10-3-16. 10-6-16
Captain Bob,
Debbie & I had a great time and can’t say enough about the hospitality we received onboard The Miami Mermaid. Your classes were everything we hoped for and more. The last class let us rethink our next move on our Trawler decisions, your solution will save time and $$$$. Hopefully we”ll see you in our trawler travels down in the Fl Keys. The anchorage was so breathtaking!
Rock On
GW/DW
AZ
On On Philippines running club.
Captain Bob. Sept. 12th — 16th
Thank you for the great adventure aboard the Miami Mermaid. We completed the Captain’s little loop: Key West the back way via the Gulf of Mexico (inside passage), anchored up in Big Pine, cruised down the Big Spanish channel, anchored in Marathon, moved on to over to Bahia Honda, enjoyed the nice beach and anchored, cruised on the outside (Oceanside) back to Key West for our last night at anchor.
We completed a loop of 110 NM for about 20 hours of cruising at 7.5 knots. What a wonderful and informative trip that we’ll never forget.
Skipper Sarah was manning, or shall we say womanning, the helm soon after we left the dock. She navigated one hell of a long and very tricky channel. Even Captain Bob was very pleased at her new skills.
Great anchorages at night and fabulous candlelight dinners along with music.
We have been chartering sailboats for over 30 years and it’s time to start thinking of trawlering. That’s our reason for attending Trawler school. We picked the right school and Captain, he keeps it simple AND leaves YOU in full command of his trawler. We ended up learning a ton of very practical hands-on training and important information; we’ll be using these techniques on our future charters. We are now far better prepared.
We introduced The Captain to the Curly Shuffle on You Tube- he just loved it! Yuk, Yak, Yak.
Fair winds and happiness.
Sarah & David W.
Cazenovia, NY
Ahoy Captain Bob, 08-7 — 08-12-16
As we considered buying a trawler after selling our 34′ Catalina sailboat we discovered the wide variety of different trawlers models and manufactures produced, so we decided we need some help.
Not just any help – experienced and knowledgeable help from Captain Bob’s trawler school. We had been following his site for some time and we felt his school was the best training out of the other schools we looked into. He keeps learning simple, all inclusive one price, and has 11 years of service.
We both have Captain’s licenses and have been racing sailboats for many years. The time has come to sit back at the helm and relax, cruising along, watching the world going by slowly.
We can assure anyone that the knowledge gained here is of common sense, realistic, and hands on training. We learned more about the diesel engine in one class than we figured out in 10 years on our sailboat!
Now for the fun part. You can’t ask for a more entertaining teacher and Captain. Can you find a Captain Bob anywhere? Hell No!
While in the Dry Tortuga’s we experienced a Micro burst that lasted over 30 mins with winds of 59 mph. All the boats anchored around us broke loose and some dingys were lost and flipped over. We were one of the few that did not blow off anchor. The captains ground tackle and his anchoring class turned out to be the best of all. We have learned from a real pro. The sunrise the next morning was unbelievable. Dry Tortugas is the 8th wonder of the world! A fort built in 1825, made of 18 million bricks, built in the middle of nowhere 70 miles of Key West in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico! This was a once in a life time amazing trip. THANK YOU!
Lemon drops & Cheers
Curly (Jen) & Robb
Lancaster Pa
P.S. Fair weather and “seas ripple” on your trip to Cuba next week. Have fun and best wishes…
Captain Bob Aug 3rd — 8th. 2016
Thank you for a fun and informative 3 days training. My 21 year old son Jake who is graduating Annapolis Naval academy this year accompanied me to your trawler school.
My family is chartering a 39′ power cat down in the BVI’s over Christmas. We wanted to brush up on our seaman skills. Your customized training school was just the ticket. The graduation certificate (very impressive) we received will be something to pass along to the Moorings Charter company as part of our trawler training course along with our past experience they are requesting in order to charter one of their vessels.
We captained over 80 miles around the Florida Keys which gave us hands on training, rules of the road, safety and navigation & lots of other real world experiences on boating.
We bonded together and are now working as a team. We now have all the confidence chartering on our own down in the BVI’s. We’re very excited and ready to go!
Chris & Jake
Royal Oak, MI
Captain Bob, July 25 — 29–2016
Joe, Christine & our son Avery (15) this is our first time on a trawler charter we are seeking education & fun in the sun. We have bonded as a family on all the learning techniques, handling a trawler, and a dingy. We are now a team that is ready to buy our 1st trawler.
