Tag Archives: trawler school charters

Trawler Reality Check

2-12-2017.               2-16-2017

To Captain Bob

Like many of your clients, we had  expectations of learning and building confidence and working together as a team. Your teaching helped us achieve just that, what we didn’t expect was a trawler reality check. We will now take our time and explore our options on finding and buying the right trawler, what great advice and thank you. Oh and the many jokes before class we are taking away for our grandchildren.

We loved the new game we all played one night U tunies on Utube what an extra surprise and very fun we’ll be playing  that at home with our friends.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and stories. Safe journeys my friend.
Cheers
Court & Karen C
Springfield IL

Rethinking Our Next Move

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.

A Little Loop Around the Keys

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

The Worst Part Was Capt. Bob’s Cooking

5-9 – 5-12-2016

Thank you so much for the fantastic trip. We learned far more than we thought we would in such a short amount of time. The worst part was Captain Bob’s cooking, it was better than mine and now I have to hear about it.

Your knowledge of trawlers is so extensive and your warm personally made the trip very enjoyable.
Best Wishes  & Blessings,
Allison & Phil
Orlando FL

Boating Novice Docks Boat Blindfolded

3-1–3-5-16

Great experience Captain Bob!
Bob was able to explain all the subjects in plain English and made it very easy to understand. Like his advertisement reads “let’s keep it simple” and that he did. I learned a new respect for handling the Miami Mermaid and boating in general. I would highly recommend this Trawler school. When we started off I had no clue on boating. This experience has given me the confidence running and buying a trawler.
Marc C
Lowell Ma

The Captain showed me so much in just a few days, and he sure kept it simple. Being a total novice I returned at dock much more confident. It was lots of fun and bonded with my old friend Mark. We went to some wonderful spots. I ended up docking his 40′ single trawler blindfolded! I feel like I can dock any boat after that lesson. I highly recommend Captain’s Bob’s Trawler school. Check it out it’s worth the trip, cruising Miami and the Fl Keys. I like his all-inclusive school, no hidden cost.
Dan K
Billerica MA

A Week Full of Discovery & Learning

Hi Captain Bob,

After serving 27 years in the US Coast Guard as an engineer, split between sea duty and marine safety from the east, west, and Gulf coasts, including two years in Vietnam, I retired as a CW04 in my home state of Florida. The very next day I took a position as a port engineer with internal ship management, managing sulfur ships, grain ships, and ocean going tugs & barges. After 22 years with the company as VP I am “semi-retired.”

My wife and I are both native Floridians and love the water where we seem to be spending more and more time; with that in mind our interest has turned to larger vessels such as trawlers. After surfing the internet and reading various boat magazines we discovered “Captain Bob’s Trawler School Charters” which has turned out to be a week of learning, “by hands on experience,” beautiful scenery, enjoyable company, and great food.

Capt. Bob splits education between classes and hands on- with time for relaxing stops at such places as “Boca Chita Island” I did not know such places existed.

Capt. Bob passes on his experience and knowledge in navigation and boat handling in a very understandable manner. The experience you gain in docking a single screw vessel will be a valuable asset in your future. And, don’t be surprised if you gain a few pounds from “cabin boy” Bob’s chef capabilities. After watching Capt. Bob eyeing my intrinsically safe flash light during the voyage, I left it among his various gadgets.

Capt. Bob, Thanks for a wonderful week. In addition to the operational skills learned we appreciated the knowledge passed on in the ABC’s of Trawlers- good luck with your hip.

Betty & Jerry – San Antonio, FL

You have questions? They will be answered!

To trawler or not to trawler? That is the question. After a few days aboard Captain Bob’s trawler, “The Miami Mermaid”, you will have a better idea,as to the answer to that question.

Ok, you and your “significant other” have finally reached a point in your life where you need to make some changes. “Significant other” now includes, not only wife/husband but girl friend/boy friend, dog/cat, or any combination of the above. The point is, you think that it is time to get that boat/RV, mountain cabin, what ever!

Trawler School Charters would be a good place to start. Captain Robert Hamilton , the owner of the company, will guide you in the right direction. Sign up for a class and go!

After three or four days of “trawlering” and training with Captain Bob, you will have a clear idea as to whether that is the life for you. I am not going to get into which boat is right for you. Captain Bob will point out the different types of trawlers, advantages/disadvantages of each etc.

You have questions to ask. They will be answered by Captain Bob in his unique way and style. I am a satisfied customer and now have the ability and confidence to make an informed decision as to how to go about acquiring a trawler that will meet my needs.

In appreciation, I entrust my “Boson’s Pipe” to Captain Bob Hamilton after 30 years of my ownership.

XPILOT Mike
Corpus

Woman Over Board!!

Captain Bob,

Thank you for making our trawler life straightforward & understandable. We have a 22′ Sea Ray and looking to go into a trawler in about 5 years. We are glad to have attended your school, we enjoyed each and every lesson. Now  we have a solid plan for our trawler future.

The trip was fascinating, the sights were beautiful & the Miami Mermaid was clean, comfortable and updated. We enjoyed every moment spent aboard her and swimming around her was relaxing. Captain Bob had a full size blow up doll, her name was Wilma. We thought that was kind of strange. We were driving from the fly bridge and all of the sudden we hear The Captain yelling “woman over board!” and found ourselves in the middle of a woman overboard drill.

I drove and Dan fished Wilma out of the water and gave her CPR. This was the first time the Captain used Wilma and he videoes the event. It is so, so funny, it is going on his site and You Tube.

This has been a very valuable trip, Thank You!

Sincerely,
Dan & Julie
Cumming GA

Moving from a Sailboat to a Trawler

Captain Bob

Thank you, you’ve been a big help! All I can say is , if you are thinking about buying a trawler, or in my case,  moving from a sailboat to a trawler, this course will be the best money you can spend. Captain Bob is a mentor. He answered every single question I had,  then showed me things I never knew. It was a great course, even for an old salt like me. After this course I know what model and size of trawler to look for, and about how much to pay. Well worth the time and money. It was a fun filled course.

George H
TX

Man Over Board!

Our dearest Cabin Boy Bob

Wow! Thanks to a fantastic voyage, and oh yes, Trawler school. Tons of fun times and memories and trawler knowledge. Being a boat owner we learned more in 3 days than the last 30 years of boating. Great tips, jokes and a splash of Old Spice in the morning with Captain Bob, what a way to start the day. Happy to have introduced you to Radar Scope App now you’ll have the best weather information right on your I pad.

Never will we forget the great meals from the great chef himself. Your own fireworks display on Boca Chita Island, the ghost of Ms Honeywell, all the Dolphins (Miami Dolphins), Manatees and raccoons anchored in Jumbo’s Cut.

MOB (man over board) drill was exciting and yes we did save Wilson (Castaways).

Smooth Seas & light breezes.

James & Sallie S.
Richmond Va

Aka Thurston Howell III & Muffy