A Behind-The-Scenes Look At John Wayne’s Custom Yacht, 'Wild Goose'

Dec 20, 2021

When it comes to remembering the best to come from Hollywood’s Golden Age, John Wayne is by far one of the most famous stars to come out of the era. Born on May 26, 1907, he was an actor and filmmaker who shot to stardom during this era by landing several starring roles in Western and war films. 

Wayne’s career really flourished during the silent era in the 1920s up through the end of his life in 1979. The established actor appeared in more than 200 movie and television productions and was easily seen as an American icon, making him a box office success through and through.

While many people know Wayne for his on-screen performances, others have been entranced by the late actor’s personal life. He was married three times and divorced twice, and had a total of seven children. Wayne also raked in plenty of money from his time in the spotlight and used that to help publicize some of his hobbies, such as his love for tennis. He even built the John Wayne Tennis Club in 1973.

One of Wayne’s most prized possessions was his custom yacht known as Wild Goose. Wayne kept it docked in Newport Beach Harbor in California, and it has gone on to become one of the most historic places for people to visit. The yacht is filled with plenty of amazing detailings and add-ins, showing almost as much star quality as Wayne himself. Read on to find out more about Wayne’s beloved yacht and all of its intricate features.

Wild Goose is a World War II minesweeper that Wayne bought back in 1962, according to the Orange County Register. He refurbished it as a yacht and used it to travel to several beautiful places and also entertain his friends and family until he died in 1979. Hornblower Cruises, the owners who came after Wayne, bought the boat in 1997 and invested more than $3 million to renovate the yacht, with the most noticeable newer features being an upper deck and a room on the main deck.

A video from April 2018 has shown an inside look into Wayne’s beloved custom yacht called Wild Goose. According to Outsider, the ship is 136 feet and is a three-decker, filled with some incredible amenities such as a full bar, microphone, fireplace room, dance area, and bridal suite.

Also, onboard the famous boat are several framed photos of Wayne himself in some of his most popular roles from his many years in the spotlight, as well as other memorabilia of the late star. The yacht also has wood detailing and murals. 

There is a naval battle mural that Wayne commissioned that faces a wood-burning fireplace, which are both original to the former state of the yacht, according to the Orange County Register. The walls in the famous boat previously were filled with at least two dozen plaques from army units Wayne visited in Vietnam.

According to an Outsider article from March 2021, Wild Goose is currently owned by Hornblower Cruises, located in Newport Beach. The company puts on plenty of events and cruises that are Wayne-themed, opening up the doors for his fans to really get the full experience.

Chandler Bell, the director of marine operations, spoke with the Orange County Register about how Hornblower Cruises wanted to maintain Wild Goose’s historic integrity. “We wanted to preserve the history of the vessel,” he said. “We felt the boat deserved it.”

Bert Minshall began working as a deckhand on Wild Goose in 1963 before becoming the ship’s captain during the 1970s, a position he held until Wayne’s death. He helped with some of the yacht’s transformations under Wayne, as per the Orange County Register. The bed in the stateroom was changed from a speckled brown and yellow color to a darker color. Hornblower Cruises was also able to preserve one bunk room and wanted to convert another bunk room back to its original state. 

Speaking with the Orange County Register, Minshall explained that he wanted to do whatever it would take to make Wild Goose return to its former glory and show its beauty as Wayne’s yacht. “Personally, I would have liked to keep the boat original, the way the Duke had it,” he said. “It just doesn’t look like John Wayne’s boat.”

The famous yacht was previously used in several films and was even nominated for a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. The Orange County Register reported that the National Register of Historic Places is an honorary designation used to recognize places with a certain significance and encourage their preservation.

According to City Cruises, passengers that visit Wild Goose can embark on a dining cruise on the yacht and take pictures using the hashtag #JohnWayneGrit to help raise awareness for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. A portion of all proceeds is donated to the foundation.

What do you think about John Wayne’s custom yacht? Were you surprised to see what all it has to offer? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones, too.