Take a look at Captain Bob’s web site: http://www.trawlerschoolcharters.com. Looks cozy and inviting, right?
Well, it’s not. I don’t know when Captain Bob took those photos, but it was some time ago. In between those photos and May 2011 when we stepped aboard the Miami Mermaid, Captain Bob has not maintained the trawler well. (In fact, we suspect that the trawler has not looked that good in many a year because another couple complained about the gap between Captain Bob’s advertising and the reality. For more on this, see http://www.livingaboard.com/forum. Unfortunately, we did not see this complaint until after we had flown to Ft. Lauderdale and discovered that Captain Bob’s operation is not all it appears to be.)
Consider the sun deck. Did you notice the three chairs and a table in Captain Bob's version? Now there are only two. The table has been folded and stowed. Buckets and gear clutter the area. (Photo below the Blog title)
The salon is nothing like the web site photos either! That fine TV is no more (see the May 2011 photo upper right at the beginning of this post). Another sets in its place, but it’s hard to pick it out from the surrounding clutter that includes wires strung across the face of it, a fire extinguisher just below, and bins for books.
Overall, Captain Bob’s photos show the salon to be neat and organized. The reality is neither. The captain’s seat sags and appears to be used for nothing more than storage. The corner nook, just to the right of the steps leading to the sundeck under the stained glass effect, spills over with stuff, including a record of the work that Captain Bob has done on the trawler. His before and after pictures prove that he has, in fact, improved upon the boat, but once he made those improvements, he seemed to ignore the effects of time and wear because the boat is now again in need of the Clean House crew as well as some spit and polish.
Downstairs, in the master stateroom aft, one wonders what standards Captain Bob has because in our telephone conversations with him, he took great exception to the notion that the stateroom has not been cleaned in a long while. He declared that he himself cleaned it so he knows how clean it is.
Bob’s protestations notwithstanding, grit is in every drawer. The hanging closet shelves sag and/or show signs of grease and age. A panel lies in the floor, evidence that someone worked on something behind that panel and failed to replace it. In fact, the panel would not stay in place.
The parquet floor is soft in places; the blanket (not a satiny bedspread as shown in the photos) feels sticky and thick as fabrics that have not been washed in a long time often do. A large bottle of Febreeze was prominently displayed--as if the final gesture at cleaning was to spray all the surfaces before departing and forgetting to put away the bottle.
The toilet is a do-it-yourself model. Captain Brian explained that no toilet paper should go in the toilet and that the vacuum mechanism needs repair so guests must stand in for that mechanism. They do this by filling a large plastic cup with water. If going #1 in that toilet, then pour one cup of water in the toilet bowl before pumping the handle installed on the right in order to flush the urine and water. A #2 void requires two full glasses of water.
You must admit: it’s easy to remember, right? One glass for #1; two for #2. But if you require toilet paper, none was available, and none was ever provided in spite of asking twice. I finally brought my own roll on board. I imagine the next charter’s guests will enjoy having it.
The sink was another joy to behold. Something very much like a wad of chewing tobacco lay therein, turning the stomach topsy-turvy. In addition, one faucet handle had been duct-taped in place to ward off any potential users. (Scroll down to the end of the first post to see photos of the sink.)
By the way, when you review Captain Bob’s before and after photos (and I hope you never will because this blog will save you from paying for Captain Bob’s services), be sure to study the Captain’s commode. Palatial. Well-appointed. Spacious. Top of the line. If only his guests were treated as well.
I cannot speak for the shower. We never had occasion to use it. When the anchor could not be launched and the generator shut itself off, we saw no reason to put up with cramped, dirty conditions. We asked to be taken back to the dock and set free. We also asked for a partial refund and agreed to day trips so that we could learn about navigation and trawler purchase.
Captain Bob was gruff and implied that we might not be trustworthy when he asked us to “be honest” about the real costs of our hotel room. For a man whose online photos do not honestly reflect the trawler that people pay to board, that was a bodacious and rude directive.
Captain Bob’s stand-in, Brian, told us that the trawler may be run-down, but the engine is still sound. He suggested that the mechanics of the trawler is what we need for a trawler education, and we agreed--except when I pay $300 a night for a hotel room, I expect certain amenities and comforts that I would never expect from a $49 hotel room. Captain Bob charges far more than $300 per day and night and offers food (none of which was ever served, even before we renegotiated after the mechanical failures of the first night), instruction, and a vacation. For the money he charges and in light of his own advertising, his trawler should look like the one online!
What did we learn? Caveat Emptor! Let the buyer beware!
Tomorrow’s post: The windlass fails. We cannot learn more than theory about anchoring and that we can read about in Chapman Piloting and Seamanship, 65th edition.
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