts on bringing beauty to the world. He gifted AAA Wrecking to his employees and embarked on his journey to “build things up”.
Winston was involved in overseeing that the Dearborn Hotel was donated to the Wheeler Mission, aligning his business decisions with philanthropic values and gift in kind.
In 1977 Winston bought properties on the New River in Fort Lauderdale. Shortly after settling in Fort Lauderdale for a peaceful winter, Winston was approached by a yacht broker who asked him if he would be interested in chartering his then 62-foot luxury yacht. Winston agreed, and thus began the yacht chartering business that he has gone on to perfect over the last 45+ years.
In the beginning, his charters did not include any catered food aboard the yacht, but that all changed one day when show business luminary Liza Minelli chartered his yacht and insisted he’d serve stone crab, shrimp, oysters and the like which he was able to quickly source a solution. Now a SIR WINSTON private luxury charter offers South Florida’s finest culinary offerings, elegantly displayed food stations, and premium bar service while you cruise the scenic Intracoastal Waterway.
Winston and his wife Diane, of nearly 25 years, have enjoyed the designing, planning, and contracting that goes into building these well thought out charter yachts.
Winston and Diane are both U.S.C.G. licensed captains and have played a dominant role in every boat from laying the keel to the launch. In fact, they have christened some 30 luxury yachts which have found their way in markets worldwide. New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Shanghai and Mumbai are just some of the places you can find one of the former SIR WINSTON Luxury Yachts that have been built and operated by Winston and sold on to other investor operators.
Now residing in Alva, Florida, on SIR WINSTON FARMS on the scenic Intracoastal Waterway on the Caloosahatchee, with 800 feet of waterfront,Winston and Diane continue to be actively involved in the daily operations of the (2) SIR WINSTON charter boats in South Florida. The last SIR WINSTON yacht is in Alva to serve Southwest Florida and the other SIR WINSTON is in Hollywood to serve Southeast Florida.
As Winston has had a remarkable life, his eyesight began to deteriorate after the many corneal transplants and detached retinas that left him with significant scar tissue. He had to give up his aviation fleet of helicopters and his fixed wing planes. Later he was diagnosed with glaucoma that eventually resulted in the total loss of his vision. He still visualizes things now even better than when his eyesight was in perfect health.
Winston is still living his childhood dream of building and operating boats just like he did 75 years ago as an imaginative child playing with his handmade crafts on Crooked Creek.
His intent is to keep the SIR WINSTON legacy alive as a testament to the power of vision and determination and gives thanks to “our one and only God, Creator, Navigator and Savior.” “Let there be Peace on Earth and let it begin with me.”
Shared with Love, by Captain Diane