Kipp Keller’s* Guide to a Yacht Rock Summer

*This is not actually Kipp Keller. There, now that the legal stuff is out of the way….

Ahoy there! The sun is out and the temperatures are rising, so that can only mean one thing: it’s time to put our boats in the water and break out the Michael McDonald tapes. That’s right, it’s coming up on Yacht Rock Summer in Austin! Even though I’m new to the area, I have years of expertise and am here to help you, our Verde supporters, prepare for a proper yacht rocking good time.

The Necessities

• A boat (preferably a yacht, but a small sailing craft will do)
• Champagne
• A captain steering the vessel
• A party captain
• A way to play music (Live band if possible, but a mix tape or CD will do)
• Portable Speakers

The Clothing

It’s imperative that you come prepared wearing proper clothing to fully enjoy the yacht rock experience. Unfortunately you’ll need to leave your favorite soccer jersey at home, but those verde sweatshirts could come in handy to tie around your neck while you sail the open waters of Lake Austin.

If you’re going proper for the gentlemen’s look, you’ll need a sailors hat, rolled up khaki pants, a non-tucked in button down shirt, your finest Sperry boat shoes, and of course, a proper sailor’s hate. It is acceptable to substitute a button down shirt for a blue and white striped crew neck or a brightly colored polo, but make sure your clothing does not show brand logos. That’s just tacky. A pipe, a navy sailor’s jacket, and your best Tommy Bahama sunglasses will round out the ensemble perfectly.

Please note, your button down shirt cannot be white unless covered by jacket. Only the boat captain may wear a white shirt. If you need true inspiration, let Danny Noonan be your muse.

Ladies, your options are nearly limitless. From striped crew necks, to dresses, to pants, there are very few rules. Bright colors are important (navy blue is an exception), but otherwise the basic rules are to be comfortable and ready to dance. If you prefer to wear heels, make sure that you have a non-slip backup pair of shoes to protect yourself on a wet boat deck. And don’t forget the over-sized visor or full brimmed hat to give you some shade while you party under the Pennybacker Bridge!

The Music

Now we arrive at the most essential item: proper music. A live band is the optimal play here (preferably Hall & Oates), however that may not be feasible if your craft if less than 80 feet long. There a few key things to avoid:

• Playing the same band/artist back-to-back
• Playing the same song more than once every four hours
• Having music stop for any significant amount of time
• Country music (sorry Willie)

As someone who has been doing yacht rock summers since the age of 10, the best advice that I can offer you is to stick with the classics. Kenny Loggins “Heart to Heart”, Toto “Africa”, Christopher Cross “Sailing”, The Doobie Brothers “What a Fool Believes”, and of course, Player’s “Baby Come Back”. Don’t get fancy here and make sure to leave the Jimmy Buffett tapes at home. That is the quickest way to ruin a good time for everyone and your chances of an afterparty with Muffin will be gone. And let’s be honest, no one wants to be left at full mast.

So that’s it. Thank you for allowing me to share my pro tips and I hope that this guide has you ready to enjoy an Austin summer like you’ve never experienced before!