Richard Goben, Star of India captain, 62

As captain of the world’s oldest sailing ship, Richard Goben had a much deeper understanding of the Star of India than the ins and outs of her masts and rigging. He knew why setting her sails and taking the old windjammer out to sea was vitally important to keeping history alive.

“With museum ships, you can choose to use them or not,” he said in a Nov. 10, 2013, San Diego Union-Tribune article about the barque’s 150th birthday. “If you preserve the objects like the ship and you don’t preserve the knowledge of how to sail the ship, you’ve only done half the job.”

The tall ship’s birthday marked the last time the Star of India left her berth at the Embarcadero, and the last time she would be commanded by Mr. Goben, the Hornblower Cruises port captain who stood at her helm for nearly two decades.

Mr. Goben, who had resided in Descanso since 1998, died Jan. 25 at a hospital after suffering complications from pneumonia. He was 62.

Richard Garth Goben was born July 15, 1953, in Great Lakes, Ill., the youngest of three children to Howard Goben, a Navy captain, and Virginia Halligan Goben. He was a 1971 graduate of McLean High School in McLean, Va., and earned a bachelor’s degree in visual arts from UC San Diego in 1979.

Commanding the iconic vessel was a life’s dream that began modestly — he was a sailing instructor in his college years. A Coast Guard’s license allowed him to hone his skippering skills with professional charters. He was captain of Invader Cruises and Schooner Bagheera Charters, and was with Hornblower Cruises from 1990 to 2015, serving as port captain.

Mr. Goben got his start aboard the historic tall ship in 1984 as a volunteer crew member who would go on to become first mate. He took over on deck in 1998, and that year was the first captain to sail the iron-hull vessel under the San Diego-Coronado Bridge.

“Rich gained the trust and respect of everyone who ever sailed Star of India,” said Raymond Ashley, chief executive officer of the Maritime Museum. “Not out of intimidation ... but because they genuinely wanted to please him. They knew how much it meant to him. It meant a lot to them, too, to have one of their own rise from crew to captain.”

Mr. Goben was a man of many talents who could play guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo and stand-up bass, and was also an amateur radio operator, avid photographer and antique car enthusiast.

Survivors include his wife of 28 years, Carolyn; his mother, Virginia of Buffalo Junction, Va.; two sisters, Elizabeth O’Neill of Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Virginia Weisbarth of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; and two nephews.

A celebration of life will take place at 11 a.m. April 2 aboard the Berkeley. Cremation is planned, with his ashes to be scattered at sea from the Star of India during a future sailing.

The family suggests donations to the Maritime Museum of San Diego, 1492 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101. Make a note that the donation is being made “In Memory of Capt. Richard Goben” and “For Star of India Deck Repairs.”