Hello Captain Bob

What a beautiful 3 days onboard the Miami Mermaid! Captain Bob lived up to all the reviews we read: we received an education and experience of a lifetime. The weather and anchorages were exceptional. We are filled with true confidence in seamanship. We are excited to test out the wonderful world of Trawlers with excitement and knowledge.

Great job Captain Bob we won’t forget you!
Doug & Julianne

Captain Bob,

Had a wonderful learning experience. You covered everything we came for plus a lot information we never thought of. Your hands on training really gave us full confidence to charter a trawler on our own. Captain Bob lets you take full control of his trawler! You only see him during class and at dinner. It’s like we were on our own. He is a wonderful host and great cook. We will miss the beaches and wonderful anchorage”s of South Florida

Good luck
Frank & Cathy
Bevercreek, Ohio

12-26-2017.       12-30-2017

What a pleasure the last 3 days were & thank you Captain Bob. After flying in from Afghanistan to meet my wife Loretta, who flew in from South Dakota to meet me (it’s been 6 months since we been together), and this turned out to be just the adventure we hoped for and more. I have done a lot of reading about trawlers and everything you taught us either reinforced what I read, changed my mind on some other things, it gave me additional information I had not read.

Because Captains Bob’s philosophy is “keep it simple”, most of the things I read was a waste of time, hands on training is the only way to go. The class on thinking about  buying the right trawler gave us the insight of what trawler buying is all about.

We had such unexpected experiences you just can’t plan for, and it added so much more to our Trawler spectrum. What a shock it was to look back and see we lost our dingy in tow. Captain Bob got on the VHF and broadcasted an all out bulletin to be on the look out and a minute later a fisherman calls back and we retrieved The Dingy Ling about 2 miles back. Knowing The Captain, he may have slipped that into the class. He puts a fishing line out during one of his classes— the rod went wild— oh my god we hooked up to a 1,000 lb Manatee on 10 lb  test fishing line! Wait a minute, the captain ‍️ said, they do not eat fish bait but grass only? They eat about 2,000 lb of grass a day fortunately it just wrapped around it’s tail and came off quickly but the manatee started to eat the grass on the side of the Mermaids boat for a half hour. Captain called his diver that cleans his bottom and told him he has been replaced. HA Ha.

I arrived the first night and was having my Glenfiddich 12 year old scotch and a cigar, and out on the back deck is a blow up doll named Wilma— that was a little creepy for me.

We were up at the helm 2 days later, and all of the sudden the captain was yelling “woman over board!” we went immediately into our woman over board drill and saved Wilma. Now for the rest of the story! It was very creepy because.. ready for this, my mother’s name was WILMA! Enough said about that.

Our grandson, 11, flew in and the Captain let us bring him aboard for an hour to drive the big mighty Miami Mermaid we took pictures. He was a little creeped out taking a picture with Grand Ma Wilma. We are leaving right now heading to Jamaica. Be back in Afghanistan in 11 days for another 6 month tour. Can’t wait till we retire in 3 years sell the farm and live aboard a trawler. Life does not get any better than that.

Trawler School is a must on your bucket list.
Had a great time God bless America
Happy New Years
Your new friends
Dennis & Loretta
Somewhere in South Dakota 6 degrees below Zero or in an undisclosed place in Afghanistan???
Hello Jamaica

12-4-2017.           12-8-2017

Captain Bob,

Had a wonderful time learning all your courses, and enjoying all the anchorages and beaches you took us to. We decided trawlers are the way to go.

We feel a lot more confident in taking the next step. Thank you so much.

Frank & Cathy
Bevercreek Ohio

12-13-2017.           12-16-2017

Captain Bob,

I am retiring in 159 Friday’s and planning on living my dream on a trawler in the Florida Keys, pretty outrageous for a man from Oklahoma, but I’m ready. I got a wonderful feeling onboard the Miami Mermaid for 3 days 4 nights- I can live the trawler life! I never had experience on a boat and located Trawler School Charters on google and was amazed how much I learned in such a short period of time, like you advertise you “keep it simple.”  Thank you for the big boost in my confidence. Hope you enjoy my Uncle Bobs gift. See you in the Keys in 159 FRIDAY’s…

Sportster Bob
Oklahoma City, Okla

11-19.          11-23

Captain Bob,
Thank you so much for a really great time. You made my husband surprise retirement party a real “surprise”and a lot of fun, we kept it a secret for many months and the look on Bill’s face when he saw the Miami Mermaid was picture perfect. He been wanting to attend your school for the past 5 years and just could not get the time off, and the day after his retirement there his dream came true he was onboard attending Trawler School.

Boy, Captain Bob and Connie really got me GOOD. Thank you for all the experience and knowledge we gained with you, but most of all thanks for the friendship and fellowship from one boater to another.

Friends forever,
Bill & Connie
Neoga, Illinois

11-13.        11-17

Thanks Captain Bob!

Cruising on the Miami Mermaid was fun and entertaining as well as informative. Nice clean boat, great dinners and good fish jokes. We learned way more than we expected and will use this new knowledge for our trawler dreams.

Julie & Walter
Mobile, Al

Nov 6.              Nov 9

Hey Captain Bob-

Both nautical and nice. Learned so much and now we are left with a lot of trawler decisions to make. Definitely a confidence builder, you are very entertaining, and give informative classes. Loved your fish jokes, here is one for you, How do you tune a fish? Ha ha

Thanks Captain,
Peter & Sharon
London, Canada

10/16/17.              10/20/17

Captain Bob aka Cabin Boy Boy!

Thank you very much for a fun introduction into Trawler’s. Your philosophy of teaching and keeping things simple was invigorating. We really enjoyed visiting many different anchorages they are hidden gems. (Biscayne state park, Hurricane Harbor, 100,000 BC just like you told us it was like going back in time plus many more stops…, Manatee, Dolphins, and amazing sunsets.

We learned to bond together and handle a trawler all by ourself.

You are an unbelievable cook and all very healthy. We had a blast playing your game “U Tuber” what a great time. I left you my book A Year of living your yoga. Daily quotations. 10-16 it’s about learning 10-17 all we need to do is slow down, 10-18  the most powerful thing is unseen. Enjoy your daily quotes. Enjoy the Ron Zacapa 23 year old rum.

We will miss you Captain
Lara & Greg
Vienna, VA

10 – 9                10 -13- 2017

Captain Bob,

Thank you for the valuable lessons on docking & navigation, handling a trawler plus experiencing living on board. We had a great time, and the location- we stayed an additional 3 days B&B on the Miami Mermaid. It was the perfect vacation with an education!

The meals were delicious and nutritious. We enjoyed the Do’s & Dont’s on buying a trawler when we’re ready to retire and buy our live aboard. For now we have the confidence to go charter on our own.

We will miss South Florida’s weather when we’re back on the farm freezing, we will be thinking of Wilma basking in the sun, Wilma is Captain Bob’s blow up doll he uses for his surprise woman over board drill. We graduated and became part of the “Trawler Scholar team”. Wow 398 clients have graduated Trawler school in the past 12 years under Captain Bob’s school.

Thanks for Everything
John & Debbi
Shoshoni, WY