Successful wellness entrepreneurs Star and Chris McKinley know a thing or two about how the boating lifestyle makes for a better life. As owners of a busy wellness clinic in Wilmington, North Carolina, the couple's Pursuit DC 266 Dual Console makes the perfect getaway from the busyness and stress of business.
In this blog, we introduce Star and Chris and learn about their love for boating, their history with Pursuit Boats, and how their boat enables their enthusiasm for culinary cruising!
Chris and Star live in Wilmington, North Carolina. Star is an accomplished beauty queen, having worn several crowns including Miss Delaware and Junior Miss Delaware, and later competing in the Miss USA pageant. Having moved on from the pageant circuit, Star then graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Masters of Education.
Chris, meanwhile, is a hardened military veteran. An ex-Navy Seal, Chris later transitioned into private military contracting for the US State Department before studying medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
When they're not running their clinic together or going boating, Star and Chris enjoy exercising, spending time with their large extended family, and hanging out with their two dogs, Titan - a Belgian Malinois - and Valkyrie, a Border Collie.
Both Star and Chris have enjoyed a lifelong relationship with the water. "I grew up boating with my Granpop in Avalon, New Jersey. I can remember boating since I was at least five years old!" she recalled. "I grew up on the water on the shores of Lake Erie in Ohio," Chris said. "My navy career saw me working onboard different vessels ranging from 13ft Zodiac CRRCs (Combat Rubber Reconnaissance Craft - a bespoke craft often used by the US Marine Corps, Navy, Army, and others) and 11 meter RHIBs (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats) to aircraft carriers.
But while the couple grew up on the water, ironically neither of them had ever owned a boat. That soon changed in 2022.
When Chris and Star eventually decided to buy their first boat, their first stop was their nearest authorized Pursuit Boats dealer in North Carolina (find yours by using our handy Dealer Locator tool).
Chris was immediately drawn to Pursuit's Sport Center Console series, but as he'd soon discover, Star had other ideas. "My wife spotted the Pursuit DC and that was the end of it!" he remarked. "We subsequently went to the 2022 Miami Boat Show and bought the boat there."
Their Pursuit DC 266 Dual Console is named Starship. "It's named after my wife!" Chris revealed.
According to Chris, after viewing boats from other brands, their decision to buy a Pursuit was an obvious and easy one. "I bought Pursuit because of its reputation for fit, finish, and quality," Chris affirmed. "Seeing the Pursuit DC 266 at our local dealer, then seeing many other Pursuit Boats at the Miami show and comparing those to some other brands that we were considering, it made it obvious that Pursuit was the way to go. There's nothing like buying the best!"
We aren't surprised to hear that from Chris. After all, here at Pursuit, we have built our success on the luxurious, yacht-quality finishes found on all of our boats as well as their design, layout, and seakeeping. Browse the full range of Pursuit Dual Console boats on our website here: DC Series.
After around a year of ownership of their first Pursuit DC 266, the McKinleys were so impressed by their boat that they decided to replace it with the latest model, and Chris had the perfect reason to do so. "The wind, current, and tides here where we go boating can be very challenging. It is often stated that, 'If you are a good boater here, you are a great boater anywhere else! Therefore, when we saw the Yamaha Helm Master EX system at the 2023 Wilmington North Carolina Boat Show, we both knew that we needed that functionality on our DC 266, so we made some moves to acquire a 2024 model with that system as soon as possible."
The McKinleys love taking Starship cruising throughout the area. "We enjoy going to several dock & dine establishments, with our favorite restaurant about a 40-minute cruise from our house. We always enjoy that ride. We also love going to Southport to dock and dine. When we aren't pursuing culinary cruises, we enjoy heading to the beach on one of the barrier islands in the intercoastal here such as Masonboro Island."
Their 2024 DC 266 is the perfect boat for various other leisure activities that the McKinleys love, too. "We enjoy the sun and sand and being together with each other and with the dogs. We also love to entertain my family and our friends when they visit. The boat is a great stress relief from the long days of medicine and running our medical practice. It's simply a great way to unwind, listen to some music, and go places that are less traveled or inhabited."
Whether you are a busy professional, a stressed entrepreneur, a tired parent, or newly retired and seeking fun adventures on the water, a Pursuit boat is the perfect platform to power your recreation and take your relaxation and family time to new, blue horizons.
Browse the entire range of Pursuit Boats right here on our website or visit your nearest authorized Pursuit dealer to view your favorite model in person and arrange a test drive.