Sonny Crockett's Home: Living On A Boat

James Sonny Crockett, a fictional character in the NBC television series Miami Vice, lived on a sailing yacht called the St. Vitus Dance. The yacht was moored in Miami's luxurious Miamarina, now known as Bayside Marketplace, and rarely left its berth, serving more as a floating apartment than a means of transportation or recreation. The sailboat, which was originally a Cabo Rico 38 sailboat and later changed to an Endeavour 40 and then a larger Endeavour 42, played a significant role in Crockett's undercover assignments and provided a convenient escape to the open ocean when needed.

The name of Sonny Crockett's boat

The St. Vitus Dance was portrayed by three different yachts during the five seasons of the show. In the pilot episode, Crockett lived on a Cabo Rico 38 sailboat, which changed to an Endeavour 40 once the show was picked up. At the start of season 2, the boat changed to a larger Endeavour 42, although some footage of the Endeavour 40 was still used in some episodes. By season 3, the Endeavour 42 was the only boat seen and would remain so for the rest of the series. It is unclear whether these boats were supposed to be the same yacht or different vessels with the same name.

The Endeavour 42 sailboat, which was used as Crockett's boat in later seasons, was docked at Bayside Marina in Miami alongside the Wellcraft Scarab powerboat used by Crockett and his partner Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs. The Scarab became iconic for its appearance in the show, with its distinctive pastel hull stripes and powerful engines creating the classic "rolling thunder" American muscleboat noise.

The type of boat Sonny Crockett lived on

The character of Sonny Crockett, from the NBC television series *Miami Vice*, lived on a sailing yacht named the St. Vitus Dance. The vessel was moored in Miami's luxurious Miamarina (now known as Bayside Marketplace) and rarely left its berth, serving more as a floating apartment than a means of transport or recreation. This extravagant way of living suited Crockett's wealthy, drug-dealing undercover persona, and the yacht also offered a convenient escape route to the open ocean if necessary.

The St. Vitus Dance was portrayed by three different yachts during the show's five seasons. In the pilot episode, Crockett's home was a Cabo Rico 38 sailboat, which was replaced by an Endeavour 40 when the show was picked up as a series. At the start of season 2, the boat was changed again to a larger Endeavour 42, although some footage of the Endeavour 40 was still used in certain episodes. By season 3, the Endeavour 42 was the only boat featured, and it remained so for the rest of the series. It is unclear whether these boats were intended to be the same yacht or different vessels with the same name.

The Endeavour 42 sailboat, which appeared in seasons 2 through 5, was 42 feet long and had two bedrooms and two bathrooms. It was docked at Watson Island near the Chalks seaplane base in later seasons. After the show ended, the boat was sold and eventually resold, falling into disrepair. However, it was recently restored and is now available for charter in the Florida Keys.

The boat's role in Miami Vice

The boat played a significant role in the NBC television series *Miami Vice*, which aired from 1984 to 1990. The boat, a sailing yacht named the St. Vitus Dance, served as the home of the main character, Detective James "Sonny" Crockett, portrayed by Don Johnson. Moored in the luxurious Miamarina, the boat provided a unique living space for Crockett, reinforcing his wealthy, drug-dealing undercover persona.

The yacht was more than just a stylish residence; it played a functional role in Crockett's assignments. Its location offered a convenient escape route to the open ocean, providing a sense of safety and seclusion. Crockett's occupation as a detective and drug dealer required him to maintain a low profile, and the boat's lack of a fixed address contributed to his elusive nature. Additionally, the yacht served as a base for surveillance operations, such as in the episode "No Exit," where Crockett monitored gun runner Tony Amato from his vessel.

The St. Vitus Dance also witnessed Crockett's personal life, as it frequently hosted his female guests, including Gina and Theresa Lyons. Associates from his undercover work, such as Jake Pierson, would also visit him on the yacht to discuss business. The boat facilitated Crockett's ability to keep his lives as an undercover detective and drug dealer separate, allowing him to entertain guests and conduct meetings in a private setting.

Over the course of the show's five seasons, the St. Vitus Dance was portrayed by three different yachts. In the pilot episode, Crockett lived on a Cabo Rico 38 sailboat, which was replaced by an Endeavour 40 when the show was picked up as a series. At the start of season 2, the boat changed again to a larger Endeavour 42, with some footage of the Endeavour 40 still being used in certain episodes. By season 3, the Endeavour 42 became the primary vessel for the remainder of the series.

In conclusion, the boat played a pivotal role in *Miami Vice*, serving as both a functional residence and a means of transportation for Crockett. It enhanced his mysterious and wealthy persona, provided a private space for meetings and entertainment, and occasionally played a more active role in his police assignments. The St. Vitus Dance became synonymous with the character of Sonny Crockett, contributing to the iconic imagery of the show.

The boat's location

The sailing yacht that James "Sonny" Crockett lived on in the NBC television series Miami Vice was called the St. Vitus Dance. The yacht was moored in Miami's luxurious Miamarina (now known as Bayside Marketplace). The sailboat rarely seemed to leave its berth, acting more like a floating apartment than a means of transport or recreation. This was very fitting for Crockett's undercover personality as a wealthy drug dealer. The lack of a fixed address also helped Crockett stay "off the radar" and made him harder to find.

The St. Vitus Dance was portrayed by three different yachts during the show's five seasons. In the pilot episode, Crockett lived on a Cabo Rico 38 sailboat, which changed to an Endeavour 40 once the show was picked up as a series. At the start of season 2, the boat changed to a larger Endeavour 42, although some footage of the Endeavour 40 was still used in some episodes. By season 3, the Endeavour 42 was the only boat seen, and it remained so for the rest of the series.

The Endeavour 42 sailboat used in later seasons was docked at Watson Island, near the Chalks seaplane base. The yacht provided a convenient means of escape for Crockett, allowing him to take witnesses out to sea where it would be more difficult for potential hitmen to find and get close to them. In the "Line of Fire" episode, the sailboat was badly shot up by gunmen from the Cantero organisation when they discovered Crockett's location due to a departmental leak. The vessel was apparently repaired soon after, as Crockett continued to use it as his residence for the remainder of the series.

After the show ended, the Endeavour 42 sailboat was sold to a customer and then resold and neglected. It was recently restored and available for charter in the Florida Keys in 2020. The Port-of-Call on the transom now reads Key West, and the sailboat is part of a three-boat charter company, Key West Sailing Adventure, owned by Albert Tropea and Ronda Rinald.

Other boats in Miami Vice

The boat that Sonny Crockett lived on in Miami Vice was the St. Vitus Dance, a sailing yacht moored in Miami's luxurious Miamarina (now known as Bayside Marketplace). The sailboat rarely left its berth, acting more as a floating apartment than a means of transport or recreation.

The show featured several other notable boats, including:

The Chris-Craft Stinger 39

The powerboat of choice for Crockett and his partner Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs in the first season of Miami Vice. The Stinger was replaced after the first season as the show's producers wanted a boat with a racier look and feel.

The Wellcraft Scarab 38' KV

A silver, blue, and black powerboat used by Crockett for any water-borne activities in the majority of the show's run, usually pursuing criminals on Miami's waterways. The Scarab replaced the Stinger from season 2 onwards, with Wellcraft supplying two vessels per season. The boat's distinctive appearance and powerful engines made it an iconic feature of the show.

The Endeavour 42

A sailboat that appeared in Miami Vice from season 2 onwards, moored alongside the St. Vitus Dance at Bayside Marina. This boat served as Crockett's home for the remainder of the series.

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