There is Bushido, the “way” of the Samurai.
There is Karate, the “way” of the empty hand.
Then there is Capt. Bob’s “way,” the true way to learn seamanship, boating, and the trawler way. Matilde and I decided to get a trawler & began searching. We believed that it would take a year to find the perfect one. So, we, in May of 2010 engaged a Trawler School Charter for 15-Nov-2010, believing our training would be done far ahead of our trawler purchase. Ha! We found our boat in July, and Capt. Bob’s book was a Godsend, an invaluable guide during our purchase. Now, what to do with our Trawler School Charter? Cancel? No. We decided that ICW training would be valuable as we intended to make our first long trip from Houston, TX to the Bahamas.

Little did we know that ICW training would be 10 times as valuable as we thought! In fact, one of the many benefits of Capt. Bob’s training is that it greatly facilitated communications between Matilde & me (each of us has difficulty accepting instruction from the other). The highlights for me were the training segments on Electronics (I have not been able to get from the instruction manuals how to operate our chartplotter – I now feel completely comfortable with electronic navigation). Anchoring, engine (air, water, fuel – so simple really, and now I can outthink problems), electrics (now I am completely confident with 120 & 12V alternating and direct current systems and how they interact on a trawler).

But, here’s the icing on the cake: Capt. Bob suggested that before crossing the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas we do what he calls the “Little Loop,” Houston to the Big Ditch by the ICW, Big Ditch to Okeechobee, to Atlantic ICW, to Miami, to Key West, To Big Ditch, to Houston. Ideal! all near the service & spares we might need to shake down our vessel and prepare for foreign exploits. It has been a great experience for us, and meeting Capt. Bob’s charming Susan was a joy! Getting to know the “Way” of Captain Bob has been the best use of our time and money that we can imagine.

Thank you Capt.!

Phil & Matilde

To see the original log entry as written by the guests, click here