‘Be the captain of your own ship’: Fleet of pirate ships operating in the GTHA, Ottawa for sale

"Pirates" are seen fighting an board a Pirate Life Adventures ship in this undated photo. (Supplied)

Ever dreamed of captaining a real-life pirate ship? Ahoy, matey, here’s your chance.

Pirate Life Adventures, which has a fleet of four 40-by-12-foot, Transport Canada-certified vessels complete with functioning water cannons and crews, could be all yours for a “couple of gold doubloons,” says Matt Slaman, the adventure and entertainment company’s owner.

Slaman, who launched Pirate Life Adventures in Toronto in 2014, said the time has come for him to embark on a new adventure and sell his beloved business. He tells CP24 that he and his wife want to move to Europe, where she’s from, and start a family.

“This business has been my heart and soul. I custom-made these boats myself,” said Slaman, who lives in Toronto but grew up sailing with his grandfather in Hamilton.

“It’s not easy (to sell the business), but it’s the right thing now for my life.”

Slaman said owning this kind of business is about more than just running a fleet of pirate-themed boats, it’s a chance to expose people to art and culture, to provide them with a fun and memorable experience.

It also doesn’t hurt to have the winters off to travel and decompress, he added.

Slaman said Pirate Life Adventures has many facets, as the fleet is currently being used from May to October for multiple daily family pirate adventure cruises and escape room/murder mystery boat cruises at night. It can also be rented out at other times for private events for additional income, he said.

At this time, three of Pirate Life Adventures’ vessels are fully operational in Toronto, Hamilton, and Ottawa, while the fourth is currently land-docked with license agreements already in place to launch it at Oakville’s Bronte Marina in 2027 or possibly earlier. Each ship has a capacity of 40 people.

Slaman said he’s open to selling the “turnkey” business as a whole or subdividing it per ship, adding he’ll also provide the new owner(s) with a full rundown of how to operate the business successfully. Alcohol and operating licenses, waterfront leases, and docking rights are also included.

“This is a great opportunity to let go of the 9-to-5 and hit the water,” he said.

“Be the captain of your own ship.”