Author Archives: The Captain

We Had to Leave Early

Dear Captain Bob              June 21.  —    June 24

Thank you so much for everything we are so sorry that we had to leave a day early, but as you know, owning your own business, business comes first. You are so kind to issue us a credit to finish our course in FL this winter were all excited and once again Thank You.

You are a wonderful and patient teacher with an enthusiasm for teaching your passengers about trawlers. We are taking so much  knowledge away in a small amount of time.

Look after Wilma and looking forward cruising with you in Florida.
Sarah & Phil
Highwood, IL

Oh, the Places You Will Go!

Captain Bob.                                May 29 — June 11 2015

Intracoastal trip from Myrtle Beach to NYC. Tons of places to see. Many unexpected, like helicopters hovering on maneuvers at Camp LeJeune carrying artillery over the waterway over our heads. Water festival on Chesapeake bay, tall ships, man performing jet propelled back pack high off the water.

Beautiful, quiet Dismal swamp, seaside Elizabeth City, and the Solomon Islands, long, quiet, lonely cruising on the dark shadowed rivers and swamps. The very busy and noisy NY Harbor Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Rikers island, the 1962 Worlds fairgrounds. A record setting 120 mile trip outside the NJ shore line from Cape May to Sandy Hook – 13 hours.
Home cooked meals from chef Bob and all the makings of a great vacation. I’m sure the next passengers will have as good of a time as we did.
Your friends
Cary & Paula
Columbia SC

You Gave Us the Inside Scoop

Oh Captain Bob, My Captain.              May 12 — 15, 2015

About 6 years ago we decided to live on a boat after retirement. We took a boating safety course, purchased a 18′ runabout boat to begin learning on. We became voracious readers of all subjects relating to boats. We were thinking between a 37′ to a 42′ but wanted to be sure.

Trawler School Charters sounded like what we need to attend. This gave us the opportunity to handle a boat that size and living aboard 3 days 4 nights. Your 40′ was more than we needed to be honest we weren’t looking for much more than that from your course.
Even with 6 years of self education we found ourselves learning much more during each class. We especially enjoyed the class about finding the right trawler. You shared 10 years of your in’s & out’s experiences when you were King of the trawler brokers. This inside information will help us immensely when we’re ready to make our purchase.
We have been saving and skimping for the past 6 years so we will be able to buy the right trawler for our needs.
The money we spent was a solid investment. The Trawler live aboard lifestyle was just the way we want it to be when we’re living on board.
We are the bottle water drinking champs- no one drank more than us.
Thanks for everything
John & Jen
Cleveland Ohio

Try Before You Buy

Ahoy Captain Bob,              May 4 — 8 2015

We learned a lot in such a short time. We were able to practice the skills needed to successfully & safely own a trawler. Others should know to take your class before buying a trawler. There is so much to buying a trawler, that if we did buy it most likely would have been the wrong model and size, it would have been a nightmare we would have to live with. Thanks for a memorable and enjoyable week.

Greg & Mary
Hughesville, TN

We Like it Slow

Hi Captain.                             April 29 — May 2.  2015

Wow! We learned a lot in three days. Captain Bob is so knowledgable about trawlers, he gave us so much important information, such as, what is the next step, how to be on our own, all the steps on finding a charter company, and what to look for and expect chartering before buying. The chartering will enable us to check out another model and size trawler. We will be much more informed doing it this way before we pursuing our trawler dreams.

We did learn on our trip that we did in fact enjoy slow cruising which is important to us.

Captain Bob your a very good cook.
Many Thanks
MARK & Ellen
Virginia beach,  Virginia

The “Capt. Bob Approved” Tattoo

Captain,

We’re proud to be joining the ranks of the Trawler Scholars. I’m thinking of getting a tattoo that’s says Captain Bob approved. Sera and I learned an enormous amount in such a short time, we’ll be putting that knowledge to good use shortly when we start chartering by ourselves.

We are taking your advice and chartering a few times before we buy. The trip was a blast, the scenery was gorgeous, food was great. You, Wilma, Captain Know It All, Captain Otto &The Miami Mermaid did an outstanding job. We will be looking at single engine Trawlers after handling yours. (Something we thought we wouldn’t do. Seeing how graceful you were for a big man in the engine room was a deciding factor. )

I’m a very annoying passenger (in a car) along with my back seat driving. I felt much happier now knowing I won’t do the same on a Trawler.

Thank you very, very much
Hugh & Sara
Sarasota, Fl

Passage Through the Miami Shipping Lanes

Captain BobThanks so much for a great week of Trawler training, you helped our thoughts on buying vs chartering. Your insights on purchasing were excellent.

I now have much more confidence in navigating the waterways. Although our passage thru the Miami shipping lanes was scary at first, I would have no trouble doing it alone without hesitation.

Loved doing the docking lessons, you really keep it simple, it takes all the anxiety out of it. I can dock a 40′ blindfolded due to you!

Thanks for all the great food and friendship.

Captain I loved your music selection. We had such a good time. Have a safe trip to Boston.

Milt & Sally
Atlanta, Ga

We Gained Confidence

Captain Bob

Thanks for a very memorable time, we learned so much and feel very confident when we buy our trawler or motor yacht, we will be much more informed buyers after this trip.
Thanks also for all the hands on training. I have driven our 31′ fly bridge boat for years. Your training course gave us the confidence to go ahead and buy a larger boat.

Thanks for all the good times we shared together.
Best Regards
Mike & Debbi P
Jupiter, Fl.

Two Days FULL of Info

Hi Captain,

Wow, did we learn a lot in two days. Captain Bob is so knowledgable about trawlers and we recieved so much information on them. Perhaps our most important take a way info is to learn more about trawlering from chartering a few times before we buy. We will be more informed about the right model, size, single or twin, what equipment, so on, and so on.
The advice we received was well worth the cost and I’m sure it will save us time and lots of money.

On this trip we did learn that we liked the slow trawler cruising speed, which was very important, now we know we are ready to go. Captain Bob, you’re a  very good cook.

Many Thanks
Mark & Ellen
Virginia Beach, VA

Small Boats and Big Boats are Night and Day

Captain Bob,

Wow! We learned a lot in such a short time- all the skills needed to own a Trawler. We have a couple of small boats and use them all the time, but this is the training needed for a larger boat, it is like night and day. Others should know to take your course before buying a trawler. If you’re not sure how, when or if to buy a trawler, the different models, sizes and equipment, whether to charter or buy. Trawler school will teach you and these are the classes to take, all wrapped up in a 3 day 4 night private course. Captain Bob, thanks for a memorable and enjoyable week. Mary and the Captain had lots of past memories to hash over, as Mary is an ex-Marine, Arrrrrrror

Gary & Mary
Hughesville, MD