This school has opened our minds to bigger and better plans on trawlering. We got much more than we paid for. This was a real family vacation all wrapped up into trawler school, our memories of Key West with Captain Bob this trip will certainly hold a special place in our hearts. Oh yes, Avery was promoted from (Swab) to First Mate. The Captain was very pleased with his outstanding interaction.
Warmly Christine, Joe & 1’st Matey Avery
West Lynn, OR
July 16th —- July 24th 2016
Key West bound. We Made it!
Ahoy Captain Bob,
Two weeks before our Feb charter we had to cancel due to medical reasons. We thought we had lost our entire payment, instead Captain Bob called us and offered us a more than fair deal by giving us a one year extension that allowed us the opportunity for the Dania Beach to Key West trip. We’d like to take the time to thank you- many companies wouldn’t have even considered any type of option like this.
Originally our charter was to serve 3 purposes:
(1) receiving information on what make, model & size trawler to consider.
(2) offer Irene hands on experience, training & confidence.
(3) Improving my very rusty sailing skills and apply them to power boating.
#1 The medical issue did in fact prompt us to move forward and buy our trawler, 1987 38′ Marine Trader, trunk style in which we closed on May 5th. Our training definitely satisfied the remaining other reasons #2 and #3. Cruising from Hollywood beach to Boca Chita Key, then on to Key Largo, and next to Islamorada definitely sharpened my piloting skills. Captain Bob’s teaching skills on the chart plotter, navigating along with Irene, gave her a tremendous boost in which we ended up bonding together like a real experienced cruising team.
Drink stops at the Caribbean Club where they filmed Key Largo, ordered smoked Wahoo, then the Big Chill for extra large shrimp boiled in Old Bay and conch fritters. Next anchorage was Lorelei’s where we welcomed respites, smoked fish dip, cracked conch. Our next anchorage, the nicest beach in the Florida Keys: Bahia Honda. Celebrated my surprise 66th Brithday, cake and all, got to watch Captain Ron. What a treat for an old sailor, man it was the best. The Captain gave me a $100.00 bill look alike wallet what a gift and it will be very cool to pull it out in front of my friends, Can’t wait.
Thank you so much for the opportunity and we hope to keep in touch with each other we will send you updates on our own trawlering adventures. Scott
Captain Bob thank you for being who you are and making this learning adventure so simple. This is coming from a retired teacher’s point of view, we had so much fun. Your humor is the best. Your U Tube pick a tune is something we’ll play all the time now. Irene
We are now Trawler Scholars!
Scott & Irene
Collageville PA
June 28th — July 1st 2016
Captain,
What a great trip. I now know what I need to know and how to carry out my plan to achieve my trawler dreams, thanks you made it all possible.
Captain Bob is an entertainer and has a great system for teaching the basics on how to run and buy a trawler. Just like his advertisement reads (We keep it simple).
Keep on teaching
Peyton T
Dothan Al
July 4th — July 8th
Captain Bob,
Thanks so much for your time, fish jokes and advice. We had a great time, from the Hollywood Beach 4th fireworks to finding and pulling up Captain Barnacle’s beach chair caught on your anchor “how funny” that made us miss the bridge heading to No Name Harbor the tip of Key Biscayne.
Thanks for the memories.
Cheers Captain Bob
Steve & Bryce
Walled Lake MI
Thank god for WIFI
Captain Bob from Revere, MA,
Park your Carr by the Barr ha ha ha
Thank you to a fellow Massachusetts boater- at least we could understand you.
We had a wonderful time learning all about Trawler life, all your pointers and advice will be extremely helpful in our next phase of owning & chartering a trawler on our own.
Loved your fish jokes and enjoyed sharing stories from your hometown of Revere Beach. Had lots of fun, laughing and learning about trawlers. Can’t get better than that. Best money we spent in a long time- we needed a break.
Thanks so much Captain Bob we’ll miss you.
Beth & Mike K
Boxford, MA
July 11th — July 14th
Captain Bob,
Florida is definitely the sunshine state. You brought a little extra sunshine to some folks from Chicago: “What city do sharks come from? ” Sharkcago”
We’ll never forget that one Captain Bob…
Thank you for sharing all your knowledge and passion covering all aspects of trawlering. Your school was the best decision we made before buying a trawler. We were going down the wrong path and now have plan “B” and we like it.
Mike & Maria G
ChicagoLand, IL