It’s been three years since the Eastside lost its beloved dinner train, but a Seattle sailor says his boat cruises can offer something more.

“I have something better to offer than the train, because you go through people’s front yards instead of their backyards,” said Hilton Smith, owner of Waterway Cruises.

While the ship has sailed from Renton for private functions,

it began dinner and breakfast cruises this spring, and even Smith has been surprised by the business.

At one point a special promotion sold 1,615 tickets in 24 hours just for Renton cruises, he said. “We knew Renton was a place that could pull substantial amount of tourist traffic, because of the success of the train.”

Smith started the Seattle-based company 19 years ago with his wife, when he began leasing a yacht.

He was a successful real-estate investor who has carried a love of boats all of his life, he said.

Today, Waterways has three yachts, the largest being 105 feet, and holding up to 250 passengers.

It took Waterways Cruises about four years to negotiate a lease of a dock in Renton, because the city has so few private docks.

The bad economy halted a building project at Southport between the Bristol Apartments and the Boeing 737 plant. A tall dock and walking path were complete, but residents mainly use them for lounging.

“The owner said, ‘Well, we’d like to see some activity’,” Smith said. “We knew the facility was attractive and that people liked to cruise from there.”

A large grass field, called the Southport Meadow, offers waterfront views and plenty of space for wedding tents.

The company hosts about 50-60 weddings on its boats each year. Captain Peter Walsh can even act as the wedding officiant.

The boats are nice, too. The staff keeps them clean and well-maintained. Simple woodwork, a tinned ceiling and stylish lounge sofas are a step up from what’s typically found with the company’s main competitor, Argosy Cruises.

A lower outside deck on its 90-foot yacht, Olympic Star, offers privacy for couples trying to steal a kiss, while the upper deck is good for lounging and a small bar.

Many of the cruises have live music.

Smith carefully picked and cross-trained the staff between bartender, waiter, and deck hand, he said.

Waterways doesn’t rely solely on its lake views to make an enjoyable meal.

The gourmet-style, four-course dinners are cooked onboard, although most of the preparation work is done off boat.

The cramped kitchen has just enough room to line out the plates and to do the final roasting.

“It’s a puzzle trying to fit everything in there,” said chef Chelsey Hines, adding that they insist on making sure the food is freshly prepared on the boat.

For dinner the amuse bouche, a perfectly cooked prawn with a fruit salsa, was simple but tantalizing. But don’t hope for much in the salad, which was bitter and uninteresting.

Hines loves the grilled endive entree, but I went for the hanger steak and the salmon.

If you’re debating between the two, pick the steak.

It’s cooked medium rare with a mouth warming gravy, a beautiful stuffed tomato and rich baked pasta loaded with cheese.

Although the salmon is smoked perfectly, it’s paired with cold and unsatisfying cucumbers and corn salsa.

The happy hour cruise, which is probably the most popular cruise that sailed out of Renton this summer, comes with a blackened salmon and chipotle chicken tacos. Sunday brunches also offer a buffet.

The captain loops the boats around Mercer Island, pointing out interesting sites, including Bill Gate’s mansion, Seward Park and the Bellevue skyline.

“The scenery is lovely,” Capt. Walsh said.

It’s worth taking the time to gawk at some of the waterfront mansions. One home even had a dinosaur fossil in its foyer.

The happy hour cruise, which is much easier on the pocketbook, ends in October with the slowing business, but the sunset and brunch cruises continue through the winter.

After the last bit of warm light faded from a flaming red sunset, Hines looked out the dark window and said, “The sunsets are awesome when it comes to fall.”